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pogonip_gw

Trouble propagating String of Pearls

pogonip
14 years ago

Hello,

I've read other threads about this issue but haven't been able to find any useful information. I recently took cuttings (strings of 3-4 "pearls") from a healthy mother plant. Per the instructions I found on the web, I half-buried them in some moist succulent soil, put the two 3" pots in a large ziploc bag and left the top open. I didn't water them for 2.5 weeks, but toward the end of that period I did occasionally mist them because the soil was bone-dry. At least one of the pearls survived in each pot, which I thought was a good sign, and I removed them from the bag and placed them in bright indirect light (which the bag was also in) and began to water 1x/week.

I discovered this morning that one of them had abruptly withered and died. That leaves me with one pearl in one pot, still alive but not rooting or growing so far as I can tell; I think it may be doomed as well. What am I doing wrong? Should I use a richer soil? Should the pearls be exposed to the air/light or buried more deeply? Thanks,

Comments (10)

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    14 years ago

    This is a succulent and needs to be treated as such.

    First, when you take a cutting, don't plant it immediately. Letting the wounds seal over will greatly decrease the likelihood of rot. I'd make the cutting one day, let it sit overnight, and plant it the next day.

    Second, moisten your soil but make sure it's not soppy wet. No need to use ziplock bags. That will only invite problems. When you do water, water about once a week (depending on soil drainage, etc). Don't mist; water just like you would other plants.

    Third, don't bury them. Partially submerging them in the soil is fine, but that's it.

    I think maybe you are overthinking to the point of introducing problems. Like most common houseplant succulents, these are very easy to propagate!

    Think of what would happen in the wild...no ziplock bags, no deeply buried cutting, no sudden watering the second a branch/section fell to the ground.

  • pogonip
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks- your point is well taken, though based on what you've said it still doesn't make sense why my first attempt failed. Oh well, I'll just try again.

  • angela_treder_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    I have propagated several string of pearl plants and have done well each time. I put moist potting soil in a pot with a hole in the bottom and lay a piece of stem, pearls and all on top of the soil...placing a little moist potting soil on the stem at intervals. In about a week or two the pieces will have rooted. While waiting for the stems to root I keep the soil slightly moist and out of direct light. When roots have formed you can slowly introduce the plant to direct light...an hour a day for a week then 2hrs etc. Plants burn just like humans if not acclimated to the sun. Once rooting has occurred water the plant so water actually comes out the bottom of the pot...get rid of extra after 15min. Only water when the top 1 inch of soil is dry. Remember, more plants are killed by over watering then under watering.

  • jolj
    13 years ago

    What is the Scientific name for the"String of Pearl plant"?

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    12 years ago

    Senecio rowleyanus

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    12 years ago

    most likely.. based on your words alone.. they failed.. because you took them out of the bag ... BEFORE THEY ROOTED ...

    as succulents.. they were thriving on the humidity added by the baggie ... and by taking that away.. before they had a sufficient root mass.. they immediately dried and died ...

    you are way overthinking it all.. if you lose hope after one try ....

    start over .... try again.. hip hip... etc.. go team go ...

    and BTW .. sterilize everything with 10% bleach.. and sterilize your media .... think operating room clean .... and that would include a spray bottle.. everything!!!!

    i am also surprised .. that much of anything will root in 2.5 weeks.. perhaps you were a bit anxious ....

    you will know when a plant is rooted.. when you very gently pull on it.. and some of the media starts to come up.. indicating a root is holding the plant ... do not remove from your incubator.. until you are sure it has roots ....

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    12 years ago

    I don't really remember this thread from before and it's impossible to know for sure what happened without lots of specific details, but I think the bag was likely to be the source of trouble. Most succulents do NOT like too much moisture/humidity. Maybe the sudden introduction of light could have made a difference, or mayby the "bone-dry" soil combined with the increase in light was an issue. This plant should be very easy to root, but should never be left in a high-humidity situation.

  • leanndoke
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Okay, question for all yall pro succulent growers, from a new succulent enthusiast:

    My boyfriend's mother gave me about 5 short strands of string of pearls, which she already rooted and potted for me. Now, I fully NEED more strands. I noticed that, every strand has more than one branch off the bottom, but on some of the strands, several of the "pearls" or "beads" have fallen off, likely due to me putting them outside one day when it was sorta windy, and that particular strand likely beat against the piece of staircase banister/handrail I had them sit ting on. My question for yall is this..... will the lost pearls or beads end up growing back? I noticed plenty of NEW growth, but I would seriously LOVE to see my "strings" full of pearls from soil to tip.... is this even possible? Or are they lost forever? Please either hit me up on messenger, or email. Your efforts will be most graciously appreciated! Thanks!

    Leann Doke

    From the high dessert of Mohave, in the valley of Indian Wells. Ridgecrest, California!

  • sue medo
    6 years ago

    Hi,Ihave a string of pearls succulents for about a year ago,it was doing fine until a month ago,it became rooted,so decided to take all the rooted roots of and propagate as much as i could from the strings to save my plant,now it's been about a month,but they're still no roots,just a few little tiny less than one mm ,i feel very disappointing because the climate where I live it's very hot and dry,so i don't know what to do,should i left it outside on my balcony or take it inside in front of my kitchen window wich is East,i spray my propagated string of pearls every 2 days just a little to help her making roots,but it still don't help what I'm doing wrong?