The seeding and maintenance of Lithops
Let me share with you some experience about Lithops, a type of succulent plant. This article will cover the seeding and maintenance of Lithops. Let's get started with the introduction.
Seeding Lithops is relatively easy to succeed, but the real challenge is how to grow them from seedlings to maturity. Many hobbyists fail in the later stages of Lithops cultivation. This article is a summary of a hobbyist's one-year experience, from seeding to later-stage maintenance, hoping to provide a reference for other hobbyists.
First, let's talk about what is needed to grow Lithops? Some items are essential for growing Lithops, and here I will only mention what I use daily:
1. Soil: Peat (I recommend brands such as German Vit, Canadian Fat Fat De, German K莱斯曼, domestic brands are not recommended), Lan stone, sand, pearlstone, vermiculite, red jade soil, and植金石.
2. Medicine: Multi菌灵, methylthiotin, carbendazim, bisulfite sodium, and furan丹. (Furan丹 is highly toxic, please use with caution if you have children or pets at home.)
3. Fertilizer: Ogreen A-2 special fertilizer for succulent plants.
4. Pot: The choice of pot varies from person to person, depending on personal preference. I like the big black square and small black square pots from Universal, which are cheap and save space when arranged.
Second, the seeding of Lithops. (Seeding is generally done in September and October, and can be earlier in cooler regions.)
1. Soil preparation
I usually use a mixture of vermiculite, peat, and pearlstone in a ratio of 1:1:1 for seeding. You can also add a small amount of fine-grained sand (sifted fine sand), fine coal slag, or fine-grained red jade soil, but red jade soil is too expensive, so I rarely add it. (Nowadays, soil disinfection is rarely done before seeding and planting, as proper post-management will basically prevent any pests and diseases.)
2. Potting soil
The bottom of the flower pot usually has holes of different sizes. I will剪 a piece of gauze similar in size to the bottom of the pot and place it at the bottom before adding a sufficient amount of bottom stones (such as large-grained Lan stone, large-grained coal slag). Then, fill the pot with the soil that has been stirred evenly, stopping 1 centimeter away from the top of the pot. Use a flat object to press the soil down firmly. (I usually use an IC card for pressing the soil, bending it into a 90-degree angle, holding the card in one hand and pressing down with the other hand.) This way, after covering with plastic wrap, it won't affect the seedlings. After the soil is in place, use a supermarket shopping card to scrape the surface of the soil flat and pick out the large impurities.
3. Soaking the pot
Find a box with a depth similar to that of the flower pot, preferably a bit larger. Fill it with three-quarters of water and add fungicides to the water. I usually add several types of fungicides at the same time. After adding the fungicides, stir well and slowly place the pot with the soil into the box, allowing the solution to completely soak the entire pot. After 5-10 minutes, remove the pot and set it aside for later use.
4. Sowing
Take a sheet of white paper, fold it in half, pour the seeds onto the folded paper, and then evenly spread them into the pot. After sowing, there is no need to cover the seeds with soil; just let them stay on the surface of the potting soil is fine. After sowing, cover the pot with a piece of frosted glass. (Why we use frosted glass will be explained later.) Place the pot in a bright area without direct sunlight.
5. Maintenance during the germination stage
Usually, you can see the seedlings emerge within 3-5 days after sowing. Therefore, for the first 5 days, there is no need to remove the frosted glass. Just spray a little water on the soil surface with a spray bottle set to mist mode every evening. After spraying, immediately cover the frosted glass again.
Between 5-15 days, this stage is when a large number of seedlings emerge. If you have sown a sufficient number of seeds, you will find that new seedlings pop up every day. During this stage, continue to spray water every evening, but now add a small amount of fungicide to the water. I usually use two spray bottles, one with fungicide and one with pure water. After spraying the fungicide, I spray a little pure water to wash off any fungicide residue left on the plants. After spraying, do not cover the frosted glass immediately; let it ventilate for 2-3 hours before covering it again.
After 15 days, most of the seedlings have emerged. If there are still a large number of seeds that have not germinated, you can appropriately extend the period of keeping the soil moist, to 20 or 25 days, but you need to increase the ventilation time during this period. Back to the normal 15 days, if you find that the seeds have mostly germinated, you can start to uncover the plastic wrap. Generally, I uncover the plastic wrap in the evening, that is, after watering in the evening, the frosted glass is not covered, and it is left open until the next morning. After 25 days, the frosted glass is no longer covered, and then the pot is moved to a place with sunlight. At this point, the role of the frosted glass is revealed. You can place the frosted glass between the pot and the sunlight to soften the sunlight, so that the seedlings are exposed to scattered light, which is not too strong and will not burn the seedlings. After 3-5 days of sunlight exposure, you will find that the seedlings will turn red, and any previously leggy seedlings will gradually become fatter. This is a normal phenomenon. During this stage, there is no need to water too frequently. Generally, watering once every 3 days is enough, and it must be done in the evening using a spray bottle. Continue this maintenance until 1 month has passed, then you can remove the frosted glass and let the seedlings be directly exposed to sunlight. By this time, the seedlings have become strong and sturdy. However, still be cautious of the strong midday sunlight and avoid placing them in direct sunlight at noon, as they may die a tragic death.
6. Maintenance during the seedling stage
Water the seedlings when the soil is slightly dry. Apply fungicide once a week. As long as there is sufficient sunlight, there usually won't be any leggy growth. Continue to maintain until the plants start to shed their skin. Many beginners who are just starting to grow Lithops have heard that they need to stop watering during the shedding period, but they are not sure when to start. The numbered varieties are easier to control because their growth stages are similar. Once you see a crack in the center of one Lithops with a new small stone inside, you can start to reduce watering. For mixed seeds, there are many different varieties, and although the shedding times are roughly the same, they are not uniform. In this case, you need to find an intermediate time. When you notice that a small part of the stones have cracked, perhaps about one-fifth have visible cracks, you can start to reduce watering. Once you start reducing watering, you must be thorough and not worry about the plants drying out. It's normal for a small number of plants to die during the shedding period; there will always be some weak seedlings that die. Do not start watering again just because you see some dead plants; you must be decisive and彻底 stop watering until the outer skin of the seedlings turns yellow and becomes a thin layer. Then the period of reduced watering should end. At this point, start to water sparingly to allow the plants to gradually revive and enter a growth state. Watering is still done in the evening, and at the beginning, do not water too much. Use a spray bottle to lightly spray water, just enough to make the surface of the soil slightly moist. Wait for the soil to dry out completely, then spray a little more. You will find that the plants will slowly break through the old skin and enter a period of rapid growth. During this time, do not water too much, as it can easily cause leggy growth. Also, be sure to apply fungicides and pesticides. To control pests, simply sprinkle some furan丹 or Bayer's little green granules on the surface of the soil. For Lithops, only soil pests need to be controlled. Pest control is generally done in spring and autumn.
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Transplanting article
If you sow in autumn, in October, you can start transplanting in late March or early April of the following year. The specific time varies by region; it depends on the temperature. As long as the temperature exceeds 15 degrees, it is fine to transplant. The soil used for transplanting is the same as before, but with an increased amount of pearlstone, coal slag, and sand, and the particle size is slightly larger than that used for seeding. The soil looks looser. This time, a small amount of fungicide and Ogreen A-2 are directly mixed into the soil.
When transplanting, you need to prepare a pointed tweezers. First, use the tweezers to dig out a few stones from one corner of the pot. You will find that after digging out a few, the surrounding soil becomes loose, and you can gradually dig out the remaining stones along with the loose soil. After digging them out, you need to trim the roots of the stone seedlings, usually keeping only 5-10 millimeters. You can directly break off the roots with the tweezers, leaving only the main root. The soil for transplanting should be slightly moist, which makes it easier to insert the seedlings, but not too wet, as the soil may stick to the tweezers. Insert the roots of the stones into the soil with the tweezers. After transplanting, use a spray bottle to water thoroughly, which also helps to clean the small seedlings and settle the soil to hold the seedlings in place. Do not place the newly transplanted seedlings in direct sunlight immediately; instead, place them in a well-lit and well-ventilated area for 2 days before moving them to a sunny location.
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Daily maintenance
Ensure the soil is completely dry before watering and then water thoroughly. Generally, it's not too late to water 3-5 days after the soil has dried out completely. Remember to apply fungicides when watering. Do not use the same fungicide all the time; alternate between several types. By the end of May and the beginning of June, a thorough fungicide and pesticide treatment should be carried out for all plants. Water thoroughly this time, and by July, you can start to reduce watering gradually. When the weather is hot and the humidity is high, be sure to turn on the fan to promote air circulation. Also, turn on the fan on rainy days. This year, the weather in Qingdao is relatively cool, with a hint of chill in the evenings at the end of August. On clear nights, I will give a small amount of water, just enough to make the plants feel slightly full. After a dry summer, thousands of stone seedlings have died, less than ten, and not a single adult stone has died. So, in summary, the key is still to ensure good ventilation. Fans are very important, whether you believe it or not, I do...
In the end, I will summarize a few points about watering: We have central heating here, and the plants are kept indoors, so the lowest temperature throughout the year is around 15 degrees. I base my methods on this standard.
1. When the weather is cool and it's not raining, that is, around 15 degrees, usually in November, December, January, February, March, and April, you can wait for the soil to completely dry out before watering. After watering, the soil stays wet for a longer time, so after watering, you need to ensure good ventilation and sufficient sunlight to prevent leggy growth. I usually only use this method in March and April.
2. Most of the time, I use a spray bottle to water, and I feel that if the soil surface about 2CM deep can be wetted through, that's enough. It dries up quickly, and if the weather is good, with sufficient sunlight and ventilation, it usually dries within 3 days. Wait for the soil to dry completely, then wait for another 3 days before watering again. This method does not easily cause leggy growth.
3. If you find that a plant has died and you suspect it's due to bacteria, do not spray any more pesticides. The more you spray, the wetter the soil gets. Remove the dead plant and place it in a well-lit and well-ventilated area.
4. Pay attention to the weather forecast. If it's going to rain for a long time, do not water. If it rains after you've watered, turn on the fan more.
5. If there is direct sunlight in the middle of the day in June, you must shade the plants, or they will die a tragic death.
6. When spraying water, do not let the nozzle get too close to the seedlings, as it may knock them over!
7. For south-facing balconies, after the summer, the sunlight starts to shine in. Do not think that the light is not strong enough in autumn. From September to October, between 10 am and 3 pm, you still need to shade the plants.
8. In September, after the plants have resumed growth, it's time to apply pesticides again. Also, apply pesticides in April and May. Seedlings that have not yet shed their skin do not need to be treated.
The above sharing of the specific introduction of the seeding and maintenance of Lithops (summary of experience) is for reference by netizens.