Rachel,

You sound like a great big sister.

Your Lithops will prefer your sunniest windowsill if you can manage it. As to culture, I will provide a link below to get you started.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hammertime

Thanks! That was a good link. Feeling a little more grounded. Here's a picture of the Lithops I wound up with. They sold really fast and this was the last one left. It looks like it has been dumped a few times in the past, because there's only about half an inch of soil in the bottom and some tipped plants in there. I see some repotting in the near future, but for now they're just going to have to hang on for a week until after the move. Hopefully these guys will become yet another permanent, long term feature in my home.

Anyone care to guess which species it is? I'm working on it too.

Those all look like L. karasmontana. The red-faced ones are karasmontana 'Lateritia'. They're likely all from the same batch of seed. 'Lateritia' is a cultivar - a cultivated variety, selected for its red face and white body. Those features were selected, most likely collected from a certain population of L. karasmontana; I don't have the history on that particular cultivar. The point is, the big one might just be a reversion to the standard features of that population.

You may want to at least pour some sand in that little pot and give them a drink - might not survive another week like that. Those plants can all be planted together in a 4" pot - 4" wide, 4" deep. The soil is a mix of sifted potting soil (I use Miracle-Gro moisture control mix, minus the bark), all-purpose sand, vermiculite, Perlite and volcanic pumice. See how many of these things you can locate. It's hard to describe the ratios... maybe later. Good luck.

Hmm, the only one I might have trouble with is the pumice, and I think I can either get that at the farm supply store, home depot, or the greenhouse where I can get vermiculite in Ohio. Currently I have perlite and african violet potting mix coming out of my ears from an unexpected, somewhat accidental cutting incident I had to undertake, so maybe I'll mix up a very light, very, mostly perlite mixture, and pot them up in that to keep the roots safe until I get back into my neck of the woods, then I can set about getting actual stuff. The pH of the AV soil is usually between 6 and 6.4, but it will be dilluted probably to the point it doesn't matter if that's a problem. I'd rather the soil I use not be temporary, repotting is so stressful on plants, but I think this is the best I can do right now, at least until Monday when I get back.

Today I discovered there are two places in Seattle to get sand. 1) at the beach, probably contaminated with pesticides, oil, and salt from the city and 2) at the Lowes half an hour away.

Time to go bake some dirt (um, I mean, sterilize my potting media). Here's a picture of the mix I made, bone dry, pre-sterilization. I wouldn't mind if it would work long term, but it is very, very fluffy, so I have my doubts. It's about 6:1 of perlite to MG african violet soil-dirty perlite-similar to what I grow jades in, but with a more acid pH from the AV dirt. I can lighten it more if it looks like it needs it.

Here's the entire contencse of the pot on a dinner plate with a quarter for scale. The old mix is very peaty. Odd.

This guy is growing new leaves now, so I guess I should let him be dry, right? I didn't realize they'd be doing that right now.

Hi Rachel,

Okay, so... I know that Steve mentions sterilizing your soil on the link I provided but I must mention that he no longer goes to that length. It doesn't seem to make much of a difference if your methods are good. Secondly, yes - get them in that mix to prevent root damage over the next week, and give them a drink. If you put them all back in that small pot with that very, very fluffy mix, there should be no chance of overwatering - give them a drink. The only danger in watering a plant that is splitting is that the leaves will not properly absorb. That's not going to be a problem for you. Lithops in transition take much advantage of old leaves - you'll never miss them.

I have a picture of my soil. It's about 40% MiracleGro moisture control mix with (as much as possible of) the bark sifted out and peat chunks smashed up. 20% all-purpose sand (no beach sand - no!) 20% perlite, 10% vermiculite, 10% volcanic pumice. The numbers are fuzzy - I mix it by sight and feel. I want my fines to be about half peat and fine forest products, half sand(inorganic) with some of vermiculite for that gooey clay thing. Fines make about 65-70% of this mix. The rest (marshmallows) for drainage - I prefer more perlite than pumice but value both. I would add a small amount of charcoal but haven't been able to find it in a large bag.

Disclaimer: This mix is for Mesembs and more importantly, controlled watering in greenhouse conditions. Any of your succulents will love it if they're not left out in the rain. I'm still not brave enough to use it on Asclepiads... moisture control!

Okay, I'll do that on Monday then (unless I get lucky and manage to get down to Lowes/Home Depot to see what I can find there). Thank you so much for the ratios and the picture. I now I've got a better idea of what I'm going for. I have to admit, I was still thinking of that little optica my brother exploded when I made the mix.

Oh, by the way, I just sterilized my soil out of habit. I'd actually forgotten that it had been mentioned in the article. I find that for some reason I get spider mites and other bugs less often when I do. I know it can kill off good bacteria, and if the temp goes too high chemicals change and become toxic, but I've been doing it for years and it's worth it to me. My collection of house plants is too large, and I hate mites so it's isolation for new plants for a few months, and any new soil that comes in not on roots gets baked at 180 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour before being used, and that seems to keep the pests mostly at bay for me.

PS: Moving stinks. Sorry, but it just does.