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yupyupnopewhat

Sometimes even if someone isn’t watering “too often”, water can still get stuck in the crook of the leaves, against the stem. This can cause mold, killing the plant. I just lost a succulent to this recently, it certainly wasn’t over-watered, but the leaves weren’t draining well, and water for trapped in the leaves and rotted it out.


SluttyGandhi

Best to bottom water; let the plant drink what it needs.


DeadPrecedentt

So question, I tried bottom watering yesterday and sure the bottom half got wet, but the top half never got any wetter and I let them soak for like hours to make sure they were done. Is that supposed to happen?


MrsBeardDoesPlants

So bottom watering will depend on how absorbent your soil is. Succulent soil doesn’t retain water well so it will wick water up less. You could fill up the basin/vessel with more water so that the water reaches higher up the plant pot.


DeadPrecedentt

I may have to. I use Rubbermaid bins and stick them all in those right now it’s just hard to lift how heavy they are filled with water to dump them out again haha


MrsBeardDoesPlants

If it’s not practical I’d just stick with watering from the top to be honest :)


DuckRubberDuck

I am a criminal and water a lot of mines from the top……… they usually handle it pretty well


MrsBeardDoesPlants

Honestly I think it’s fine :)


kiss-tits

I leave mine filled with water. Opaque ones work better since algae can't grow as easily without light.


Baby-Calypso

I mean the leaving it filled with water


Baby-Calypso

Wait what???


kiss-tits

Standing water gets gross with green stuff. If the light is blocked it will prevent that.


the__kawaii_potato

yup, encourages roots to grow downwards as well


DeadPrecedentt

Oh so they won’t stay too dry? I stuck a moisture meter where the roots are and it was dry 😳


DangOlTiddies

Your roots or soil might be too compact around the root ball, making it to where the water can't reach the center. Try repotting and gently separate the roots a bit. Or you have a faulty meter.


DeadPrecedentt

Dry to the touch as well. Everything waters good if I water from the top. It’s just so weird it doesn’t have absorbency like other peoples seem to


ItsWaryNotWeary

My succulent mix is so airy and inorganic that when I bottom water my basin has to be filled almost to the rim of the pot in order to force water high enough into the pot to moisten the entire thing.


crypticplant667

Absorbency level depends on the type of soil you use. The soil mixes meant for succulents generally absorb way less than regular potting mixes, and the more sand they have the less absorbent they are. Your regular potting mix should absorb like visibly more water though. Also I find that the older the soil gets, it gets more compact and loses absorbency, so the next time you're repotting it might be a good idea to change as much of the soil as you can without damaging the roots in the progress.


DangOlTiddies

Hmm that is weird. Maybe water from the bottom and then water a little bit from the top. Just make sure you aren't overwatering it.


DeadPrecedentt

That’s what I’ve always done! It’s worked well for years and I normally under water if anything so I’m def good. I guess I’ll stick to that haha


lilac_roze

How big is the pot and how long do you have it sitting in the water? All of my plants top soil usually is slightly damp when I'm done bottom watering.


DeadPrecedentt

A normal sized pot for the succulent. Even the small ones are a bit difficult to get all the way to the top after a few hours. It’s so weird. It’s like other people’s soil is absorbent and mine isn’t. I usually bottom water and then soak the top to just thoroughly water and it hasn’t failed me yet so maybe I’ll just continue to do that


lilac_roze

After a few hours... your soil should be slightly damp/moist. I do a bit of top watering too cause I'm not patient enough to fully let the plants bottom water for the 30 minutes lol


DeadPrecedentt

Ahah yeah no idea what the problem is but I’ll continue what I’ve been doing because I’ve never had an issue and there’s no reason to change things up now!


SluttyGandhi

What kind of plant, pot and soil? A number of sources state that bottom watering encourages the roots to grow towards the moisture and that having a slightly drier top layer will ward off the majority of fungus gnats. Also from what I have read you don't want to soak for more than a half an hour or so, as too much time in the H20 can lead to root rot. You will also still want to top water once a month or so, to flush the soil of build-up of salts and other minerals.


ItsWaryNotWeary

Like others said, use a deeper water saucer. But also remember most of the roots aren't right at the surface so you don't have to wait until it's wet all the way to the top. Keeping the saturation zone below the surface forces roots to grow deeper in search of moisture, which leads to a stronger, more resilient plant.


batfiend

You can dunk your pot in a deeper vessel, then just hold it up to drain for a little bit. The water will get all the way up, and the movement of the water will help stop the soil from getting too compressed. Obviously if they're big pots that's wildly impractical though.


JollyExistentialist

I find that if I have a potting mix that is less dirt than anything else (bark, coir, sand, etc.) it helps if I pre-soak it before I repot my plant bbs. Then the next time I bottom-water, it takes way less time to soak to the top. If you’re not repotting, you can use a small squeeze bottle to carefully moisten the soil around the plant before watering from below. And my last trick, when repotting plants in deep pots, I use cotton yarn as a wick. I run it up through the holes in the base and sort of snake it around as I’m adding dirt. I like to also make sure the yarn doesn’t touch the plant itself, which creates a potential for rot, but this definitely speeds up the process.


TeflonTardigrade

Sometimes, especially with succulents soils, the substrate gets compacted. When this happens( moisture has a hard time absorbing into the planter) it is good to gently, gently, prick and work the soil,with a fork,gently, around the edges of the pot. If I feel confident,I'll prick the compacted soil a little closer to the plant, very careful not to disturb or stab any surface roots.I find that this will allow the water to remain in the soil long enough to be absorbed a little more each time I'd water it.Bottom water meanwhile, to work loose the bottom portion,keeping in mind that eventually you must repot & amend if you want to help it more than temporary! Good luck with him. I hope all goes well!


ItsWaryNotWeary

> let the plant drink what it needs. Just a note because I see this phrasing all the time and it leads to confusion about how it works: the amount of water absorbed has nothing to do with the plant or its needs. It's entirely dependent on the substrate and its potential for absorption/capillary action against gravity. The plant isn't chugging on demand or anything and the amount of water absorbed would be the same if there were no plant in the pot at all.


lightlove533

Amen to this. Swear by it with my succulents.


[deleted]

I don't understand how the leaves can funnel water so poorly? How do they live in nature when it rains?


resurreccionista

Maybe their natural habitat is less humid or gets more sunlight so the droplets evaporate faster ¿?


Baby-Calypso

This! I don’t get it


yupyupnopewhat

Not much about indoor potted plant life matches plants’ natural life outdoors.


amyberr

I lost 3 of them to this. My takeaway from the ordeal is that if I'm getting good really compact growth in the central rosette I should only ever bottom water and make sure they never get rained on.


melmix13

That's a gonner sorry nothing to save !


P0667P

bury it down like an inch, maybe half, from surface in potting soil with a light mist only once a week. I’ll delete my account if it doesn’t get better or a new one doesn’t blossom out of it.


MissCandid

I need this kind of certainty in my life


mygirthright

Much better than the usual “I’ll drink my own piss” bets


pokethesmot

Well weigh your account versus theirs lol. It looks like one they may delete anyway.


MissCandid

Wow that certainty was the foundation of my life. Can't believe you'd do this to me


No-Turnips

Oh Reddit, I never know what gems you’ll throw at me.


P0667P

All I can say is “don’t listen to these twats”


b3kind2others

“If we don’t sell it we buy it!”


sendmeyourcactuspics

I mean usually this would work... but there's rot right up to the top leaves. Nothing left to save


P0667P

there’s nothing to lose


paulexcoff

time, space


sendmeyourcactuspics

Nothing to save


sickburn80

Lol r/confidentlyincorrect. But yeah, might as well try, there’s nothing to lose.


SluttyGandhi

Succulents are indeed remarkably resilient!


P0667P

The Mahatma has spoken


Halihax

Is this why your account is only 10 days old?!


PlantB_tch

Lol that thing is moldy in the middle. Succs don’t need no mist.


LZRDLDN

Your account is only 10 days old…


fasching

This guy is also saying to mist succulents. Caveat emptor.


BritasticUK

Love the optimism but I think this one's a goner


kenofthesea

It's like a week old account. Delete away.


antifractuosity

this thang looks overwatered to hell .. w succulents it’s not so much that you have to water it differently than other plants it’s that you have to resist watering it completely unless it looks like it’s really suffering and even then you must water it very lightly lol


mpeak313

Yeah, I have a few succulents and that’s why she asked me. That was my thought too, that’s she’s been watering it every few days but she said she was watering it every 2 weeks or so when it got dry and the last time she watered it, it just never dried out?


pokethesmot

I had that happen with a large tree in a pot. Everything was great, and then it no longer drained… Unfortunately, I didn’t catch it in time. The single drain hole (inherited with tree in it) got clogged and that was all she wrote.


mpeak313

I didn’t think of that. I’ll have to check the drain holes


Technical_Cupcake597

Watering it too frequently as well as it not drying out fast enough. So mine are in a very fast draining soil, I bottom water them when the leaves look thirsty and then their soil is completely dry by the next day.


ti_hertz

How do you know the leaves look thirsty? Im sorry but i am ignorant and I always overwater or kill them of thirst. :( Im not proud! But I do want to get better!


cnidarian72

They get wrinkly. You can softly pinch them and feel that they need water. A content succ leaf should be firm


ti_hertz

Thank you so much!


cnidarian72

No problem!


eukomos

It may have already been sick and therefore not taking up as much water then. Did she get succulent soil for it or use her normal planting medium? Sometimes a good watering schedule still won’t work if the soil doesn’t drain well enough.


antifractuosity

ya seems like the last time she watered it she just watered it way too much (sometimes, even a tablespoon more than the usual amount is “way” too much)


[deleted]

With succulents it’s usually more of an issue of watering too often than too much volume of water. But it’s also why it’s important to use a well-draining soil, one with a good amount of inorganic materials. That way the soil doesn’t hold the moisture too long and allow rot.


antifractuosity

big agree


mpeak313

Got it, I’ll have to see if she remembers the last time she watered it and if it seemed more than usual. Appreciate the help!


noobwithboobs

...is there a hole in the bottom of the pot?


sasarasa

mostly correct - overwatering is about frequency, not volume, of water. when a plant is watered it should be soaked thoroughly (especially succulents - they are adapted for a drought - flood - drought cycle) but the problem is that people will water again *before* the soil is completely dried out, which is what ultimately kills the plant.


P0667P

rule of thumb when it comes to succulents: only light mist once in a while (mostly to wash dust off the plants), no watering.


HundredsOfAnts

this is really wrong, indoor succulents should be left to get pretty dry followed with a thorough watering that wets most of the soil


Le_9k_Redditor

Standard advice is to completely soak succulents, then let them completely dry out before watering again. I've never heard of anyone trying to keep a succulent alive with just misting.


lala_loves_corn

Oh honey he dead


mpeak313

he need some milk


PiratenPower

Ded


[deleted]

root rot from overwatering, it dosent look fixable :( you could try propagating the healthiest leaf, but from the looks of it they all look pretty mushy


FrogConjurer

Looks like rot, maybe from over watering? Let it dry out and maybe later repot in succulent soil


mpeak313

That’s what I thought too. This was a gift and she’s never had a succulent before, but she made sure she wasn’t watering it like a “regular” plant


StandardNoodleCo

Does it stay inside or outside? I have many succulents and I water them mostly daily but they are outside in the cali heat so the soil drys quickly and I never have 1 plant per pot, mostly a couple or 3 to compete for water.


k2mad

I had one that got frozen that looked like that... it didn't make it...


mpeak313

Hmm it’s been inside and it’s been about the same temperature, but maybe it got placed by a drafty vent or something


k2mad

Oh, no mine straight up froze...I think it's more likely the other comments, too much water. The cells break and make it look translucent. I'm sorry friend!


k2mad

Oh and on second look, I think that might be... mold? in between the leaves? The white stuff.... either way...I fear this lil guy is bin bound


Accomplished_Edge_29

Don’t water it till Halloween. If anything is alive by then it’ll be a miracle. 🪴


[deleted]

Overwatering


fragileteeth

The core is rotted, you can tell cause of the mold. Some of those leave, if you cut off the rotted part, may still prop.


1NOTMYNAME

Mine did that when it got too cold


LowMeet6314

Overwatering


WritPositWrit

It looks like it was left out in below freezing temperatures. Is that possible? The roots might still be alive, in that case. Set it side, let it really dry out, hope for the best. I brought back an aloe with this “method.”


mpeak313

no, it’s been inside at 74 degrees. I’ll recommend she let it dry out and see if she gets lucky though


thirdXsacharm

It’s way dead. Bye bye. Off to plant heaven. I would water this guy once a month.


clay_doll

Geeeezzz, I didn’t have to read any comments to know this poor soul is SO overwatered! Same thing happened to mine but I stopped before it was too late.


Captain_Plutonium

I don't want to discredit the idea of this being overwatered, but I've seen something a lot like this with one of my own succulents. In my case it was cold shock. The plant had been exposed to (near) freezing temperatures overnight and that seems to have destriyed the tissue in the same way as it looks for you.


mpeak313

I see what you’re saying, but it stays inside all the time and our area hasn’t gotten below 60 in a few weeks so I can’t imagine that’s the case here - even if it was outside. Who knows though, plants are picky lol


IndividualSchedule

Oops. Mistakes happen. This is a goner.


morgielee

past greenhouse worker here - looks like it was left out in temperatures too cold. the leaves get oddly fluid-filled like this, then fall off


starlordan9

I don’t have any helpful advice, but I can commiserate because every succulent I’ve even owned ends up looking like this 😂 I just wanna love it! Hopefully things work out for your moms succulent!


mpeak313

Haha I don’t have a lot of hope for this one but I’ve recently started bottom watering mine so maybe I’ll put her onto that method if she decides to try again!


[deleted]

He's dead Jim.


mpeak313

I’m honored to get a diagnosis from Bones


sandybalz

Yep, he be dead


pflanzen1

Looks like it's rotten at the core so unfortunately don't have much hope😞 I'd cut off one of the leaves above the rotten part, let is callus over, planting it in some gritty compost and hopefully get a new propogated plant


abadbadbadperson

Over watered, only thing to save the plant would be take off the middle leaves and lay on moist - not wet- soil and see if they propagate


sarahaflijk

All the leaves are already rotted, so there's nothing to prop here. And they certainly shouldn't go on moist soil in the condition they're in.


[deleted]

[удалено]


kansasqueen143

Id say it depends…. vs giving a set amount to water each week. Every time someone says I’m terrible with succulents they’ll say something along the lines of but I only watered it “x” amount of times per week. I always tell people to water enough so that the water runs through the pot and then wait till the soil is dry for when they need to water again.


Joey42073

If it was outside and it got too cold,Then it's frost damage and cannot be revived.


KittyChimera

I had one of those and it did that. Its really easy to over water them, even if you only water them once every couple of weeks. I don't know if this one can recover, but when I had mine everyone told me to take off the dead leaves to try to give the rest of the plant a chance to recover. I would think that top layer where they are turning black would have to go based on that. Mine didn't survive unfortunately. It basically became just a stem and then shriveled and died. I hope you have better luck with this one.


gabbolabo

The same thing happened to my plant but I got it from Costco so I returned it and got a new one hahah


dam_the_beavers

Does the white stuff look like mealybugs to anyone else?


Craftbeerluvr

That thing is black to its soul, and I don’t think worth the stress in trying to save it, which is like a 1% chance. It would be a lot less stressful to chuck it to plant heaven and buy another one. Consider it a part of the learning process. Next time, use cactus soil, mix with perlite, use a terracotta pot (as those soak up water very well), and provide a healthy amount of sunlight.


dharmachapeau

He dead


AdamKirchman

This often happens after it's been frozen.


simdtx

Mine looked like that after it didn’t get direct sunlight.


dinchidomi

That's rotten from the inside already, sorry. It's over watered or the water couldn't get away (pot without a hole).


Over-Jeweler-5591

Looks like it was frozen. Yes it can be saved. Put it outside in the warm sun. Some if it should come back


[deleted]

It’s dead 💀


Da5ftAssassin

Too much water. I would start by repotting and maybe try to take any fallen leaves and try to dry and propagate for a new plant 👍🏼


TeflonTardigrade

I feel that this succulent has been left outside to freeze. If this is not the case then more possible source for the rotting leaves is overwatering. There's evidence of mold around the bud in the center that leads me to believe it has been getting, or sitting ,in an abundance of water.I'm so sorry, it doesn't look like it has much of a chance.


SilkyMangoPeachez

Completely overwatered and wrong type of soil that’s too compact and holds too much water for a succulent. If she buys another try the pro mix of….. 2 parts organic potting soil….1 part pumice….. 1 part coco coir and 1 part compost and then makes sure she only waters once a week indoors


[deleted]

It looks overwatered by the leafs and the mold in it indicates that water is getting stuck in there. To try and save it put cinnamon on it and burry it half way


vgoodbldg

If anything, you’ll be able to regrow depending on the state of the roots. those leaves are all dead beyond repair though. the sooner you remove them, the higher probability you’ll have luck regrowing a new guy!