The skin shedding process of Lithops and how to stop watering
Do you know these? Knowledge about Lithops, the skin shedding process and how to stop watering. If there is anything wrong, please correct me!
Many flower friends have asked me when to stop watering Lithops. This question is a bit broad. Stopping watering Lithops is related to the environment, temperature, and the size of the plant, and cannot be generalized. It's not just a matter of stopping watering when the season comes. Generally, the skin of Lithops is shed between February and March, and it is beneficial for the rapid shedding of Lithops to grasp the watering before the shedding. Let's first illustrate with pictures, which should be more intuitive.
The two pots below are multi-year clusters with plump plants. They have been watered for about a month. It takes about two months for the large clusters to finish shedding from stopping watering to completion, and they are barely watered during this period. Because they have been growing for many years, some flower friends will also buy large clusters when winter is approaching. At this time, watering becomes particularly careful because the environment and temperature are different. A month ago, the temperature in Huangshan dropped to minus 5 degrees Celsius, and at this time, if potting, it is only necessary to water a little on the edge of the pot, slightly moisten the soil, and place it indoors, trying to expose it to more sunlight to accelerate the shedding of the old skin.
The pot above is a荒玉 that has already started shedding. Since it is a flowering plant, watering was stopped about half a month ago. The plant is plump, so there is no need to water it. Just wait for the shedding and only resume watering after the shedding is complete. The pot below is a three-year-old seedling that was watered a few days ago because some parts are severely wrinkled. A little water was added. Just wait for the shedding.
The two pots above are two-year-old seedlings, exposed to direct sunlight in the sunroom. Some have started shedding, and some have not. Some plants are also wrinkled. A small amount of water was given a month ago to extend the shedding period for those that have shed and to supplement water for those that have not. This avoids some plants drying out due to excessive water stopping. Since different varieties of two-year-old seedlings shed at different times, they are all watered uniformly. Flower friends who raise fewer plants can water each one individually. For those that are ready to shed, no watering is needed. Plants potted in this season, whether shedding or not, can be watered once with plenty of water. After the plants are planted, increase sunlight exposure and wait for shedding.
The variety above has been watered for a month and is basically wrinkled, although it has been watered once before, it is still wrinkled because it is shedding time. Just wait for the little treasures in the abdomen to grow slowly. The pot below is c363, which has been watered for about half a month. It is a two-year-old seedling and is shedding intermittently. Continue to expose it to the sun, and do not water until the shedding is complete, although the plant is small, the watering should be stopped firmly. It is easier to manage a uniform variety than a mixed one without too much worry.
The two pots above have been watered for a long time. They were given the last watering before shedding yesterday. Although some varieties are slowly splitting open, there are still differences in the size of the two-year-old seedlings. If too little water is given, the smaller ones will dry out. Adding a little water to recover will not affect shedding but will delay the shedding period by about half a month compared to those that are not watered.
The one above is a four-month-old seedling that is also preparing for its first shedding. The potting soil is watered when dry until shedding. A small amount of water is also补充ed during the shedding period.
The Lithops in the pictures above are two-year-old seedlings, which have stopped watering for more than half a month and are also wrinkled. Some varieties split directly, and some slowly bulge from the bottom. For such a state, it is necessary to stop watering firmly, and no watering is needed even if it is very wrinkled, so that the old skin can shed in the shortest time.
This荒玉 has been watered for a month and the plant is still plump. It will stop watering until the end of February, and the old skin can be shed. Such plump plants need to stop watering firmly. Some plants wrinkle because the water is not supplemented in time due to seasonal changes. For such plants, water should be supplemented according to the degree of shrinkage. If the lower part does not bulge, a little water should be added to allow new life to gestate, otherwise, the cluster will slowly dry out and wither. The new plant inside the old skin will not grow large if the water is not supplemented in time.
Theoretically, the shedding of Lithops is the process of the old plant providing nutrition to the new plant until all the nutrients of the old plant are exhausted and the new plant becomes strong. Some varieties will wither due to lack of water because the new plant has not yet grown and the external water supplement is not timely. Only when the new plant grows to a certain size will it absorb the nutrition of the old skin. This is also the reason why many flower friends' plants wither and shrink after shedding, especially young seedlings. For flowering finished plants and cluster plants, the drought resistance is quite remarkable. The drought resistance of Lithops varies by variety, and flower friends need to understand their habits to raise them better. Varieties that are more drought-resistant include Hongdanei and Dajinhu. The degree of drought resistance also depends on the size of the plant.
Many flower friends may still not fully understand when to stop watering. Let's summarize it simply. Lithops within half a year of sowing will experience about two shedding periods. The potting soil should not be too dry during the shedding period because the plants are small and cannot store much water. If the required water is not supplemented in time, the waiting fate is direct drying. After half a year to one year, the young seedlings of Lithops will gradually grow. At this time, the Lithops can be watered dry. The plants can withstand short periods of water deficiency. During the shedding period, watering once is enough. Because the one-year-old seedlings are not large and the shedding period is relatively short, watering appropriately will not affect the shedding of the plants. Over time, two-year-old Lithops will slowly open gaps before shedding, and some varieties, such as Zixunrilun, will only slowly gestate new plants inside until they are clearly prominent. At this time, watering can be completely stopped.
Sufficient sunlight can complete the shedding in about a month and a half. Three-year-old Lithops are sub-adult or adult plants. They are not small and can tolerate drought. When the leaves crack or the lower part of the plant bulges, it's time to stop watering. For finished flowering plants, after the flowers on the seed pods dry up in autumn, the plants are plump, and they can slowly stop watering from mid-November to early December. The shedding state of all Lithops is obviously related to the environment. The environment here has early winters, and the watering is also earlier than in the north because the temperature is low, and it is necessary to stop watering in advance. Only a small amount of water can be supplemented when the temperature is appropriate, and the growth of the plants will be slow when the temperature is low. The watering or补水ing will depend on the state of the plant. The climate in the north is different from that in the south. The north has heating, so the watering is later than in the south because the plants are still growing. When the leaves of the plants slowly crack or the lower part bulges, it is their watering period. Flower friends in the north and south can stop watering according to this.
Unless it is too wrinkled and a little water is supplemented, others should firmly stop watering. Next, it is important to note the sunlight, which plays a key role in shedding. Even during the shedding period, if there is not enough sunlight, the shedding period will still be extended, and it will also be extended if no water is given. Conversely, if there is sufficient sunlight, a small amount of water given during the shedding period will not greatly affect the shedding period. Therefore, flower friends should stop watering Lithops based on their own situation. Simply put, when the top of the plant cracks or the bottom bulges, it is time to stop watering Lithops.
The pictures below show the top cracking and bottom bulging of Lithops.
The wrinkled variety below will be supplemented with a little water depending on the size of the new plant.
The above sharing of the shedding process of Lithops and how to stop watering is for everyone to enjoy!