Live stonesor otherwiseLithopsare plants that look like pebbles and pieces of rock. Live stones take on their splendid ornamental character in the fall when their spherical leaves open and shiny, silky white or yellow flowers appear. See whatliving stone care should look likeso that the plants enjoy our eyes, andgrowing Lithopsbrings a lot of satisfaction.
Live Stones - Lithops
The first question that everyone who is interested ingrowing live stonesis: where did the unusual appearance of these plants come from? Well, in their natural environment, very poor in vegetation, this appearance allows them to survive in the sandy and gravel deserts of South Africa, where they hide among stones.
The original camouflage appearance ofLithopsamong stones and gravel is not the only element of their perfect adaptation to environmental conditions.Live stonesalso perfectly adapted to very dry air and strong sunlight in the desert. In their fleshy leaves, these plants accumulate a supply of water that allows them to survive months of drought. Protection against the scorching sun and evaporation of water is provided by the thick skin of the leaves with stomata deeply embedded in the epithelium.
The leaves emerge in pairs from short underground stems. They are completely grown together and only at the top there is a transverse gap dividing them into two, usually quite unequal parts.
The unusual appearance of these plants, resemblingliving stonesand tolerance to irregular watering , make it an interesting proposition for forgetful people looking for undemanding plants, as well as great potted flowers for a gift, because there will be a place for them in every apartment.
Growing Lithops
Growing Lithopsin an apartment requires providing them with conditions as close as possible to their natural habitat. The best place forgrowing live stonesis a sunny location with a supply of fresh air, e.g. on a south window sill. The soil for cacti with a 20% addition of coarser quartz sand is suitable for the substrate. It is good to cover the ground surface in the pot with small pebbles or gravel, which will also allow for a perfect decorative effect.Lithops careusually does not require the use of fertilizers. Any doses of special fertilizer for cacti should be administered once a month.
Like other succulents,live stonesare watered much less frequently than other indoor plants. During the growing season (from spring to autumn), it is enough to water them every 2 to 4 weeks. Keep the soil barely moist. Between waterings, the top layer of soil should dry to the middle of the pot.
Live stones during flowering
Lithops care in winter
After flowering, usually from late November to March, plants should be provided with conditions that allow them to enter the period of dormancy. During this period, stop watering Lithops and place them in a place with a temperature of 10 to 15 ° C. If the temperature is slightly higher, the plants can be gently sprinkled with water from time to time, but not watered.
In March, Lithops leaves may dry out. Do not worry about this phenomenon - it is perfectly normal for these plants. Under the dying old leaves, new ones are formed, which will soon break through the dried skin of their predecessors.
How to reproduce live stones
Live stonesreproduces from seeds. The best period for sowing seeds is from March to June. Before sowing, fill the pot with a light substrate with the addition of gravel, and thenLithops seedsspread over the ground.To protect against drying out, the spilled seeds must be covered with a thin layer of coarse-grained, clean sand. For the best results, cover the seeds with quartz gravel that allows light to pass through. Sprinkle the soil lightly and then cover the pot with foil. Until the seeds germinate, you have to make sure that the substrate does not dry out.
Lithops seedswill sprout in just a few days. Young seedlings should remain in the litter box as long as possible. They need a lot of light to thrive, and over time you can carefully expose them to direct sunlight. The plants will bloom for the first time 3 years after sowing.
Problems in growing Lithops - diseases and pests
Properly cared for Lithops shouldn't cause much trouble. Diseases that may threatenliving stonesinclude, first of all, diseases of fungal origin, which cause plants to rot. The reason for their occurrence is impropercare Lithops- too frequent watering or keeping plants in a room with too high air humidity.
In addition to fungal diseases, there may also be physiological diseases, mainly consisting of excessive growth due to excessive fertilization or insufficient light. Plants that are watered too much or fertilized with fertilizers with a high nitrogen content can burst.
As you can see, the cause of disease is almost always impropercare of living stones . If we take care thatgrowing Lithopstakes place in the right conditions and we do not overdo it with watering or fertilizing, these diseases will not occur.
Live stonescan be attacked by pot plant pests typical of succulents, such as nematodes, spider mites, scots and earthworms. Against the aforementioned pests, generally available insecticides can be used.
"Iflive stonesare grown in an inspection or greenhouse, mice and snails can cause problems. While cacti are protected by thorns, bare living stones are defenseless against these pests.Commercially available traps can be used against mice, while snails must be manually removed. It is also possible to fight snails with poisonous granules.See also: "
