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brynn_briggs

My donkey tail doesn't look so good.....

Brynn Briggs
8 years ago

I got this plant a month ago. I have it planted in miracle gro cactus soil. It's outdoors with indirect Florida sunlight. The leaves are following off and some are turning yellow. Help me please! Thank you!

Comments (14)

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    8 years ago

    Soil looks too wet - otherwise nice and compact (so the light seems to be suitable)

    Brynn Briggs thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • Brynn Briggs
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I just watered it minutes before taking the photo. Is it normal for the leaves to be turning yellow? A lot of leaves are falling off at the base of the plant.

  • ewwmayo
    8 years ago

    Even though just watered, perhaps a fair bit of perlite added to the soil will help it be more airy, allowing for healthier roots and less yellowing leaves.

    Better draining, yet holds enough water for your Florida weather. Straight miracle grow soil is usually just too water retentive by itself.

    Brynn Briggs thanked ewwmayo
  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    8 years ago

    While the leaves of this plant will fall off very easily if brushed against, they shouldn't be just falling off otherwise. Yellowing is very often sign of too much water. If the soil is water retentive, it may have been still wet in the middle even if top looked dry and additional water could have been too much.

    Brynn Briggs thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • Brynn Briggs
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    All of my succulents are in the same soil mix. Would it be smart to repot them all in a mixture of the same soil with perlite? What ratio should I use? Thank you both so much!!

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I don't have experience growing plants in your kind of weather, but I keep my succulents in very gritty & mostly inorganic mix. You may want to keep more soil since it is much warmer and for many more months, but still have it well draining. Adding perlite and/or grit would help a lot; in my case soil would be max 20% of the total volume (I hardly ever use soil thou).

    What other succulents do you have?

  • Brynn Briggs
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I'm not certain of the names. Most of them were gifts. The ones in the smaller pots I'm not concerned with. They are probably doing so well because they were potted by someone else :) All the larger pots I did. They are all in the same soil. Im sending the photos now. Slow loading.....

  • Brynn Briggs
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Photo 1

    Photo 2

    photo 3

    photo 4

  • P.j. Jitdamrong
    8 years ago

    according to http://www.succulentsandsunshine.com/ the leaves will absorb surrounding moisture. your donkey tails look fine to me. yellowing and drying of the leaves are quite normal as long as its on the base. these leaves down the bottom have their own expiring dates, they simply will shrivelled up and fall off. i'm not an expert on the climate in Florida but if it's humid over there it's likely that you shouldn't have to water your succulent as often.

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    8 years ago

    Naturally, old leaves will eventually dry up and shrivell/fall off. I am referring to excessive falling off and yellowing.

    Looser mix will allow for good drainage and air at the root zone.

  • MsGreenFinger GW
    8 years ago

    Nice collection Brynn!

  • Brynn Briggs
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    Ewwmayo!! Wow!! Thank you so much! I really appreciate all of the information. Seriously, thank you so much!!!
  • Pat Z5or6 SEMich
    8 years ago

    Brynn, very nice plants very nicely potted. You can add as much perlite as you want for good drainage but for starters you might want to do 50/50 perlite/MG cactus soil. Keep up the good work.