What to do if my succulent is dying?

Succulents are amazing plants: decorative, relatively easy to care for, and the perfect size for potting. The vast majority of species are heliophilous, that is, they love the sun, and perhaps that is why they are often thought to be very resistant to drought, when the reality is that this is not entirely true.

If we do not have much experience in their cultivation, it may happen that we give them less water than they need, or that on the contrary we give them too much. As a consequence, our plants will weaken and, unless we avoid it, we will lose them forever. But calm / a, it is not necessary to worry. Keep reading to know what to do if my succulent is dying.

How do I know if my succulent is dying?

The first thing to do is see if it is really weakening or not, since this way we can take the necessary measures as the case may be. So that, We will know that your health and life are at risk if:

• Yellow, transparent and / or soft leaves
• Sheets »closed»
• Leaf fall out of season
• Wrinkled plant
• The stem or trunk feels very soft
• Black spots on the stem
• Appearance of fungi (gray or whitish powder)

What to do to get it back?

Check the substrate moisture

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The vast majority of succulent problems tend to have a lot to do with watering. If the soil is very wet for several days in a row, the roots rot quickly. Therefore, you should check the humidity before watering, for example inserting a thin wooden stick all the way to the bottom and see how much dirt has adhered to it (if it has been little, then it can be watered), or weighing the pot once watered and again after a few days (Since wet soil weighs more than dry soil, we can be guided by this difference in weight to know when to water).

Finally, a very comfortable and useful option consists of buy a digital humidity meter from the earth.

Put a substrate that drains well

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Compost or mulch is usually not a good option for cacti, succulents, or caudex plants, as they retain a lot of water and do not allow their root system to develop in the most optimal way. It must be taken into account that these plants, for the most part, grow in sandy soils, with almost no organic matter. Because of that, it is highly advisable to use porous substrates, such as pumice, akadama, or make mixtures with them and a little black peat to get perfect succulents.

Cut to the chase

If the succulent is rotting, to save it what you have to do is make a somewhat radical but effective decision: cut your losses. With a knife previously disinfected with pharmacy alcohol, we will have to cut through the healthy part and discard the rest. With what it is now, the cutting we will do is let it dry outside in an area protected from the sun for ten days, and then we will plant it in a pot with a substrate that has good drainage.

Treat against fungi

When the gray (botrytis) or white powder appears that makes us suspect, it is necessary first that we decrease the frequency of irrigation, since the fungi are very favored by humidity, and second to treat the succulents with fungicides, whether they are chemicals like Fosetyl-Al, or natural like copper or sulfur. If we opt for these last two, we will use them only in spring and autumn, because if we apply them in summer the roots could burn.

Do you know why your succulent is dying? I hope it will be easier for you to take care of it from now on. But if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask  .