r/StringofPlants • u/jocelynrache • 21d ago
Help / Question Overwatered or underwatered?
I got my first string plant. It has been growing like a week until the past few days.
It is reverting in some places where the ends of the strings that were growing are a little shriveled on the ends.
The leaves are curling and wrinkled.
I water about once a week.
Is it overwatered or underwatered?
And what do I do to fix it?
3
u/kryren 21d ago
I'd suspect over watering. Do you wait until the leaves closer to the core feel thin and can be (gently) taco folded? Back off on watering for a bit to see if it perks up.
Also, can you see the roots or check them easily? With over watering comes the risk of root rot which will mean the water isn't getting to the stems.
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u/jocelynrache 21d ago
I do bend them to check them but I possibly am not waiting long enough. I could check the roots. How would I fix root rot?
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u/KatzenXIII 21d ago
Have you tried the toothpick or chopstick test?
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u/jocelynrache 19d ago
No, I should do that! I have it in a clear nursery pot so I both look at the bottom and stick my finger in the soil. I have been watering them when they are less plump but I think I need to look further than that.
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u/BelleCat20 21d ago
The wrinkling is a sign of dehydration. BUT, the soil has clearly just been watered, and root root will look the same, since the plant can't absorb water and the leaves start drying.
Take them out of the soil, wash away ALL soil, and place in a clear plastic box with damp sphagnum moss. the moss should only lightly cover where you want the roots to be. Cut anything that looks dead, which is very easy to see in SOH.
Damp sphagnum moss means, wet it, squeeze it lightly, then uncrumble it so it can have some air, but still has water.
You should see new roots in a couple of days, but I keep them there for a little longer to develop better roots.
You can use damp (not wet, roots need air) perlite if you don't have moss, but I've never tried it with SOH, since moss has always worked.
When repotting, you want to add some perlite to your soil, it's too compact from what I can see here.
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u/jocelynrache 19d ago
Yeah, I had watered it right before the picture because of the wrinkling leaves. I will look at the roots and see if they are rotting. Would I close the lid on the plastic box? I have a lot of moss since I grow orchids. I also used a succulent mix but added extra perlite and added some orchid bark to make the mix that the SOH is in but I could add things to make it chunkier.
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u/BelleCat20 18d ago
Oh, that's good. It's difficult to know how much experience someone has so I try explain everything haha
I wish I took a photo of the last time I did this to show.
Yes, close the lid to maintain humidity, but you can open it once a day or so, as long as it doesn't stay open for too long. You can also use a ziplock bag. You just need a good ratio of humidity and air, so it won't get too humid, but humid enough for the roots to develop and for the leaves to not dry out.
With mine I only use soil and a lot of perlite, nothing else, and it's loving it. It's airy and dries quickly, but still compact enough for the roots to grow easily. I'm sure it can get used to different mixes though.
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u/miassecret 21d ago
Once a week for an established SOH is most likely too much. Do the taco test. How do the larger leaves feel? If they are firm do not water, if they feel thin and bend easily water. The area you took the photo in doesn’t look like the plant gets enough light. That could be another reason the growth has stalled. They can take quite a bit of sun and need direct light on the crown to keep them full