Lithops

Shaylahusmann

I have a couple Lithops I just purchased 4-6wks ago, they were shipped bare root & are about 1 cm. I dipped the root in rooting hormone before I planted them but a few of them are getting kinda soft (& one died) but I have them in mostly perlite & lava rock with just a little soil & sand mixed in. I've only given them maybe a 1-1.5 tablespoons of water each total over the past month, (the pot is wide enough I can water each individually) the 2 bigger 1-1.5in ones seem to be doing fine but the littler ones, I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. I also have them under grow lights. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Rosaline

Soft Lithops can be a symptom of both over and underwatering which makes things tricky. They usually go dormant very late spring time and through summer, so they need to be kept very dry during this period, then they spring back in to life in autumn so need more water again. Have you checked the condiiton of the roots and made sure the substrate is very free-draining (so there's no chance of root rot)?