Story of my suicidal plant
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:10 pm
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!