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Overwatered Echeverias

9 years ago

Ok, so I bought some healthy echeverias from my local plant store two weeks ago. I planted them in a pot with drainage holes, in cactus soil I've used before, and gave them a drink as they were all in dry soil when I bought them.


Everything was going great, then a couple of days ago, I noticed discolored and plump/squishy leaves on the bottom of some of the echeverias. So I checked, and the soil was super wet (I've had success with this particular cactus soil mix with other succulents, so no idea what happened this time around).


So my question is, what do I do now? I pulled them all out of the wet soil, and laid them loosely on dry soil for now, since the wet soil was still stuck on the roots. So far, there are no signs of rotten roots/stems.


Thanks!

Comments (7)

  • 9 years ago

    Pictures are always helpful when seeking advice. Echies have a network of very fine roots. I find removing old mix difficult so I swirl the root mass in a bucket of water which will do the trick. If it has healthy roots and the stem is good, other than allowing the plant to callous for a day or so, is all that is needed. Cinnamon or sulfur or other fungicides won'f save an otherwise unhealthy plant.

  • 9 years ago

    Thank you so much, Karen and bikerdoc! Definitely will follow your suggestions, and look into the cinnamon.

    Here are some pictures of the plants, of their roots and stems right after I swirled them in water to get rid of some excess soil. The last picture is showing up to be darker/browner than it actually is. To me, they still look healthy. What do you reckon? Keeping my fingers crossed that I've saved them at the right time.


  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    They actually look better than I expected :) Let the excess moisture dry up on some newspaper or paper towels, out of strong sunlight - you didn't indicate where you are - and they should be potted into well draining mix. As you found out, C&S soil isn't very well draining. Look into gritty mix, or at least mix lots of coarse perlite (or pumice if you have any) with C&S soil. By lots I mean at least 50% of total volume - adding less doesn't help much. Do not water for few days after potting, and gradually put into best light possible (again, no idea what you climate/growing zone is to give best advice...) Cinnamon may not be needed. If you decide to use it, do just light dusting - caking lots on doesn't help :)

    Btw, I don't think they are all echeverias - but they all need same care.

  • 9 years ago

    Thank you so much, rina!

    And yes, I guess I missed out the important info! I'm in Alberta, Canada. Zone 4a. We get lots of sun here, and all my succulents are by a south facing window.

    Will definitely follow your advice!

  • 9 years ago

    You can add that info next to your name.

    I didn't know Alberta is very sunny. It has been gloomy and unusually cold here in Ontario last few days, I though I have been somehow transported to Alaska...Great having lots of sun, and south windows! You said they are "by a south facing window". Does it mean they are further into room? Sunlight gets cut by the glass and the intensity decreases even more with every inch further into the room. Plants look quite compact right now, hopefully they won't etiolate.

  • 9 years ago

    We are lucky here, cold but sunny! All my plants are right in front of the south facing window - so they get all the sunlight possible. This set of succulents etiolated a little after I bought them home - that was the week it snowed like crazy and no sunlight at all. Plus the wet soil might also have contributed to that. So hopefully everything goes well from now on. :)