The String of Pearls, also called the Curio Rowleyanus, is a novel trailing succulent. If I had been to call one plant that has my coronary heart, it might be this one. I believe it’s the most stunning houseplant!

The plant originates from the southern tip of Africa, and its uniqueness makes this plant a favourite for plant mother and father. String of Pearls is a creeping succulent that has inexperienced balls for leaves (they appear like peas)!

On this publish, I’m going to share some tips about caring for a string of pearls. I may also share another species of this plant household on the finish of the publish.

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Potting

Once you get a string of pearls from a backyard retailer, what’s subsequent? You will have some well-draining succulent soil combine, which you should buy at most backyard facilities. It has a mixture of soil and sand.

The sand helps help in soil aeration and lets the water stream extra freely by means of the soil. I additionally wish to put some further perlite in my succulent soil.

Perlite is present in nature and is definitely shaped by volcanic eruptions. Perlite is nice for serving to your soil drain the water out quicker, as effectively. 

For pots, get one that’s about the identical measurement (undoubtedly not smaller) or a tiny bit greater than the plastic pot that it got here in (it would seemingly are available a plastic hanging basket). I like to make use of a terracotta pot or an earthenware pot. 

A very powerful side when selecting a pot is that it will need to have a drainage gap so the water has a method of escaping. If the water can’t escape the pot, then there’s a good probability the plant may die as a consequence of being waterlogged.

Subsequent, combine up your soil with a few scoops of perlite and have it able to go. Take your pot and put a bit soil within the backside.

Subsequent, rigorously take away your string of pearls from the pot by gently inserting your hand on high of the plant, barely wiggle the pot till the plant pops out.

You would possibly lose just a few pearls (leaves) on this course of, however that’s OK! Place your plant within the pot and ensure the plant sits about even with the pot’s rim. I put the roots about 1 centimeter beneath the rim and the pearls are all on high of the rim.

Don’t let the plant lay decrease than the pot’s rim as a result of water can pool on high of the leaves. 

The plant likes to drink up gentle and path over the sting of the pot. After getting the crown of the plant positioned accurately, take the additional dust and backfill across the plant. I like utilizing a chopstick to push down the dust across the plant.

When you’re finished backfilling the dust, the string or pearls will seemingly want untangling (particularly when you have a protracted one). Be affected person throughout this course of. If I barely tug on a stem it may snap!

Fastidiously search for a complete stem and gently untangle it so it lays draping over the pot. I’m going round the entire plant till all stems are untangled. You’ll in all probability lose just a few extra pearls throughout this course of too, however it’s OK! 

Notice: Despite the fact that this plant has numerous wonderful qualities, string of pearls crops are poisonous for people and pets if ingested. If a bead (leaf) falls off a stem onto the ground, then I’ll shortly decide it up so my canine doesn’t eat them. 

Gentle

The string of pearls likes a vibrant and sunny atmosphere in your house. An east or west going through window will work nice. I place mine proper close to a window to allow them to drink up numerous gentle.

Attempt to keep away from inserting it close to any vents or drafty elements of your house (close to a door opening up within the winter, and many others.). It is not going to like every form of excessive air temperatures blowing on it. Throughout the hotter summer season months, you may also put it beneath a solar porch or lined porch to take in vibrant oblique gentle.

Direct daylight may burn your plant, so attempt to keep away from it sitting within the solar for hours on finish or they are going to get scorched. When temps start to drop, carry your plant indoors.

Earlier than you carry it indoors, all the time examine for pests or bugs. After I was bringing in my succulents from our lined porch on the finish of summer season, I discovered a child black widow hiding beneath a leaf. This has occurred to me once more a few years later!

My lesson was discovered shortly so totally examine any plant earlier than you carry it again into your house.

Watering

Determining a watering routine and attending to know your plant’s schedule will actually repay. String of pearls don’t wish to get soaked or sit in water for lengthy intervals of time. I wish to say that I “moisten” my string of pearls as an alternative of watering them.

This helps remind me that they don’t want extreme water. The plant has a shallow root system, so usually the highest half of my string of pearls pot wants water. I take advantage of a small vessel with water in it and frivolously water over the entire high of the plant.

Overwatering the string of pearls would be the greatest killer to your plant. You possibly can inform if a plant is overwatered by the leaves wanting squishy or they lose their deep inexperienced colour and change into a bit translucent and delicate. 

In case you are looking for a brand new string of pearls, be conscious of this. You’ll desire a plant with deep inexperienced pearls and soil that isn’t waterlogged.

Undecided when to water your string of pearls? It actually will depend on the place you reside and humidity ranges. Dryer climates would require extra water and vice versa.

You possibly can check the soil by sticking your finger in part of the soil to examine moisture ranges or carry your pot to see if it has any weight from holding water.

Be sure your water temp is lukewarm to chill (consider rainwater temp). The string of pearls is not going to tolerate excessive chilly or scorching temps when watering.

They like to be watered often within the spring and summer season months (throughout its rising season), however again off on frequent watering within the fall/winter months. The string of pearls likes to dry out however not be bone dry.

How will you inform when it’s bone dry? The dust across the circumference of the pot will draw back from the pot. If this has occurred, no worries, give it a watering and attempt to water your plant sooner subsequent time to keep away from the dust drying out an excessive amount of.

If this occurred a number of occasions, it may have an effect on your leaves and plant’s root well being. One other side of root well being is root rot. This may be detrimental to your plant.

Root rot occurs when the roots stand in water too lengthy and so they finally rot and die. It may be a really unhappy and sluggish demise for a string of pearls.

In the event you suspect that your plant has been sitting in water for too lengthy and it may need root rot, pull it out of the pot to examine the roots. If the roots are agency and grayish white, that’s nice. If they’re mushy and look blackish, then your plant seemingly has root rot.

If it’s not too far gone, you possibly can attempt to snip the lifeless roots off and depart the wholesome, agency ones. Putting the plant in recent (not waterlogged soil) will assist as effectively. 

What’s the greatest form of water to make use of? In case you are utilizing faucet/metropolis water, you possibly can depart your faucet water out in an open container for twenty-four hours so a number of the chemical compounds evaporate. After 24 hours, the water is cleaner and more healthy on your plant!

Fluoride and chlorine can construct up in your string of pearls root system, so this methodology of leaving your water out will repay in the long term. Utilizing filtered water or collected rain water (in case you can) is a superb choice, too!

If in case you have effectively water, then your plant will love that. My pals who’ve effectively water have THE greatest crops. 

Propagating

You possibly can propagate the string of pearls 3 ways! The primary method is by utilizing water. First, discover a wholesome stem. I like to make use of stems which might be not less than 4-5 inches.

Utilizing clear scissors or slicing shears, reduce your stem. Take away any beads about 1.5-2 inches from the underside of the slicing.

Depart the stem laying out for twenty-four hours so the recent reduce on the top of the stem can kind a callus. Be sure it stays out of any daylight throughout this therapeutic interval.

After 24 hours, place your recent slicing in water. The aspect of the slicing with the eliminated leafs may be positioned within the water. Maintain the remaining pearls above the water line.

Make sure you change water anytime it will get cloudy and rinse out your vessel. Place in a sunny spot in your house. After 3-4 weeks it is best to see little roots sprouting from the slicing! 

Wait till the roots are not less than 1 inch lengthy earlier than you plant it in dust. As soon as it is able to be potted, use a small terra-cotta or clay pot with good draining cactus/succulent soil.

I like to make use of a chopstick to create little holes for the newly rooted plant. Moisten frivolously and your plant ought to begin rising.

The subsequent solution to propagate is by utilizing dust. Utilizing the identical strategies as above, you’ll snip your plant, wait 24 hours, and as an alternative of inserting it in water, place your plant in soil (effectively draining, succulent soil).

Use a chopstick (or pencil) to create a recent gap on your new slicing, tuck the dust across the plant. I wish to mist my plant to maintain the soil barely moist and never bone dry.

After about three weeks, I give the plant a really light tug to see whether it is rooting. If the brand new slicing stays in place, then I do know new roots are forming. That is all the time thrilling! In case your plant has began to kind roots, then it’s prepared for a watering.

One other solution to propagate your string of pearls is by layering. I discover this strategy to be the simplest. Take a recent pot of succulent soil, mist it, after which take an excellent lengthy slicing out of your string of pearls. Swirl or coil the slicing excessive of the dust on the pot. 

Fertilizing

I wish to fertilize my plant as soon as a month in the course of the rising season (spring and summer season) utilizing a balanced fertilizer. I take advantage of half of the producer’s advisable fee once I combine my fertilizer.

I really like liquid fertilizer as a result of it mixes so simply with the water and I don’t have to fret about it not being evenly distributed in my crops.

One factor I really like about this species of plant is the totally different varieties. Pictured above is “String of Turtles”—the turtles appear like little turtles backs. “String of Watermelons” are plump and their leaves resemble a watermelon (pictured under). 

Aren’t they distinctive and eccentric? I hope you get pleasure from these crops as a lot as me! -Janae