So I’ve had this split rock for about three months. He’s been doing fine. I’ve been following Planta’s watering schedule. I looked at him today and his one side looked rotten and deflated with a white mold material. It was very sudden and I wonder if he has any chance or if this is somehow normal? I just looked at his roots and they look dry but I’m not sure how they are supposed to look since it’s pretty draught-resistant. I removed the (leaf?) which maybe I shouldn’t have done…
I learned the hard way these guys really don’t like to be watered lol. I usually only mist the soil whenever Planta recommends watering. In my experience when they rot they almost burst. I would let it dry out completely and hope for the best 🤞
1 like Ok, I was thinking maybe I didn’t water it enough 😅. Thank you, I’ll try misting instead if he makes it.
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It may be that the soil stays wet for too long. I have mine in a mix with lots of sand and perlite, and so far they seem happy. Hope he recovers!
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I never do what planta says for my lithops and split rock. If I did they would all be dead. I water when they are not actively splitting and only after they've absorbed the water stored in the outer leaves they just split from. Only then do I do the squeeze test and water if they are soft with slight wrinkles.
1 like Ok, thank you! I have a lithops as well (it’s doing well thank goodness). They are both in sandy, gritty soil that dries really quickly. I was actually thinking it was that I didn’t water enough because its soil and roots were so dry when I looked today and it had been about few weeks since watering. However, based on the comments, it seems like an overwatering thing. They haven’t been getting as much sun because I used to have them directly in the east window sill and now they are down on a shelf a little ways from the window (probably like a foot) and also it’s been so rainy. So I am putting them back in the window sill and am thinking I may need a grow light.
1 like Yea either the window sill or grow light would be best. Good luck!
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Planta currently is tasking me with watering every 5 weeks. During cold months, I didn’t water them for three months. I ignored Planta’s schedule. I water them when they feel soft. And I never fertilize. You’ll see the one is damaged from it being under a very strong grow light. They now reside on a window sill facing east. Ugly little guys, but seem to be doing okay. They have very deep roots, so I suggest a tall terracotta pot.
More recent pic. Not much change.
Thanks! Yours look good! And yeah, I was surprised by how deep the roots were. I had planned on a shallow dish type of thing to repot the split rock and my lithops into because I thought that would be cool but now they are both in a deeper terracotta pot. I probably did everything wrong with this guy. I noticed the deflated side, freaked out and took it off, then probably shocked him further by repotting 🥴 Definitely not going to follow Planta’s watering schedule if he makes it or for my lithops from here on out and will be careful with a grow light if I get one too.
0 likes Lithops are different from split rocks. I believe lithops require full sun. Split rocks don’t. That was my mistake.
0 likes Ah ok, I knew they were different but I think you are right. Lithops seem like they like even less water too.
0 likes Also check Karoo rose. They are related. Put out amazing flowers for such a tiny plant.
Those are so cool! I’ll for sure check those out! Thank you 😁
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