Repotting - Side wrinkles on Lithops

[Sandra_75]

I bought Lithops last month that I never watered. I figured if Im doubting whether tomwater or now that I shouldnt water them.

Anywhow, this one on photo as big wrinkles on the side, but isnt too soft. Is this due to needing water or its something else?

PS: do I put pumice all the way up or how to know how much of the plant to cover?

Next time I wont see those side wrinkles as its properly repotted now.

[saboten]

Like I said before, I'm totally NOT a lithops expert... but from what I've seen on mine, I don't think those wrinkles are too much to worry about? I think the problem will come if it starts getting squishy. The sides often start to get wrinkly as they are drying out the old 'leaves' and going to push out new (again, at least in my experience). I bet someone else on the forum could tell you more!

[Sandra_75]

Like I said before, I'm totally NOT a lithops expert... but from what I've seen on mine, I don't think those wrinkles are too much to worry about? I think the problem will come if it starts getting squishy. The sides often start to get wrinkly as they are drying out the old 'leaves' and going to push out new (again, at least in my experience). I bet someone else on the forum could tell you more!

I guess if its firm its a good sign. Heres the same Lithop after repotting. Id never notice the wrinkles if it was already repotted.

[greenknight]

They do need to be watered, just not very often. During the growing season, wrinkling is the sign that it's safe to water (they can get quite a bit more wrinkled than this one, it doesn't urgently need water yet). During the winter, when a new pair of leaves should replace the old ones, withhold water until the old leaves dry up so the plant doesn't become "stacked". If that does happen it's not a big problem, though, just hold off watering until the old leaves dry up.

Young seedlings, I've found, can change their leaves several times a year. With a tray full of seedlings, they may not all be replacing leaves at the same time, and you can run into problems with some of them getting stacked - but if you just follow the rule of thumb that you let them get substantially wrinkled before giving water, it will work itself out. If you really want to get a feel for how Lithops grow, try growing some from seed - it's not hard, and it's fun!

In the wild, Lithops usually grow with just the tops of the leaves showing above ground, but they're often potted with most of the plant above the surface. They do fine either way, it's just a matter of preference. I'm not a Lithops expert, either, but I've learned a lot by growing some from seed, and gleaned a lot of information from the knowledgeable growers here - mainly iann, who really is an expert on growing Mesembs.

[Sandra_75]

They do need to be watered, just not very often. During the growing season, wrinkling is the sign that it's safe to water (they can get quite a bit more wrinkled than this one, it doesn't urgently need water yet). During the winter, when a new pair of leaves should replace the old ones, withhold water until the old leaves dry up so the plant doesn't become "stacked". If that does happen it's not a big problem, though, just hold off watering until the old leaves dry up.
In the wild, Lithops usually grow with just the tops of the leaves showing above ground, but they're often potted with most of the plant above the surface. They do fine either way, it's just a matter of preference. I'm not a Lithops expert, either, but I've learned a lot by growing some from seed, and gleaned a lot of information from the knowledgeable growers here - mainly iann, who really is an expert on growing Mesembs.

Thanks so much! I like it them showing just the top of the leave. Can the side rot tho if Lithop is mostly burried? My place is dry. So i have a mix of mostly pumice and little bit soil I use to fill up til base of the plant and the rest that covers the side of the place is pumice.

How do you know when to water when the sides are burried? I just know not to water when theres a new leave growing tho.

[greenknight]

They're adapted to growing mostly buried, that's not going to hurt them.

It would be better to just use the same mix all the way up, with just a thin top dressing of straight gravel if desired. However, I doubt there's enough difference between the pure pumice and pumice with just a little bit of soil to cause problems. An abrupt boundary between soil layers of different consistencies can impede water movement, one layer will become totally saturated before water will penetrate the boundary and moisten the next layer. As I said, I doubt it's a problem, but if you want to be absolutely sure you could unpot them, mix everything together, and repot.

When the tops of the leaves wrinkle, then it's time to water - you don't need to see the sides.

[Sandra_75]

They're adapted to growing mostly buried, that's not going to hurt them.

It would be better to just use the same mix all the way up, with just a thin top dressing of straight gravel if desired. However, I doubt there's enough difference between the pure pumice and pumice with just a little bit of soil to cause problems. An abrupt boundary between soil layers of different consistencies can impede water movement, one layer will become totally saturated before water will penetrate the boundary and moisten the next layer. As I said, I doubt it's a problem, but if you want to be absolutely sure you could unpot them, mix everything together, and repot.

When the tops of the leaves wrinkle, then it's time to water - you don't need to see the sides.

Now im noticing my Lithops are wrinkling after the repot. They were in a cactus soil and now in pumice. Should I stick to a cactus soil?

[greenknight]

If they haven't been watered and are wrinkling, they're ready to be watered. Give a good soaking, not just a little bit of water. Water should come out the drain hole - but don't leave them sitting in water.

Pumice works great as a Lithops growing medium, I wouldn't recommend going back.

[Sandra_75]

If they haven't been watered and are wrinkling, they're ready to be watered. Give a good soaking, not just a little bit of water. Water should come out the drain hole - but don't leave them sitting in water.

Pumice works great as a Lithops growing medium, I wouldn't recommend going back.

Thanks so much for your help. I gave them a good soak. A few days appart. They are just starting to plump up!. I didnt water them for about a month and half because I thought they didnt need. But they did. So if it took that long for them to wrinkle down... might take some time for them to be plumpy again.

[greenknight]

Good to hear!

Actually, they don't need water until they are wrinkled - but they do need a good soak when they get to that point. I think you'll be surprised how quickly they plump up. They're very efficient at taking up water and storing it, which is another reason you have to be careful not to water them too soon - in addition to the danger of rot, they can take up too much water and split. This is not necessarily fatal, but it will look bad until the cracked leaves are replaced.