Living life on the edge (of the incubator) hatch-a-long

[TwoCrows]

Come eggies, you got this! Grace, a couple more days to go, get that egg tooth ready!

 

[Chive]

Come on eggs, you’re almost there!
Alright Wysteria, you got this! I know you can do it!

 

[TwoCrows]

Calling Dr. @fluffycrow Plant Doctor.....we had an EMERGENCY!!

Ok, so I was looking around the succulents this morning, checking growth, flowers, just admiring them, etc... and I noticed the Echeveria didn't look quite right. The lower leaves were sort of sagging, just hanging sort of. I squeezed a leave and it was very soft and squishy very pliable, other lower leaves were too and it dawned on me, he might be fainting! (These leaves are dark green and the plant hasn't been watered since mid December). I panicked at first thinking either he is dying or he is thirsty, I mean what does my baby need! So I watered him well!

6 hours later his leaves are firm and no longer drooping, they are back to standing out, whew, I was scared because I really wasn't sure what to do! But I think he has been resecitated and is ok now!

 

[tlcmurphy]

Good, because mouth to root resuscitation is no fun!

 

[fluffycrow]

Calling Dr. @fluffycrow Plant Doctor.....we had an EMERGENCY!!

Ok, so I was looking around the succulents this morning, checking growth, flowers, just admiring them, etc... and I noticed the Echeveria didn't look quite right. The lower leaves were sort of sagging, just hanging sort of. I squeezed a leave and it was very soft and squishy very pliable, other lower leaves were too and it dawned on me, he might be fainting! (These leaves are dark green and the plant hasn't been watered since mid December). I panicked at first thinking either he is dying or he is thirsty, I mean what does my baby need! So I watered him well!

6 hours later his leaves are firm and no longer drooping, they are back to standing out, whew, I was scared because I really wasn't sure what to do! But I think he has been resecitated and is ok now!

Seems like you're starting to read your plants very well! It sounds to me like he was just beginning to feel the affects of not getting watered. Don't get too stressed over this, he will bounce right back up after a water, even if he's in that state for one more week, or even more. The bottom leaves I never really trust for measuring if the plant is overwatered or underwatered, since they aren't very healthy to begin with. In my experience, smaller plants that are receiving a good amount of water for the growing months will have bottom leaves that look like the plant is overwatered. In contrast, larger plant's bottom leaves look as crispy as a crisp in the winter, and very dragging during the growing months, sometimes even crispy as well. Also, thank you for the tag, because I lost this thread!

 

[TwoCrows]

Good, because mouth to root resuscitation is no fun!

 

[TwoCrows]

Seems like you're starting to read your plants very well! It sounds to me like he was just beginning to feel the affects of not getting watered. Don't get too stressed over this, he will bounce right back up after a water, even if he's in that state for one more week, or even more. The bottom leaves I never really trust for measuring if the plant is overwatered or underwatered, since they aren't very healthy to begin with. In my experience, smaller plants that are receiving a good amount of water for the growing months will have bottom leaves that look like the plant is overwatered. In contrast, larger plant's bottom leaves look as crispy as a crisp in the winter, and very dragging during the growing months, sometimes even crispy as well. Also, thank you for the tag, because I lost this thread!

Thanks Fluffy!! I am so new to succulents, this all started when someone gave me a couple of them that had been neglected and I took them only because I felt sorry for them. That was about 2 years ago. But I hate guessing on their care, I feel like I've been flying by the seat of my pants caring for these plants, especially the Echeveria! BUT....I am kind of glad this happened because maybe now I can visually or be able to feel when he needs water instead of thinking..."good grief it's been 2 months, I had better water the plant!" Succulents obviously need a trained eye as to when to water and this was a good learning experience for me I think. The fact that his lower leaves did recover proves that he was probably thirsty and I can use this method of feeling his leaves in the future.

 

[fluffycrow]

Thanks Fluffy!! I am so new to succulents, this all started when someone gave me a couple of them that had been neglected and I took them only because I felt sorry for them. That was about 2 years ago. But I hate guessing on their care, I feel like I've been flying by the seat of my pants caring for these plants, especially the Echeveria! BUT....I am kind of glad this happened because maybe now I can visually or be able to feel when he needs water instead of thinking..."good grief it's been 2 months, I had better water the plant!" Succulents obviously need a trained eye as to when to water and this was a good learning experience for me I think. The fact that his lower leaves did recover proves that he was probably thirsty and I can use this method of feeling his leaves in the future.

I agree! I think it's a great way to gauge when to water! You're doing really good! Succulents love few and far between thorough waterings, and then letting the water drain from the holes at the bottom of the pot. Your transition from winter to spring won't be too dramatic, since yours is an indoor succulent; so whatever you're doing now, will likely work year-round

 

[TwoCrows]

I agree! I think it's a great way to gauge when to water! You're doing really good! Succulents love few and far between thorough waterings, and then letting the water drain from the holes at the bottom of the pot. Your transition from winter to spring won't be too dramatic, since yours is an indoor succulent; so whatever you're doing now, will likely work year-round

Yes I always water thoroughly or not at all. He's in a cactus type soil and there is drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. He seemed to like being watered once every 3 or 4 weeks in the summer so this will probably be his schedule, but I am definitely going to use the feel method on his leaves now that I know what fully hydrated and thirsty feels like. Thanks for all your help Fluffy!

 

[fluffycrow]

Yes I always water thoroughly or not at all. He's in a cactus type soil and there is drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. He seemed to like being watered once every 3 or 4 weeks in the summer so this will probably be his schedule, but I am definitely going to use the feel method on his leaves now that I know what fully hydrated and thirsty feels like. Thanks for all your help Fluffy!

Sounds like a great plan, you're doing great! Soon you'll be a succulent pro, doing lithops hybridization! Always glad I can help! With hatching season approaching, I'm sure I'll need your valuable help as well