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m_delay_93

Young succulents and direct sunlight??

m_delay_93
6 years ago

Anyone with advice on caring for young succulents plants and their lighting needs?

Most of my plants are propagated from leaves and still only a few months old. They seem to be stretching as if they have low light. However, if I lift the blinds (they're in a South facing window that receives direct sun 9:30am-4pm) they seem to decline.

I know the sunlight is not actually direct coming through the window glass, but I'm beginning to think the light or heat on my young ones is just too intense for them.

Comments (19)

  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    It could be cooler than they like probably but during the low temps in the winter our house stays decently warm.

    Do you think the blinds will block too much sun, when suggesting the plastic or curtain?

    Thanks for the suggestions.

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    It probably depends on size of the plantlets; but still, they should be acclimatized. I keep mine in s-w windows, I think hey could take even more light. Some are under supplemental lights since many are kept in otherwise dark basement. These are under lights:


    these are in the window:
    You didn't say where you are, and what are the temps in the room/space where you keep them? Can you post photo?

    I would not put anything to block the light out and blinds will definitely keep too much out. See-thru plastic or light sheers will block lots too, but less than blinds.

  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    I am located in southeast region of north America. I believe zone 7 but don't take my word for it.

    The small ones that are my main concern are still very small and stretched. I plan to cut them down and repot in the spring but hoping to start changing their growth for the better.

  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Oh and temps are roughly 65-67 in the house but in the sunlight they are sitting in temps around 75.

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I do not see problem with temps. The smallest ones are perhaps too small for full day of sun - but not plants in individual pots, and also few bigger ones in large tray should be OK. Turn it around, so the bigger plants are closer to glass. Depending on plants, they may be too small to be pruned in Spring - but you'll see that later. Here are couple that grew from fallen leaves - I didn't plant them on purpose :) - and they are etiolated: pot is in second row in the same s-w window:


    Even few inches from the glass, light intensity drops. Here is a pot with some offsets, also in 2nd row in same window, and IMO they are also etiolated:

  • myermike_1micha
    6 years ago

    Put a good cheap florescent light over them about 6 inches above and call it a day. They will grow fast and well under one of them. The temps sound ok although mine like temps of 70 or better while rooting this time of the year..))They all look so cute.

    Rina, my God that's cold! I though we were cold at -4. It been a crazy weather patterns and quite scary of you as me. It was a colder than normal summer with some nights in the 30's in August of all months. We never had a night above 70 all summer except once when we are suppose very often. Then this fall way warmer than usual with leaves still frozen to the trees! Now way colder than normal..It's scary

    m_delay_93 thanked myermike_1micha
  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    So perhaps their size just isn't adequate to try to grow over winter? Or should I try to use some sort of artificial lighting above them? Would that give them more lighting without the intensity?

    Sorry for all the questions questions but the advice is greatly appreciated.

  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Would they be fine left in front of the blinds with florescent light added? Or should I relocate them altogether?

  • myermike_1micha
    6 years ago

    If they were mine I would use added florescent lights if you are going to keep the blinds closed...)

    m_delay_93 thanked myermike_1micha
  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I don't think size matters even growing during winter - they are warm enough according to temps you mentioned. As I mentioned, plantlets need to be acclimatized to better light. When I start leaves, I leave them first out of strong light. But as soon as plantlets start growing, I try to find spot with better light - not always easily available in winter! Moving plants into better light slowly will assure they won't wilt or burn.

    Fluorescent light would help - but try to get better than shoplights ('old-fashioned' T12...) T8 are better, and T5 even more. Or get some CFL or LED bulbs. Start with light further away, moving plants bit closer every 5-6 days or so...

    Btw, are you watering them? I really can't see what is in many of the cells - is there a plantlet in each of them? I do not see 'mother' leaves in most of them either.

  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    They get well misted every 3-4 days. I've lost many plantlets in earlier fall and mother leaves are gone. Most all of them grew stretched from the leaf rather quickly and have lost the leaf.

    They are hard to see in the pictures but yes there's a plant in each one.

  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    I don't know what's what just yet. I started this little collection during the summer and ordered leaves to propagated from vs buying full grown plants. And many just stretched and stretched when growing. I couldn't get a single leaf to grow any actual rosettes. As they were growing they were shaded but shaded right next to direct sunlight outdoors bc, like I mentioned, they were growing from leaves and immature.

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Maybe you wet them too much?

    I don't water them until mother leaf is drying up, or plantlets are quite big. Many don't get water for a long time. Some don't even get any substrate, like these here:


    Those are leaves I was about to toss, but ended up left on that lid and soon started to grow. They are on a table about 2ft away from the window (and that has lots of plants on the shelves), so not getting much light. They were never watered or misted. As you can see, few leaves are completely dry, 1 already detached. They were left on a lid in September, photo above just taken.

    I am not saying you should do same, just showing how resilient and easy to grow many leaves/plants could be. I find that less fussing about the leaves gets better results :) - more like neglecting them, not killing with too much attention. I am sure some leaves are less eager to grow, and some won't at all, but most are quite easy.

    I can see that there is quite a bit of 'shade' created by placing leaves too low inside of cells - next time, use more soil or shallower tray (less soil is better IMO).

    I grow many plants and vegetable seedling to be planted in the garden, from seeds. As soon as seedlings grow, I put them under lights, gradually stronger and stronger until they are in full light for at least 12hrs. Otherwise, I end up with very etiolated and weak seedlings. Similar with the plantlets growing from leaves - IMO, they are better if properly acclimatized to best light possible.

    m_delay_93 thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • myermike_1micha
    6 years ago
    Rina holy macro you are a baby producing machine!!! Cute all of them and then what else is there to do at this time of the year ha ha.
    ))
  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Haha Mike, they are...especially above plant - xG 'Fred Ives'....It is difficult to throw away healthy leaves when pruning-beheading or similar. I wish my neighbours were into succulents so I could unload some leaves!

  • Pluto1415 (6a/b, NE Ohio)
    6 years ago

    Rina - Thanks for sharing some of your "not so perfect" plants. Some days I come here and look at the beautiful plants and wonder how all of you grow such perfect plants and never have ugly ones. It's comforting to know that while you do grow some beauties, not all of your plants are "perfect" and even the best of you get etoliated plants occasionally!

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    pluto

    I have many etiolated and there will likely be more by Spring! And some other 'damage' - hopefully most of it just cosmetic. Have many leaves with marks on them from being nibbled on. And some leaves with oedema marks. Bugs may happen - scale, mealy. I don't get many, but am not immune either. If nothing else is a problem - maybe it's ugly because I didn't prune it right! I think it is impossible to grow "perfect looking" plants. Maybe one or few - but not house full :) And they are not all perfect when growing in their natural habitat either.

  • m_delay_93
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Many thanks to everyone sharing. I really appreciate all the advice.