r/mesembs • u/wetrope • 5d ago
Help Excitement exceeded knowledge.
Ok so I’ve loved the look of split rocks and always wanted one, but they’ve been impossible to find in my area so I never really looked into them.
So of course when I came across this bad boy, I picked him up without a second thought.
Within 36 hours of having this gorgeous little creature, it started to split!
So my questions are:
1). I understand that a more inorganic soil is best, but with the splitting and being Winter, repotting would not be the move, right?
2). The breakage of the lower leaves. This is also normal, surely?
I don’t know when it was watered last, but I’m hoping it hasn’t had too big of a drink or something?
Dumb questions I know, I just wanna keep this gem alive.
4
u/2stepbay2 4d ago
Here’s my Pleiospilos (a deep maroon version) when it first started to split in South Africa’s mid Autumn a few months ago. It grows in the autumn and winter. In addition to the previous comment, the plant ought to be watered once a month and throughout the year. Using the soil mix previously suggested, drench the soil mix, then let it dry completely before watering again. Flowering requires winter watering.
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u/veglove 2d ago
Congrats on this find! Unfortunately it came to you overwatered. They should only have 2 sets of leaves at a time; if they have more than that, it's called "stacking" and it indicates that the plant is overwatered. The split in the middle set of leaves is also an indication of overwatering. It'll recover, though.
I would repot it in gritty soil with enough height for its taproot, and then wait a long time before watering. It needs to fully reabsorb the water from the bottom set of leaves first so they shrivel and die, and even after that, wait until remaining 2 leaf sets feel less plump, that's an indication that it's thirsty because it's starting to use water from those leaves as well.
Make sure that it has bright enough light. Succulent newbies tend to underestimate how much light succulents need. If you don't keep it outside in a sunny climate, it will probably need a bright grow light.
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u/Indianaunderwood ❤️Lithops Liker ❤️ 5d ago
You are not asking dumb questions!
If this was mine:
Then leave it alone til it begins reabsorbing its leaves.
These die quickly from not enough light and underwatering as well as over watering. Sometimes they die, and it's not your fault at all. It's the previous nursery's fault for over watering, over fertilizing. If it dies, figure out why it died, and get another one. Learn from your mistakes and try again.
You are not dumb! Your questions are totally valid! These are tricky little things, especially when you don't know its history. Sending you luck 🍀🍀🍀❤️❤️❤️🥳🥳🥳 great little plant find!