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The split rocks may enjoy a more rich soil, we grow them in our garden by just tossing in some seed, and watering them like a squash

C And D wrote:The split rocks may enjoy a more rich soil, we grow them in our garden by just tossing in some seed, and watering them like a squash

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Wow. Really? Nice assortment of "squash" there.

I might try that. I might fail

iann wrote:I might try that. I might fail

Up here too. We have had almost the coldest day of 23 May ever: just 10.5C and not much sunlight. Now add a cold and wet winter and they will surely die a horrible mushy death.

well it's been a month and i'm happy to report that all my little lithops are doing fine . the smallest one has a pretty sizable bleached scar i just noticed today, so he and his potmate are partial shade now. it turns out in a climate like this is you leave them out all day in the sun they seem to be really quite thirsty plants, they get all wrinkled on the sides every 2 or 3 days so i spritz them down with a bit of water from one of my fish tanks. i'll post pictures soon enough

Don't go crazy if they wrinkle up after a hot day in the sun. If they're fat by morning then they're fine. If not then you can give them some water.

thanks ian, although i think the sun here is the real problem. i got a new job so i wasn't home much last week, and unfortunately it's been the hottest week of the year, every day was over 100. one split on the top and another got scorched on one side. i put them all in indirect light but they seem to be permanently wrinkled, even after i gave them water.do you think they'll be okay once they grow new heads in a few months?

Splits are ugly, but so long as they dry out without the head rotting, they'll be perfect again next year.

Don't know about your wrinkles. They shouldn't be wrinkled *and* splitting at the same time. Wrinkles means thirsty, splits mean it was watered when it wasn't thirsty. It takes persistent overwatering to split a Lithops, doesn't happen overnight. Well actually it does happen overnight But only if the Lithops was already full and you still gave it more water. Photos might help diagnose whether they are really thirsty,not, or in some other trouble.

Scorching is simple. Too hot! Although a Lithops is quite happy at 140F, or even more, it can heat up way beyond that if it is sitting in the sun without air moving over it. Lithops are perfectly designed to heat up, but not well designed to cool down. Keep the air moving. Use a fan if necessary. If that still isn't enough, shade them when it is hottest. If the heat persists then you might need to shade them so you don't have to water too much even though they are sluggish from the heat.

Cat litter must be a type that does not become mushy in water, often sold as "lightweight". It is made from clay, but it is fired to it is hard and doesn't clump. Maybe someone can recommend a brand, but I don't know of any available in the US.

The closest I have found in America to the Tesco's Finest that I used to use in the UK is Napa Auto Parts Oil Dry Part #8822 (The part number matters as they have another version that is less suitable). It's the almost the same product though I preferred the reddish colour of the Tescos cat litter. You also need to strain out the fine parts and dust which I didn't have to do with the cat litter. Who knew I would miss Tescos?

Okay I FINALLY got a good camera so here is what my lithops like. Thankfully they have done precisely nothing since my last post

I have several small pots of lithops which are just finishing blooming. I'd like to consolidate them in a pretty bonsai shallow pan. Do I transplant them now or in the spring? Thanks for your help, Sue

You can transplant them now.
Just don't water them until next Spring, they should be fine.

Pot of Lithops otzeniana
Lithops Table in October this Year

If starting lithops from seed, can they be started year-round or is it best to plant in spring? I'd be keeping them indoors under lights, so temperatures would be fairly constant.

I was just curious if it's necessary to 'sync' them up initially with a particular growing cycle, or if they take watering (or lack thereof) as their cue to go dormant or continue growth?

You can start them at any time and they will sync up after a year or so, assuming they are exposed to enough seasonal variation so they know what time of year it is. I start most in late winter under lights, which gives them enough time to bulk up before going out into the sun in April or May. It also means that seed harvested in the previous summer will be mature enough to germinate very easily. In hotter climates, especially with good winter sun, an earlier sowing may work better. I occasionally sow in summer just out in the greenhouse and they do fine but they don't have time in the first summer to get their first true leaves properly established.

The other day I ordered a bunch of Lithops seeds, so the next thing will be getting them started off right. I was thinking of using a mix of screened pumice and red lava, maybe with some added perlite for aeration. Or do I need more of an organic component like a commercial cactus mix to retain a little more moisture? Are their requirements much different than when starting cacti from seed?