When they don’t receive enough sunshine, succulents swell out. The succulent will first begin to turn and bend in the direction of the light source.
As it grows, the leaves will spread farther apart, making the plant taller.
The leaves are often smaller and paler in color than usual. The succulent will typically turn green or lose the strength of its original color when it is not exposed to sunshine.
This Echeveria ‘Lola’ is beginning to bend toward the light, and it isn’t quite as colorful as it was when I took the photo for the post about top dressings.
The majority of the time, this will occur when succulents are cultivated indoors, but it can also occur outside when succulents are exposed to too much shadow.
How do I handle a succulent that is too tall?
The majority of succulents are graceful low-growing plants that neatly tuck into cracks in rockeries, flower beds, pots, and between pavement stones. Although succulent pruning is not typically necessary, it is a simple procedure that can be used on plants that grow long and lose the compact character that makes them so coveted. Understanding how to trim a leggy succulent can help you get the plant back to the size you want while also giving you plant material for another one of these resilient, simple plants.
When you complain that your plant is too tall, you should regulate it. This could be caused by blooms, leaves, or stalks, and the plant may end up seeming smaller or not fitting into its original location. The type of plant you are growing will determine what to do if your succulents get too tall.
Plants go through a process known as etioliation when they are grown indoors or in other low light environments. The plant is stretching upward to catch more light, which causes the stem to lengthen. Transferring the plant to a southern exposure is the straightforward answer. But that leggy party is still left after this. Fortunately, it is possible to top leggy succulent plants, which will remove the excessively tall portion and encourage the growth of new, more compact shoots.
Why is my succulent gaining height rather than width?
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Your succulent does it appear different? Are you perplexed as to why it is becoming so stretched-out, tall, and leggy?
Your succulent is experiencing etiolation if it is expanding vertically rather than horizontally. Your succulent needs more light, to put it simply.
Sadly, damage that has already been done cannot be undone. But it can bounce back. Your stretched succulent can be propagated, which will result in more plants. Win!
Let’s examine this stretched Crassula perforata more closely. Find out what caused this to happen and how to solve it.
Visit How to Grow Succulents Indoors to catch up on general care for succulents.
How can tall succulents be shortened?
Succulents that become too tall should be trimmed with a sharp knife to prevent the cut from being squished. Since most succulents are hardy, you can also use (pruning) scissors if you don’t have one on hand. To minimize the incision and any potential dirt accumulation, make the cut as horizontally as you can. A little hurt is preferable to a major one.
Cut a few millimeters below a node because there are growth factors and assimilates that are essential for the wound to heal and for the missing organs to quickly regenerate accumulate there. When looking at the succulent from above, behead it so that you have a rounded rosette.
How are succulents shortened?
Start by removing the succulent’s top with a pair of sharp scissors. Leave at least an inch or two of your succulent’s base with two to three leaves when you cut it. Make sure the snip has enough stem on it to be planted in soil later. If you leave a few leaves on the base to absorb sunlight, the base will thrive. To continue growing, you can move your base to a new, sunny location.
Allow the base and the cutting to dry for a few days. until the cut’s end has dried fully and appears “You can plant it in soil when it has scabbed and start watering it. You can discover more about succulent regrowth.
Within a few days, maybe, but most definitely within two to three weeks, the cutting should begin to give off roots. Reduce the amount of watering given to your new succulents as their roots become stronger.
The base, or original plant, will start to give forth additional offshoots within a few weeks. You can continue to take care of this plant as you did before you chopped it. The leaves you initially left on the foundation plant can eventually fall off or perish. Although this process is quite typical, it won’t always occur. But if they do come off, don’t worry! Without the old rosettes, the young ones will still be able to grow “a parent departs.
Your Succulent Isn’t Getting Enough Light
All plants require light, but succulents particularly crave it. Your pal may be leggy if you don’t provide a sunny area where they can soak up the light.
Insufficient sunshine causes succulents to develop lengthy stems. They begin to turn and spread out in search of light during a process known as etiolation, which gives them a “leggy appearance with a long stem and smaller, spaced-out leaves.
It can be challenging to determine how much light your plant needs right immediately because every plant is unique. Try transferring the succulent to an area where it will receive more light if you find it starting to grow a long stem without adding more leaves. You might want to think about buying a tiny tabletop grow light if your house doesn’t have a place where the sun shines.
My succulent can I split in half?
Because succulents are such hardy plants, you can actually plant a piece of one and it will develop into a new plant. It may sound like a horror film or the premise of an upcoming science fiction drama on Netflix, but it’s truly possible to regenerate something new from a severed limb. Even if one of its branches is cut off, they will still manage to survive.
Yes, you can prune or cut off a section of a succulent and plant it elsewhere. The clipped succulent piece will adapt to its new home and develop into a full-fledged succulent with the right growing circumstances.
If you want to learn more about pruning succulents, keep reading. It’s like getting numerous plants for the price of one if you get the technique down!
Do succulents have a height limit?
Succulents start to spread out and grow tall if they don’t receive enough sunshine.
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I occasionally receive comments from readers who are in a panic because their succulents “look different than when I bought them.”
Their succulents are typically more taller and more dispersed. This happens rather frequently, especially when growing succulents inside.
Succulents are known for their very slow growth, but it’s amazing how quickly they seem to swell when they don’t receive enough light. Etiolation is the technical name for this.
Aren’t succulents supposed to be tall plants?
Plants that are “etiolated” or light-starved seem pale and spindly with wide spaces between their leaves. In an effort to absorb more sunshine, succulents will increase in height and become less pigmented. They will be able to produce new leaves and rediscover their color with a gradual move to a brighter area over the course of one to two weeks, although some modifications to the plants’ shapes may be irreversible. If possible, transport the succulent outside if the weather is suitable when the first signs of etiolation appear.
Are succulents supposed to be pruned back?
Succulents benefit most from pruning at the start of their growing season, although you can prune them at any time. If you prune around the end of the growing season, new growth might not appear as rapidly, but it will develop gradually and accelerate once they begin to grow vigorously again.
There are numerous succulents that grow best in the summer, but there are also quite a few that grow best in the winter. To determine when your succulents are actively developing, check at this dormancy table.
My succulents are often pruned in the spring, after spending the winter indoors. Typically, they become quite stretched out and lose some of their initial beauty.
I can freshen the arrangement by pruning them without needing to buy new plants. It’s a fantastic approach to grow your garden!
Can I cut my succulent’s stem?
Succulents require more than just sunlight and water to thrive. To encourage healthy growth, some individuals advise cutting a succulent’s leaves, stems, and roots. However, can you get away without trimming your succulents or is trimming truly necessary? Can you cut the leaves, stems, or roots of a succulent first?
A succulent’s roots, stems, and leaves can all be pruned. The major purpose of this is upkeep. Maintaining your plants can help them grow better, resist rot, and live longer. Succulents also require trimming to keep their shape and grow sturdy stems.
When to trim the roots, leaves, or stems, as well as what to do with the clippings, are all covered in this article. You will also learn the proper techniques for planting your clippings to begin cultivating new succulents.
What should I do with long-stemmed succulents?
Before watering, I gave it three days to settle. This is a lesson I picked up early on, and it’s always served me well.
Until the weather cools off, I’ll water this planting once every week. Cuttings shouldn’t be kept as dry as an established plant would be. Keep in mind that the roots are still growing. On the other hand, don’t water it too frequently or the cuttings will rot. Adjust to your circumstances.
To prevent burns, keep your clippings away from any direct sunlight. The ideal situation calls for bright natural light (a moderate to high light exposure).
Fertilizer
I’ll add a half-topping of worm compost in the spring. My favorite amendment is this one, however I only use it occasionally due of its wealth. I’m using Worm Gold Plus right now. Here’s why I find it so appealing. I’ll layer about 1 of compost on top of that. This mixture is beloved by outdoor succulent plants. Right here, you can read about how I feed my composting worms.
This container for newly planted succulents is small and compact. Not too long, please!
This method also applies to succulents that have grown too tall. Give your succulent plants a good haircut if they have lengthy stems and are becoming too lanky. They are resilient and will bounce back bigger and better than before. You have to adore succulents!
Do I need to let my succulents bloom?
Succulent flower cutting or leaving is a matter of personal preference. Many people adore the flowers because they are so lovely. Fans of succulents might also try cultivating succulent seed or letting insects and birds consume the nectar.
Succulent flowers are a bug magnet, so it’s not always a good idea to let them finish their show. Sure, insecticides can be used to kill mealybugs and aphids, but doing so could also kill beneficial insects that are already in trouble and vanishing from the planet.
My recommendation is to remove the blooms when pests are seen or when they begin to naturally wither; otherwise, they can be left and appreciated.