Is your string of pearls plant dying? Do you need reliable information on string of pearls plant care? Not sure about how to propagate it? Well keep reading and you too can be successful in growing and propagating this elusive succulent plant.
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String of Pearls, or Senecio rowleyanus, is a hot topic of discussion about houseplant owners. People that attempt to grow these plants fall into two categories.
The first category includes those that can grow this plant with ease. In fact, some sources rate these plants as easy to grow.
The second category includes those that fail miserably even after several attempts. Other sources rate these plants as very difficult to grow. There seems to be no middle ground.
And on top of that, there seems to be a lot of inadequate information online about how to care for these plants.
I'm very active on Instagram with my @ohiotropics account where I give houseplant care advice on a daily basis. I lost count of the number of times that people have reached out to me and mentioned that they have tried to grow string of pearls, but have failed.
In fact, some people have murdered several of these plants in rapid succession over the course of only a few months! What makes taking care of these plants so elusive?
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
STRING OF PEARLS PLANT CARE & PROPAGATION
String of pearls are succulent plants, and if you meet certain requirements, they CAN be very easy to grow! Unfortunately, most sources will not tell you exactly what you need to do, so that's my job.
1. They need a quickly draining soil that dries out quickly
All potting mixes are not created equal. For most of my succulents I use a prepackaged potting mix formulated specifically for cacti and succulents.
Many of the commercially available cactus/succulent mixes are not adequate, but you added some coarse ¼" pumice (link to Amazon) to make it amazing.
Don't even think about growing string of pearls in anything but the most quickly draining potting mix that you can give it!
Recently, I've been experimenting with using pumice, which you can get on Amazon, and it is really fabulous. It will make the soil more chunky, more aerated, and very sharply draining.
Depending on the size of the pumice, experiment with 75% cactus/succulent soil blend , also available on Amazon, mixed with 25% pumice. You can even go 50/50.
Honestly, using the soil blend above with added pumice could make the difference between life or death for your pearls! If you haven't tried it out, I'd strongly recommend doing so!
The goal is to create a potting mix that drains lightening fast and that dries out pretty quickly. String of pearls can easily rot if it stays wet for too long.
A few spent flowers on my string of pearls
If you want a mix that you CAN use straight out of the bag and not have to bother with blending, I strongly recommend the String of Things soil mix from Oh Happy Plants. You will get 10% off every time if you use my link.
Oh Happy Plants makes amazing, sustainable, potting mixes for a wide variety of plants. I've used many of them and they are truly amazing!
2. String of Pearls need a smaller pot size
Have you ever had a string of pearls that was doing well and then you repotting it into a much larger pot, and it quickly died afterwards? Your pot was probably too big.
String of pearls have a pretty small root system and they really don't need large pots.
If you plant them into a pot that is much larger than what they were in before, you run the risk of the plant rotting.
When the pot size is too big for the root ball of the plant, your potting mix will stay wet for too long and the plant will start to rot. Especially if the potting mix is not well drained.
String of pearls should need repotting on a very infrequent basis. You shouldn't even consider repotting it unless you see roots coming out of the drainage holes. Take a look at how small the pot is for my string of pearls below.
3. String of Pearls Need Careful Attention to Watering
Those of you that follow me closely know how I like to water my plants. I thoroughly soak all my plants when I water.
However, if many other things are not in line (such as not having the correct pot size, correct soil blend, AND the correct light), your soil will not dry out quickly enough.
This causes many people to think that since the soil doesn't dry out quickly enough, that they should let the soil dry out completely and then only add very small amounts of water when they water. I take a different approach.
You WANT to thoroughly soak the potting mix because this will develop a deeper root system. If you water shallowly, you will develop shallow roots and this is bad news for the plant.
However, you'll need to have a few things in line before you can use this method of watering for this plant.
In order for these plants to be healthy, you need the soil to be thoroughly moistened when watered, but you also need the soil to dry out pretty quickly in between watering.
You can achieve this by using the potting mixes described above, using an appropriately sized pot, and having the plant in the correct lighting. This will ensure that the potting mix will dry out quickly enough and not cause rotting.
Also, this plant should NEVER sit in water for any period of time. If water has drained out into its saucer, be sure to discard the excess water.
Do not use a moisture meter. I've seen many people kill their plants with faulty moisture meters. Check out my post on the dangers of moisture meters if you need more convincing.
4. Light
Natural Light
String of pearls needs bright light in order to do its best. They absolutely should be right in front of a window.
Depending on where you live, you can successfully grow these plants in front of an East, West or South window. They should be getting at least a little direct sun for best results.
If you don't have sufficient natural light indoors from your windows, I've had success with growing this plant right under a grow light. This is especially important in my drab wintertime! It could mean the difference between life or death!
See my grow light recommendations in the next section.
With enough light, you will be lucky enough to get flowers. Although they are not terribly showy, they smell wonderful!
And remember, higher light means that your plant's soil will dry out in a reasonable time, which I've already described is very important for these plants.
If you live in or near a desert, you may avoid having the plants too close to a West or South window. Otherwise, these plants do like a few hours of direct sunlight in most cases.
Grow Lights for String of Pearls
Unfortunately, I don't have any really sunny windows that these plants love. This becomes especially important in the winter when it's dark! I solved the issue by installing a grow light.
It made the differences between life or death for my pearls!
I had wonderful success with the Sansi 70W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light that I purchased from Amazon. I hung it from the ceiling and my pearls hung about a foot below the light.
If you have had a hard time growing these plants indoors because you don't have the bright light that these plants need to THRIVE, invest in a Sansi 70W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light. It made ALL the difference for me.
You will be surprised how easy these are to grow once you have bright enough light!
Best of all, the Sansi 70W Grow Light provides white light. Not the ugly purple light that many LED lights emit! You won't regret it!
I like to put my string of pearls outside during the summertime. Place it in complete shade FIRST so it gets acclimated and then slowly increase sun exposure so it doesn't burn.
Winter
In the winter, with reduced light comes reduced growth. And with reduced growth comes the need to water much less frequently. Let your String of Pearls dry out much more in the winter.
Keep an eye on the plant though so that the pearls aren't shriveling or drying out. You don't want to take it too far to the other extreme and have the plant too dry.
5. Propagation
String of pearls is very easy to propagate and you can make new plants in no time. You can either try water propagation, and pot them up into soil after they have rooted, or plant them directly into the soil.
Sometimes you will get lucky, and you can already see some aerial roots growing on your plant, such as in the photo below. I kept this plant outdoors during the summer.
Aerial roots on my string of pearls
For water propagation, remove a few pearls off of one end of each cutting, and place that part of the strand in a vase with water. It should easily root.
There are two different methods you can try for soil propagation. The first is just placing a couple inches of each strand into the soil mix. Take few pearls off of one end of the strand, and bury that part into the soil.
The other soil method is just to coil up each strand and leave it on the surface of the soil.
You may want to take a large staple or a paper clip to anchor down the strand so that there is proper contact with the soil, but it's not necessary. The soil should be kept relatively moist for the best rooting to occur.
I usually prefer water propagation because you can see the roots and you'll know that it is growing. But in this case, I like this soil propagation method for string of pearls.
If your string of pearls plant is on its last leg and you only have a few strands left, chances are that it will not make it in its current condition and will continue to decline. At that point, the pot will likely be way too big for the surviving strands.
It is just best to cut your losses and take cuttings of the remaining strands if your plant is kicking the bucket. BUT AT THIS POINT, YOU SHOULD LEARN FROM YOUR FAILURE and realize what you did wrong and try not to repeat it again.
Once the strands are rooted, be sure to place them in a very small pot to start with. Remember, you want the pot to be thoroughly moistened when you water, but you want it to dry out quickly!
In order to achieve this, use the proper potting mix described in this post, give your plant enough light, and use relatively small pots.
Still Struggling With String of Pearls?
If you are still struggling with String of Pearls, you should check out a similar alternative. String of Bananas plant looks similar except has banana shaped leaves and is MUCH more forgiving and easier to grow.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where do String of Pearls grow naturally?
String of Pearls is native to South Africa and grows primarily in a subtropical biome.
What is the scientific name for String of Pearls?
The botanical name for String of Pearls (also known by the common name, String of Beads) is Curio rowleyanus (previously classified as Senecio rowleyanus). It was named after the British botanist Gordon Rowley.
What is the best type of pot for String of Pearls?
These plants have shallow root systems so they would naturally prefer a more shallow pot. Avoid pots that are unusually tall. Unglazed clay pots (terracotta pots) are wonderful because they will dry out more quickly than other types of pots.
Because the trailing stems can get quite long and heavy over time, a heavier pot such as a clay pot or ceramic pot will be more stable and prevent your plant from falling off your plant shelf. If you have a hanging basket, any pot material will be fine.
Are String of Pearls cat friendly?
According to the ASPCA, String of Pearls is considered toxic and can cause an upset stomach, vomiting, and lethargy in your cat if it is ingested. However, you can grow your plant in a hanging planter to keep it out of reach from your feline friend.
Why are there aerial roots on my String of Pearls?
In its natural habitat, this plant will grow as a ground cover. As the trailing stems grow and touch the soil, the aerial roots on the stems will grow into the soil and form a dense mat.
Why is my String of Pearls shriveling?
If your leaves are shriveling and wrinkled, it probably means that your plant needs to be watered. Keep in mind that you should let your soil go dry, but don't wait too long otherwise your plant will suffer.
Long periods of dry soil will cause shriveling and then the lower leaves will turn brown and fall off.
Can you put String of Pearls outside?
Absolutely, but you need to acclimate your plant to the brighter light. When moving your plant from indoors to outdoors, place it initially in FULL SHADE.
After a few days, give it a little bit of morning sun (1-2 hours). Then after a few more days, you can give it all morning sun. Then it can even take more sun, but half a day of direct sun outside is plenty.
If you move your plant immediately into full sun outside after it has been growing indoors, your plant will experience sun scorch quickly, often in a matter of hours.
The plant will turn white, like it has been bleached out. Light intensity indoors is much less than it is outdoors, so care from me taken to slowly acclimate your plant to higher light.
Why did my String of Pearls get root rot?
If you are not growing your plant in the right conditions, a common issue that is experienced is root rot. Here are some things to consider:
Indoors, these plants require as much light as possible. Do not place your plant far from a window. It should be immediately in front of a window that has at least 3-4 hours or more of direct sun.
Your plant has been sitting in soggy soil resulting from a poor drainage (no drainage hole). If you have your plant growing in not enough light, it will also take your soil much longer to dry out.
Your soil is not drying out enough. Many people recommend a cactus soil mix for this plant, but even these mixes don't drain too well on their own. This is why I like to mix pumice into my mixes. Or if you would like a mix that you CAN use straight out of the bag, check out the String of Things soil blend from Oh Happy Plants. If you use my link you will automatically receive 10% off! This is the best soil by far that you can use straight out of the package and not have to mix anything into it!
You placed your plant in a pot that is much too big. The excess volume of soil will take a lot longer to dry out. When you repot, only go up one pot size. If you have your plant in a 4-inch diameter pot,
When is the best time to repot String of Pearls?
The best time to repot your plant is at the beginning of the growing season when your plant starts back up into new growth.
Avoid repotting in the winter months when your plant has stopped growing or isn't growing much.
Early spring through early summer is a great time to repot your plants.
Hopefully you've learned something new in this post to help you grow String of Pearls once and for all!
When soil propagating, you should aim to have a consistently moist soil. Not wet...but moist. I would not bottom water. You want it moist where the cuttings are. It helps to mix in a lot of perlite into the soil that you're using for soil propagation. You can even do half and half! Keeping humidity high also helps a lot. You can use a take-out container that has a clear plastic dome, for example.
Would it be alright to just mist with water during propagation? I moistened the soil before I laid out my peas. My biggest fear with succulents, 100%, is overwatering, so I have taken to watering maybe once every two months with misting a few times a week in between. I never understood why people say that jade and succulents are "easy". I have had some very unhappy little plants, but I have always suspected it was light conditions in my home, and not soil or watering. I don't have many windows, and I have even hung light fixtures with grow bulbs for more "sunlight". In the summer, when I move them outside, they really take off.
Hi Alysia! Jade and succulents are very easy, as long as you give them what they need! You can really say that about most plants.
If you don't have the conditions to grow certain things, it is best to avoid them. Succulents like a lot of sun, so if you don't have strong light, they won't do much. But you also have to have good watering practices, soil, etc like you mentioned, in addition to light. It sounds like you took the right steps with grow lights, so that should definitely help! You really have to have all 3 to be successful, but it all starts with the right light! It sounds like you figured it out though, and moving plants outdoors is really beneficial!
Just purchased my first String of Pearls and my first step when i got home was to look up its care here on your blog! Thank you!
Hi! Thank you for all the help! I was wondering, is it possible to use potting mix and add a lot of perlite? I don’t have cactus mix at the moment.
Also, I am trying to repot many strands of SOP that I bought but the roots seem short, and some of the pearls are going into the soil/being covered. How can I go about potting it better into the soil?
Hi Vanessa! Yes, that's perfectly fine! I do the same sometimes when I don't have any on hand. You want the cuttings to be secure in the soil. You can either bury some of the pearls, or even use large staples or bend some paperclips and use them to gently secure them into the soil. Honestly, you can even wrap the whole cutting on the surface of the soil and new vines will eventually grow. You'll want good contact with the soil though. Hope this helps!
I have a new string of pearls that was wet when I bought it, 3 weeks ago, and has been watered since. I noticed recently that the attached dish kept being full of water, so I took a look at the roots.. the soil was like soup, I got rid of most of it, and replaced it with cactus soil. My concern is that the matt of roots was so wet, and still had that wet soil on it. It was dripping like a sponge. I didn’t know how far to go getting the soil off. I didn’t want to further damage the roots. It occurred to me to wash it off. What would you do? I just placed it on top of the new soil, but I’m afraid it will still be too wet.
Hi Helen! I think you did the right thing in trying to remove as much of the soil as possible. I wouldn't use most cactus soil mixes on their own. I would go ahead and mix in a good amount of pumice as well to the cactus soil mix. It will help to provide more oxygen to your soil and excellent drainage that are so critical to these plants. Good luck with your plant! Make sure that you're providing sufficient light though as well.
WONDERFUL information!! I am wondering if clay pots are bad for String of Pearls. I am obviously obsessed with these little cuties but I'm having a hard time keeping them going. I'm thinking it has to do with pot size and type of pot. I seem to be using the right type of soil and light. Any suggestions? Thank you so much!
Hi Connie! Glad you enjoyed the blog post. Many people grow these successfully in clay pots. It may take some trial and error with your conditions to see what works for you. They are definitely not the easiest plants to take care of! Maybe change one thing at a time and see if it works.
Gee whiz! Try one thing at a time...what a concept! Ha! Which would be very unlike my all or nothing mentality! Thank you so much!! That was probably the best piece of advice anyone could give me! Thank you again!!
Connie, glad to help! 🙂
I didn't have any cactus soil so i mixed rocks with potting soil and two of my little guys died of root rot. I now have some cactus soil and rocks, but the terrarium i want to transplant the pearls into is a hanging glass one, and so there are no drainage holes. I have some small rocks i am planning on putting at the very bottom of the terrarium and on top of the cactus soil. I read that you could try to acclimate them by slowly mixing dirt into their water until it is solid dirt, but the thought that comes to my mind is that with the wet soil theres a chance for root rot. What do you think?
I'm afraid that will all make the situation worse. I would not introduce soil into the water. That will in fact make them rot more quickly. I would also avoid planting these into pots with no drainage holes. These plants are succulents and they need sharp drainage. I would either drill a hole in that pot, or find another one with a drainage hole. Also, adding rocks to the bottom is not a substitute for amending the potting mix. Even if you don't have any cactus mix, you need to incorporate some larger particles in the blend to improve the drainage. I find that even cactus mix is not good enough. You need to mix in pumice perlite, or even smaller rocks like you mentioned right into the potting mix. I would follow the recommendations I have in the blog post. I wish you the best of luck! I would definitely not do what you mentioned. That will speed up the death! 🙂 Make sure that you give your plants very bright light so place it directly in front of your brightest window. I would reread the blog post on the care and follow as much of it as you can. Best of luck Cori!
Hi i have had some string of pearls propagating that I got from my friend. They have been water propagating for the past few weeks, and now have roots about 1.5 inches long! How do I safely move them into a pot? I have a handing glass planter I hope to move them into soon! But I really want them to survive, but the last succulent I moved from water to dirt died and I don't want to lose my pretty pearls!
Hi Cori! I would plant them now and make sure that you have a very, very well draining soil and try a smaller or shallower pot if you can. I would follow the tips in the blog post concerning adding pumice. What kind of soil did you use in the past when the propagated plants died? Did you supply enough light for them as well?
i’m so glad i found you and your blog/IG. I have a SOP plant that i’ve been struggling with and your post gave advise that made it all seem pretty straightforward and easy. I am new to the NE ohio area and recently found my love of plants. I worry about my SOP sitting on the ledge of my west facing window due to how cold it can get in the winter. Any advise on that? also, when water propagating, when/how do you determine the roots have grown enough to transfer to soil? Thank you again for your wisdom!
You're welcome Stacy! Is your window drafty? Can you maybe seal it off in the winter? Before we replaced our windows in our sunroom, we used one of those clear plastic kits to seal the windows, but still let light through. You'll want to give your plant the sunniest spot that you have. As far as rooting, as soon as the roots start growing, I would pot them up. Don't let them get too long. This goes for any houseplants that you're rooting in water. Hope this helps!
Thank YOU for this post! I have been looking for tips on how not to kill my pearls. They have their ups and downs and I didnt really know of I over or underwatered them. Will use your tips and hope they start growing!
Hi, thank you for this blog! I just acquired a string of pearls yesterday, and I didn't realize that the stems at the crown were very thin. I worry that it's actually dying if I don't do something drastic to salvage it. If the stems at the crown are very thin and dry, should I salvage the strings that are left, and propagate it in water?
Thank you 🙂
I enjoy reading your blog.. you provide such complete, detailed information. Would the soil mixture you describe above be suitable for all tropical houseplants?
Thanks:)
Thank you! Yes, you could use that for more than just succulents! I'll routinely take a pre-packaged mix and amend with either perlite or pumice, or even chunks of bark. Depending on what plant I'm repotting and what I have on hand.
I've been on a hunt for SOP. Thank goodness I found your helpful article before bringing one home! Is there a brand, or even type of pumice you can recommend?
Thanks did everything!
@Bailee, Try buying online. Problem is sometimes the plant costs less than the shipping, but if you buy over 20 or 25 dollars worth there's often a code for free shipping. I use Amazon and/or Mountain Crest Nursery.
When doing soil propagation, how often and how do you recommend watering? Bottom watering? Soak it like you would a mature plant? Thank you!
When soil propagating, you should aim to have a consistently moist soil. Not wet...but moist. I would not bottom water. You want it moist where the cuttings are. It helps to mix in a lot of perlite into the soil that you're using for soil propagation. You can even do half and half! Keeping humidity high also helps a lot. You can use a take-out container that has a clear plastic dome, for example.
Would it be alright to just mist with water during propagation? I moistened the soil before I laid out my peas. My biggest fear with succulents, 100%, is overwatering, so I have taken to watering maybe once every two months with misting a few times a week in between. I never understood why people say that jade and succulents are "easy". I have had some very unhappy little plants, but I have always suspected it was light conditions in my home, and not soil or watering. I don't have many windows, and I have even hung light fixtures with grow bulbs for more "sunlight". In the summer, when I move them outside, they really take off.
Hi Alysia! Jade and succulents are very easy, as long as you give them what they need! You can really say that about most plants.
If you don't have the conditions to grow certain things, it is best to avoid them. Succulents like a lot of sun, so if you don't have strong light, they won't do much. But you also have to have good watering practices, soil, etc like you mentioned, in addition to light. It sounds like you took the right steps with grow lights, so that should definitely help! You really have to have all 3 to be successful, but it all starts with the right light! It sounds like you figured it out though, and moving plants outdoors is really beneficial!
Just purchased my first String of Pearls and my first step when i got home was to look up its care here on your blog! Thank you!
You're very welcome, and good luck!
Hi! Thank you for all the help! I was wondering, is it possible to use potting mix and add a lot of perlite? I don’t have cactus mix at the moment.
Also, I am trying to repot many strands of SOP that I bought but the roots seem short, and some of the pearls are going into the soil/being covered. How can I go about potting it better into the soil?
Thank you!!!
Hi Vanessa! Yes, that's perfectly fine! I do the same sometimes when I don't have any on hand. You want the cuttings to be secure in the soil. You can either bury some of the pearls, or even use large staples or bend some paperclips and use them to gently secure them into the soil. Honestly, you can even wrap the whole cutting on the surface of the soil and new vines will eventually grow. You'll want good contact with the soil though. Hope this helps!
I have a new string of pearls that was wet when I bought it, 3 weeks ago, and has been watered since. I noticed recently that the attached dish kept being full of water, so I took a look at the roots.. the soil was like soup, I got rid of most of it, and replaced it with cactus soil. My concern is that the matt of roots was so wet, and still had that wet soil on it. It was dripping like a sponge. I didn’t know how far to go getting the soil off. I didn’t want to further damage the roots. It occurred to me to wash it off. What would you do? I just placed it on top of the new soil, but I’m afraid it will still be too wet.
Hi Helen! I think you did the right thing in trying to remove as much of the soil as possible. I wouldn't use most cactus soil mixes on their own. I would go ahead and mix in a good amount of pumice as well to the cactus soil mix. It will help to provide more oxygen to your soil and excellent drainage that are so critical to these plants. Good luck with your plant! Make sure that you're providing sufficient light though as well.
WONDERFUL information!! I am wondering if clay pots are bad for String of Pearls. I am obviously obsessed with these little cuties but I'm having a hard time keeping them going. I'm thinking it has to do with pot size and type of pot. I seem to be using the right type of soil and light. Any suggestions? Thank you so much!
Hi Connie! Glad you enjoyed the blog post. Many people grow these successfully in clay pots. It may take some trial and error with your conditions to see what works for you. They are definitely not the easiest plants to take care of! Maybe change one thing at a time and see if it works.
Gee whiz! Try one thing at a time...what a concept! Ha! Which would be very unlike my all or nothing mentality! Thank you so much!! That was probably the best piece of advice anyone could give me! Thank you again!!
Connie, glad to help! 🙂
I didn't have any cactus soil so i mixed rocks with potting soil and two of my little guys died of root rot. I now have some cactus soil and rocks, but the terrarium i want to transplant the pearls into is a hanging glass one, and so there are no drainage holes. I have some small rocks i am planning on putting at the very bottom of the terrarium and on top of the cactus soil. I read that you could try to acclimate them by slowly mixing dirt into their water until it is solid dirt, but the thought that comes to my mind is that with the wet soil theres a chance for root rot. What do you think?
I'm afraid that will all make the situation worse. I would not introduce soil into the water. That will in fact make them rot more quickly. I would also avoid planting these into pots with no drainage holes. These plants are succulents and they need sharp drainage. I would either drill a hole in that pot, or find another one with a drainage hole. Also, adding rocks to the bottom is not a substitute for amending the potting mix. Even if you don't have any cactus mix, you need to incorporate some larger particles in the blend to improve the drainage. I find that even cactus mix is not good enough. You need to mix in pumice perlite, or even smaller rocks like you mentioned right into the potting mix. I would follow the recommendations I have in the blog post. I wish you the best of luck! I would definitely not do what you mentioned. That will speed up the death! 🙂 Make sure that you give your plants very bright light so place it directly in front of your brightest window. I would reread the blog post on the care and follow as much of it as you can. Best of luck Cori!
Hi i have had some string of pearls propagating that I got from my friend. They have been water propagating for the past few weeks, and now have roots about 1.5 inches long! How do I safely move them into a pot? I have a handing glass planter I hope to move them into soon! But I really want them to survive, but the last succulent I moved from water to dirt died and I don't want to lose my pretty pearls!
Hi Cori! I would plant them now and make sure that you have a very, very well draining soil and try a smaller or shallower pot if you can. I would follow the tips in the blog post concerning adding pumice. What kind of soil did you use in the past when the propagated plants died? Did you supply enough light for them as well?
i’m so glad i found you and your blog/IG. I have a SOP plant that i’ve been struggling with and your post gave advise that made it all seem pretty straightforward and easy. I am new to the NE ohio area and recently found my love of plants. I worry about my SOP sitting on the ledge of my west facing window due to how cold it can get in the winter. Any advise on that? also, when water propagating, when/how do you determine the roots have grown enough to transfer to soil? Thank you again for your wisdom!
You're welcome Stacy! Is your window drafty? Can you maybe seal it off in the winter? Before we replaced our windows in our sunroom, we used one of those clear plastic kits to seal the windows, but still let light through. You'll want to give your plant the sunniest spot that you have. As far as rooting, as soon as the roots start growing, I would pot them up. Don't let them get too long. This goes for any houseplants that you're rooting in water. Hope this helps!
Thank YOU for this post! I have been looking for tips on how not to kill my pearls. They have their ups and downs and I didnt really know of I over or underwatered them. Will use your tips and hope they start growing!
You're very welcome! Let me know what you think after you implement things from the post! 🙂
Hi, thank you for this blog! I just acquired a string of pearls yesterday, and I didn't realize that the stems at the crown were very thin. I worry that it's actually dying if I don't do something drastic to salvage it. If the stems at the crown are very thin and dry, should I salvage the strings that are left, and propagate it in water?
Thank you 🙂
You can absolutely take cuttings and root them in water. Then pot them up in the mix that I described in the post. 🙂
Thankyou. I do same but I am always open to soil improvement t options:) Cheers!
I enjoy reading your blog.. you provide such complete, detailed information. Would the soil mixture you describe above be suitable for all tropical houseplants?
Thanks:)
Thank you! Yes, you could use that for more than just succulents! I'll routinely take a pre-packaged mix and amend with either perlite or pumice, or even chunks of bark. Depending on what plant I'm repotting and what I have on hand.
Excellent article!! I live in Southern California and the sun can be very strong most of the year, so I’ve found that my strings do better in shade.
Thank you! And absolutely. It really depends on a lot on where you live.
Thank you very much. I think my problems were the soil mix and mainly the pot size. I will try again with the advice given!
You're welcome! Best of luck!
I've been on a hunt for SOP. Thank goodness I found your helpful article before bringing one home! Is there a brand, or even type of pumice you can recommend?
Thanks did everything!
There is no particular brand I recommend. Just pick one and try it. You'll be amazed at how it improves the drainage!
@Bailee, Try buying online. Problem is sometimes the plant costs less than the shipping, but if you buy over 20 or 25 dollars worth there's often a code for free shipping. I use Amazon and/or Mountain Crest Nursery.
Thank you for great advice, Raffaele! Think SOP is often set up for failure upon purchasing from stores that have plants in incorrect soil?
Yes absolutely!