I have had a time with the growing season of these plants. Right now, they are still very much in the process of absorbing the old leaves, some are just now starting in fact, which seems later than usual. I worry about a too-short rest period and no bloom this autumn.

The problem are the ones that haven't absorbed and are now splitting again. I have to be very careful to normalize those. A few of the new ones are like that and one of them died when I was trying to starve it.

I do not know what you mean by splitting. Do you mean they are restarting the process of absorption or are they doubling? I ask because I have some very small plants that are doubling, not something I am used to seeing at all.

How do you normalize the plants?

You know, I have grown these plants off and on for decades in different locations. But just when I think I finally know their growing/resting cycles, out pops a year like this one. I suppose that is what keeps it all interesting and challenging though.

Yeah, doubling is cool, happens about once every two years. Some species will do it every year. It's always exciting when you get 2 for 1.

It's true that you'll hear much conflicting info about Lithops. I still mist mine lightly when they're splitting (daily or every other day) and a little more once they've absorbed (daily and slightly more water). Still, all of that varies with the weather. The problem children with too many leaves get a fair spray maybe every 5 days. They have to show progress first!

That's a significant collection you have! I just did a quick count and, including Pleiospilos, Argyroderma, Gibbaeum and Lithops I have about 150 adult plants. I can't count the seedlings, they're in the thousands. I think the most important thing is to observe and learn to read them so the season won't catch you off guard.

Have you collected any seeds? If so, you can sow them in September, or whenever Summer starts to cool off for you.

Re doubling: I have noticed this year there are some very small plants, much smaller than is usual, doing this. I have also noticed a number of plants that are doubling that have a large set of leaves combined with a much smaller set.

I will try misting - this year is just odd and maybe a little help will make a difference.

Wow on your collection! Mine includes several very small plants. It is difficult to find Lithops and other mesembryanthemums in this area, but I did manage to find some Pleiospilos - just found a purple one at Home Depot, of all places -, Argyroderma, Gibbaeum, Fenestraria, and a few others here and there.

I do not have any seedlings at all. I did buy a mixed collection of seeds years ago, had hundreds of little ones come up, very exciting to start to see what they were. Then a friend tried to take too good care of them while I was away - and promptly watered them to death.

Is there any time during the cycle you completely avoid misting?

I'm glad your plants reacted positively, always glad to help when I can.

Lately, with summer getting hotter, I've had many Lithops showing wrinkles on their sides. Shrinking back into the soil is a natural reaction to the heat but I've been giving the shrinking ones a heavier drink, trying to get the taproot wet.

The time to avoid misting altogether would be if you get some extended wet, cold weather while the plants are splitting. The problem would be that in this weather, the pots won't dry out fast enough.

One of my Lithops just doubled for the second time so it now has 4 heads but, as you mentioned, they have a large set of leaves and a small set. So, 2 big heads, 2 small heads. This is the first time I've seen that.

We should be seeing some flowers pretty soon, looking forward to that!

I have also noted a few of the plants (two or three) are elongating, which I usually associate with too-low light levels. However, all of the plants around them are doing just fine.

Something else I have not seen before: two plants produced new leaves that had sections with hard, white tissue that appears to be scarring. I have seen similar damage caused by slugs, but never on leaves still inside the old leaves.

There are several more plants that have split into one set of normal-sized leaves combined with a set of very small leaves. And one plant has a single leaf with a small hole. That plant gives no indication it has even started producing new leaves.

In all, this has been an unusual year in many respects. And I do feel your suggestion of misting has probably helped pull at least some of the plants through a difficult season.