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Does anyone know why these little succulent propagations are looking… | Propagating & Sowing | Planta community

Bristol

Does anyone know why these little succulent propagations are looking shriveled? They were already rough when I took them in from my friend. They are under a grow light 7-10ish hours a day

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6 comments

  1. NewMind

    It looks like your propagations are suffering from severe dehydration, likely because they haven't established a sufficient root system yet. When they shrivel like that, they are essentially consuming their own water reserves to stay alive while searching for a Sustainer in the soil. Since they were already 'rough' when you got them, here are a few things you can try to save them: • Check for Roots: Gently lift one to see if there are any pink or white roots. If there are no roots, move them slightly further away from the grow light. Too much heat without a way to drink will just bake them. • Misting vs. Watering: Don’t give them a deep soak yet, as that can lead to rot. Instead, lightly mist the soil surface around them every 2–3 days. This encourages the roots to grow downward toward the moisture. • Light Adjustment: 7–10 hours is a good duration, but you might want to increase the distance between the plants and the bulb until you see them start to 'plump up.' • Patience: As long as the center of the tiny rosettes is still green, there is hope. Once they establish a connection to the earth, they can recover surprisingly fast. (Propagations at this stage often prioritize internal root development over outward growth, so don't be discouraged if they don't look 'pretty' for another few weeks!)

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    • Bristol

      This is so helpful! Thank you so much!

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  2. plantgeek

    propagations can't handle that much light, especially if they were already struggling. they have no roots and thus no way to reserve water, so they need indirect light for now. give them a good soak and move them.

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    • Bristol

      Thank you!!!

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  3. ZucchiniZaddy

    i agree with the comments , it’s always a good idea to start propagating in water or in easier to handle conditions so the plant doesn’t need to work too hard establishing roots and conducting the photosynthesis process etc

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    • Bristol

      Thank you!

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