Story of my suicidal plant

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Pompom
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Location: Northern Finland

Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

This year I got really into plants, especially cacti and succulents. I had read they are easy to grow inside and require little care. Of course I wanted to grow them myself, so at first I got two cacti. I've read succulents are a little bit harder to grow than cacti, so I didn't get succulent as my first plant. After I noticed my cacti are good in health and they don't die on me, I got confidence to buy a succulent. One day in summer I found this beautiful little echeveria pulidonis from grocery store. Little did I knew where I got myself into.
July2017
July2017
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Thanks to this forum, I knew I have to change the soil, and that's what I did. I knew I should also change the pot into pot with hole(s) in the bottom but I didn't. Now I wonder why I didn't, but maybe I thought it'll survive next winter in this pot and after winter I give it a proper pot. I didn't know it would grow as much it actually did. I didn't know what this pretty, little plant was capable of. I knew nothing.
The next picture was taken about about month after i got the plant. Yes, I know now the pot was way too small for it from the beginning, but man it grew so much. In this picture the diameter is about 15cm. The summer was cloudy, not much sun. I realized I have to get it a growing lamp as soon as possible. Here in northern Finland there is not that much sun and warmth even if it's summer, so I was worried if the plant suffers.
August2017
August2017
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However, I didn't get lamp and the plant started to do some weird stuff. I don't know how the next thing really happened, but it happened. The plant started a slow suicide process. It lifted itself up from the soil with its leaves, exposing the rootball to the air. I had had it only two months and I was helpless. I didn't know what to do. I already had repotted it a while ago and didn't want to disturb the plant too much. Every watering I tried to direct the water straight to the root ball. One time I noticed it had two pups growing under and that made me think that maybe it survives over winter like this, hanging in the air. Being weird. I planned to trim it in spring and plant it properly.
September2017
September2017
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In summer I was thinking "Ooh, I buy a little beautiful EASY plant for myself." I didn't think it would become such a science experience! The plant was happy hanging there, the pups grew, everything seemed "normal". I got the growing lamp for it and the others. It was fine until about a month ago. I noticed the plant was soft to touch, and figured it really can't get enough water with the hanging roots. It's middle of winter here, it's dark and drafty. Could it survive another repotting? I decided I have to try save it, I couldn't give up yet. I prepared a bigger pot for it, so I can bury the roots, and it actually worked. Because of the weird way it grew, I decided to water it by leaving the pot into water so the soil sucks the water in through the holes. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of it like that.
The plant was so happy to get its root covered and actually grew a lot in a month. I was happy. I did it. I saved the plant.

No.

A few days ago I was getting the plant watered. Well... Of course I dropped it. =D>
All of my love and care, on the floor, broken. All my dreams, broken. I still want to save it, even if it's winter, even it was recently repotted. Why wouldn't I try? I snapped all the broken and down-pointed leaves from it and potted the remaining piece. This remaining piece is all new growth it grew past month. It lost the other pup in the process. I'm not sure if propagation works in winter but I try that too, 'cause I have nothing to lose.
December2017
December2017
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That was a story of my precious little echeveria pulidonis for now. I really hope it survives. If it survives, I promise all of you I never give up on this plant! I think it's time to name it. Does anyone have appropriate suggestions?

Wish me luck!
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by ElieEstephane »

That was a very pleasant post to read! Echeverias are hard little plants. I would not be surprised if it pulled through.
As for the hanging rootball, it's probably aerial roots and not underground roots that were pulled up. Aerial roots start where old dead leaves were and it is very normal. It happens with 2 of my echeverias, with sempervivums, with aeoniums, with sedums and much more.
I think you should call it kurt (after kurt cobain who committed suicide).
Good luck!
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
Pompom
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Location: Northern Finland

Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

elieestephanie, at first I too thought the roots were aerial roots, but in fact the plant was just sitting there, hanging. The end of the "trunk" is there where the rootball starts. I could've just take it and lift it from the pot. There were no roots in the soil, not even the hairy ones :D
Kurt sounds good, i'll pick that if nobody suggests even a better name!
Pompom
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

Update about this plant. It's doing just fine. It's little bit bigger already. Also seven of the leaves I try to propagate did get roots a day before yesterday! I think the plant gave me a christmas present. Now I just have to wait if any of the leaves give me a baby plant. I'm so happy right now.
I'll post pictures when there is more things to show to you. Maybe when Kurt is looking like a normal echeveria again or when the leaves get babies. We'll see!

Happy holidays for everyone!
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by ElieEstephane »

Glad to hear that! And also glad you named him kurt :D
Merry Christmas!
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
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stefan m.
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by stefan m. »

Nicely done. already did stuff like this several times.
Pompom
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Location: Northern Finland

Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

Elieestephane: Yeah, I first tought if Nirvana would be good but then tought it wouldn't be that great. In buddhism it means something about ultimately losing the real body and leaving the cycle of reincarnation which I really don't want happen to the plant. But maybe if only the three of the leaves get babies, I maybe have to name it Nirvana, and name the babies after the three fires: Greed, Hate and Ignorance. I think it would be funny.
It's Kurt now and it will be Kurt if this doesn't happen :D
Pompom
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

I didn't have to wait for the babies for long!
6 of the leaves have tiny mini baby. One with many roots has decided to grow only roots but i'm pretty sure it will give me a baby too if given more time.
I read this plant is slow growing but for me it's not. It grows so much faster than my "fast growing" thanksgiving cactus...
Kurt needs to grow only 4 leaves to look like complete again. And the pot is becoming too small for it already. Oh god he gives me grey hairs. ](*,) I'll post you pictures soon!

This question crossed my mind yesterday: Basically, are all the new babies Kurt? They are invidual plantlets but are they all just Kurt? I was thinking about the lifespan of plants and thought Kurt will die someday. It has that one baby attached to it's stem. Is it same plant or is it a different plant? When one day Kurt dies of the old age, can i say all it's pups are the same plant which has already deceased? Do the babies have their own invidual lifespan?
What made me think these things was because my fried told me she got cutting from her friends plant. She couldn't tell what plant it was. It was propagated many more times before. What was weird, was that her cutting, other cutting and the mother plant died on a same day. So i thought if the plant was determined to die on that day. Does that happen? Is it different with Kurts babies and if it is, why?
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by ElieEstephane »

Tge babies and offsets and kurt are all genetically the same! But the lifespan of each kurt will depend on thr conditions it is given. Conditions can even vary between 2 touching plants.
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
Pompom
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Location: Northern Finland

Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

Thanks ElieEstephanie! I can breathe again :D

This is the biggest baby with smallest roots!
1.jpg
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There you can see the one with many roots and couple others.
3.jpg
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Finally Kurt and his baby today!
2.jpg
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Looks like I really did save the plant. For now... :lol:
Pompom
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

Kurt is doing better than ever. It's growing steadily and nicely.
Same I can't say about its babies. All 7 leaf cuttings grew a baby plant but 4 of them decided to dry out the roots. I didn't give up for them and now they got a new roots again. It's so hard to decide when to give a bit of water for them and when to leave them alone since I don't want them to dry up nor do I want to drown them. They are still way too small to repot, none of them has a rosette formed, only little leaves everywhere.
I think after these I'm not going to try propagation for a while :D
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by ElieEstephane »

Pompom wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:41 pm Kurt is doing better than ever. It's growing steadily and nicely.
Same I can't say about its babies. All 7 leaf cuttings grew a baby plant but 4 of them decided to dry out the roots. I didn't give up for them and now they got a new roots again. It's so hard to decide when to give a bit of water for them and when to leave them alone since I don't want them to dry up nor do I want to drown them. They are still way too small to repot, none of them has a rosette formed, only little leaves everywhere.
I think after these I'm not going to try propagation for a while :D
I keep leaf cuttings in a transparent tupperwear and leave the lid a little open. Any transparent container wil do to keep some humidity in. The cuttings will benefit very much from this
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by ElieEstephane »

Turns out i have a pulidonis too!
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There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
Pompom
Posts: 421
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:59 pm
Location: Northern Finland

Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by Pompom »

ElieEstephane wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:55 pm Turns out i have a pulidonis too!
Oh wow! I hope Kurt has long enough lifespan left to get as beautiful and stunning plant as yours is. (Thinking about how fast growing Kurt is, it's not impossible at all. :lol: If I don't ruin it again somehow...) It's interesting how individual plants can be so different from each other. Kurt looks more like the baby growing from your mother plant, not with so many leaves yet.

Hmm as for the tupperware container, maybe I try to move the babies in tupperware too. Let them continue the science experiment I started with Kurt. It would be nice if the babies survive to adulthood, but it's not necessary since I was going to give them all away anyways. I'll try, I have nothing to lose but I can win this round!
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Story of my suicidal plant

Post by ElieEstephane »

Here's my setup. I never gave it any attention. I initially moistened the soil and closed the top to 80-90% and forgot about it. It was just an experiment and gave me many pups. However, my main interest is cacti so i'm not gonna sacrifice cacti seedling space under the lights for echeveria. You can see how tight it's in there in photo 20180113_144457 in this link:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=39747&start=135
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There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
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