My plants are falling over - Ask Extension
I have two succulent plants that keep growing. They are getting so tall that they are leaning over. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep them fr...
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My plants are falling over #793103
Asked May 28, 2022, 2:58 PM EDT
I have two succulent plants that keep growing. They are getting so tall that they are leaning over. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep them from falling over? Or should we cut them and re-root them? And if so how would we re-root them? Thank you for your help!
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Although it's normal for several kinds of succulents to eventually grow tall enough to need support, often this happens on indoor plants that aren't receiving enough light. If you have the option, move them to a window that faces south or west so they get lots of direct sun for most of the afternoon. (In that case, you may want to lightly shade them with a sheer curtain or lacy fabric part of the day first, for perhaps a week, to get them acclimated as too drastic a change in light could sunburn them.)
Better yet, if you have a shaded spot outdoors on a porch, deck, or balcony, you can move them outside for the summer. Even though to our eyes outdoor shade looks and would seem to be dimmer than bright sun indoors, the opposite is true. Succulents don't need full sun when summering outdoors (in fact, it could actually sunburn some), but a shaded spot will be brighter than any indoor location and would allow them to rebuild energy reserves for next winter and will help to keep them from stretching further.
To solve the immediate issue of height, yes, you can clip the main stems into two or more pieces and repot them to start them off shorter again. Allow the cut ends to air-dry and callus-over for a few days (being succulent, they'll have enough moisture in their foliage to survive this) and then repot the pieces. Dipping the cut end (after it's callused) in rooting hormone powder or gel may help, but isn't necessary. Don't bury the cut end very far in the soil, and it will eventually form roots as you water the pot normally or perhaps slightly more frequently. Be prepared for rooting to take weeks or even months, since succulent growth is typically slow. You may need to stake or otherwise prop-up the cutting until it grows enough roots enough to support itself again. Rooting may happen faster if the plants are outside since they'll be able to photosynthesize more, but shelter them from strong winds if they would be prone to toppling over until rooted.
You can also try propagating leaves for the first plant (it looks like an Echeveria or one of its relatives), though this technique may not work for the second plant (looks like a type of Haworthia). Leaves are broken off of the stem whole, allowed to callus for a few days, and then laid on the surface of the soil to root. If needed you can prop them up so their callused end is touching the soil. Roots and tiny new leaves will both form at the same end of the leaf cutting - the end that used to be attached to the mother plant. Although it is a slow process, each rooted leaf can eventually form an entirely new plant.
Miri
Better yet, if you have a shaded spot outdoors on a porch, deck, or balcony, you can move them outside for the summer. Even though to our eyes outdoor shade looks and would seem to be dimmer than bright sun indoors, the opposite is true. Succulents don't need full sun when summering outdoors (in fact, it could actually sunburn some), but a shaded spot will be brighter than any indoor location and would allow them to rebuild energy reserves for next winter and will help to keep them from stretching further.
To solve the immediate issue of height, yes, you can clip the main stems into two or more pieces and repot them to start them off shorter again. Allow the cut ends to air-dry and callus-over for a few days (being succulent, they'll have enough moisture in their foliage to survive this) and then repot the pieces. Dipping the cut end (after it's callused) in rooting hormone powder or gel may help, but isn't necessary. Don't bury the cut end very far in the soil, and it will eventually form roots as you water the pot normally or perhaps slightly more frequently. Be prepared for rooting to take weeks or even months, since succulent growth is typically slow. You may need to stake or otherwise prop-up the cutting until it grows enough roots enough to support itself again. Rooting may happen faster if the plants are outside since they'll be able to photosynthesize more, but shelter them from strong winds if they would be prone to toppling over until rooted.
You can also try propagating leaves for the first plant (it looks like an Echeveria or one of its relatives), though this technique may not work for the second plant (looks like a type of Haworthia). Leaves are broken off of the stem whole, allowed to callus for a few days, and then laid on the surface of the soil to root. If needed you can prop them up so their callused end is touching the soil. Roots and tiny new leaves will both form at the same end of the leaf cutting - the end that used to be attached to the mother plant. Although it is a slow process, each rooted leaf can eventually form an entirely new plant.
Miri
