Home & Garden What's wrong with my cactus? Please don't laugh
- Thread starter ManilaMama
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Hi! Thanks for your input. What do you mean drainage? (sorry i'm really new at this).. You mean that the soil is packed too tight and water is not going OUT of the pot? So.. my goal is to make sure the soil is moist all througout at all times? Like that?
What is the gravel for? So that the heat won't dry the soil?
Do I keep my plant shaded or out where it has been (open balcony)?
Thanks!
will do!! GOSH i am so excited. I LIVE for this stuff. I really hope I get it right.
I have a bigger pot that would be perfect. And I have new garden soil so that might help.
THANKS!
I don't know where you live, so it's possible your plant isn't suitable for your area. Judging by your name, you could be in the Phillipines, but.... I dunno.
Anyway, I don't think your plant is a cactus. It kind of looks like a type of Sedum or Crassula to me. They are drought tolerant and don't require a lot of water. I'm not saying your plant has bugs but sometimes things like aphids can do this kind of damage. They suck out all the juice from the stems and leaves, and you're left with shrivelled up leaves like yours.
I would honestly take it to your closest garden centre. They won't laugh at you, in fact they'll be thrilled to help you and share their knowledge with you.
I have a super green thumb when it comes to outdoor plants (I grow blueberries on my sun deck), but I consistently kill even the easiest to keep house plants, so I feel your pain.
Good luck!
Anyway, I don't think your plant is a cactus. It kind of looks like a type of Sedum or Crassula to me. They are drought tolerant and don't require a lot of water. I'm not saying your plant has bugs but sometimes things like aphids can do this kind of damage. They suck out all the juice from the stems and leaves, and you're left with shrivelled up leaves like yours.
I would honestly take it to your closest garden centre. They won't laugh at you, in fact they'll be thrilled to help you and share their knowledge with you.
I have a super green thumb when it comes to outdoor plants (I grow blueberries on my sun deck), but I consistently kill even the easiest to keep house plants, so I feel your pain.
Good luck!
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Yes I live in the Philippines and it's the height of summer now (36 degrees C). We only have two seasons. Hot and hotter. Joke. We have hot and rainy.
I have no idea what my plant is but I did buy it here in a garden shop that had tons of it for sale. I got it very cheap so I automatically assumed it's not rare.. And that it can grow here in our climate.
I always thought it was a cactus. I don't have a clue what sedum or Crassula is but I shall Google.
I will consider bringing it to the garden center for help if my current efforts are in vain.
Update: I have repotted it in a bigger pot. chanelconvert may be on to something because when I repotted it I noticed that the soil around the roots were ROCK LIKE. Like it packed together and became rock solid and really seemed to encapsulate the roots. I don't know how long it had been like that but when I looked at it it seemed as if no water can get through that soil!! I had to soak it in a small pail and slowly chip off the hard soil.
I repotted it in moist garden soil. Soft kind. Dark kind. The kind that never looks like it can dry up. Soooo I am hoping that helps.
I also moved it to the shaded area of my balcony because I was told that plants must be shaded after repotting.
So that's that.
When I chipped away the old rock hard soil, I saw the roots and I was very gentle with them but man they seemed like black wires
they honestly looked dead. But they can't be right??
Sigh I don't know.
But I'm looking forward to the next few weeks and hoping for improvement!
Thanks for all the input thus far!!!
I have no idea what my plant is but I did buy it here in a garden shop that had tons of it for sale. I got it very cheap so I automatically assumed it's not rare.. And that it can grow here in our climate.
I always thought it was a cactus. I don't have a clue what sedum or Crassula is but I shall Google.
I will consider bringing it to the garden center for help if my current efforts are in vain.
Update: I have repotted it in a bigger pot. chanelconvert may be on to something because when I repotted it I noticed that the soil around the roots were ROCK LIKE. Like it packed together and became rock solid and really seemed to encapsulate the roots. I don't know how long it had been like that but when I looked at it it seemed as if no water can get through that soil!! I had to soak it in a small pail and slowly chip off the hard soil.
I repotted it in moist garden soil. Soft kind. Dark kind. The kind that never looks like it can dry up. Soooo I am hoping that helps.
I also moved it to the shaded area of my balcony because I was told that plants must be shaded after repotting.
So that's that.
When I chipped away the old rock hard soil, I saw the roots and I was very gentle with them but man they seemed like black wires
they honestly looked dead. But they can't be right?? Sigh I don't know.
But I'm looking forward to the next few weeks and hoping for improvement!
Thanks for all the input thus far!!!
It does look more like a succulent. You may not need to know the exact name. It sounds like you have been overwatering it. I would let it dry out a bit between waterings. You don't want it to be in constantly wet soil.
I had a nice sized jade plant growing in my yard and it met its demise this winter with all of our rain. (not complaining since we are in a drought)
I'm a pretty good gardener but it is a constantly evolving, learning process of a hobby for even avid gardeners. I'm constantly researching new plants, ripping out old ones and moving them (and even throw a lot in the compost bin).
I hope the new potting soil and advice you have gotten helps your plant thrive!
I had a nice sized jade plant growing in my yard and it met its demise this winter with all of our rain. (not complaining since we are in a drought)
I'm a pretty good gardener but it is a constantly evolving, learning process of a hobby for even avid gardeners. I'm constantly researching new plants, ripping out old ones and moving them (and even throw a lot in the compost bin).
I hope the new potting soil and advice you have gotten helps your plant thrive!
Probably too late now, but if you put rocks in the bottom of the pot, then put soil down, it helps the plants drain better. I am a brown thumb and once killed a 25 year old aloe plant by watering it too much. Luckily, my BIL is a green thumb and gave me the rock advice when I got a new aloe plant. Also, I agree with the overwatering. If it is some kind of cactus or succulent it probably only needs watered once every couple weeks or once a month. Especially if you live in the Phillipines because isn't it humid there? It reminds me of the plants we call Hens and Chicks, except that they don't grow tall, just out.
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I'm confused now.
I don't know if it's overwatered, as some of you guys think..
Or under watered and thirsty, as the others think..
[emoji23][emoji23]
Don't worry I will give it time to see if it improves.. I repotted it.. (Didn't get to put the rocks in the bottom but will do that next time).. Moved it to more shade.. And regarding the water.. I'll water deeply and only water again when soil is dry. (That will take a long time). Yes it's very humid here..
So yeah.. Wish my plant luck! I'll update you all for sure!!
I don't know if it's overwatered, as some of you guys think..
Or under watered and thirsty, as the others think..
[emoji23][emoji23]
Don't worry I will give it time to see if it improves.. I repotted it.. (Didn't get to put the rocks in the bottom but will do that next time).. Moved it to more shade.. And regarding the water.. I'll water deeply and only water again when soil is dry. (That will take a long time). Yes it's very humid here..
So yeah.. Wish my plant luck! I'll update you all for sure!!
Here are photos of my plant after repotting.
I repotted in a bigger pot. Used new good garden soil (not the rock hard one it used to be on).
I moved the plant to a shaded area of my balcony.
I cut off the brown leaves.
I watered deeply from under (as suggested) and I won't water till it feels dry on top.
Does it look ok?
I hope it did it right. Did I plant it too deep?? (Remember how it used to be weirdly tall)?
It may be ugly but I want to prove to myself that I can keep it alive!! [emoji23]
I repotted in a bigger pot. Used new good garden soil (not the rock hard one it used to be on).
I moved the plant to a shaded area of my balcony.
I cut off the brown leaves.
I watered deeply from under (as suggested) and I won't water till it feels dry on top.
Does it look ok?
I hope it did it right. Did I plant it too deep?? (Remember how it used to be weirdly tall)?
It may be ugly but I want to prove to myself that I can keep it alive!! [emoji23]
Does the bottom of the pot have holes? If it does I think you are all set!
Yes it has a lot of holes!! So I think I'm ok!!
I love succulents and there is a lot of great advice here! Ideally, you want to pot it in cactus soil, which is fast draining. So keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't stay too wet. The roots need to completely dry out between waterings, otherwise the roots will die. I water my succulents once a week in the summer and twice a month in the winter. Also, keep it in morning sun and afternoon shade. The dry leaves are just the plant using up the water in them...it is normal for the bottom leaves to shrivel and die as new growth happens on top. If the plant gets too lanky, I believe you can cut at them stem, let it scab over for a few days, and stick it in a pot. I do that with my aeoniums every year since they get leggy. The plant will cannibalize from the stored water in its leaves and grow new roots.