Every once in a while, we get emails from terrified readers whose succulents “look different than the ones I bought.” Most of the time, your succulents have become much larger and more spreading. This is quite common, especially when grown indoors. In this article, we will show you the reasons and how to store stretched succulents.
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Why do succulents stretch?
Succulents stretch when they don’t get enough sunlight. You will first notice the succulent begin to twist and lean towards the light source.
Then, as it grows, it gets taller and with more space between the leaves. Most of the time the leaves will be smaller and lighter in color than normal.
Although this mainly happens with succulents grown indoors, it can also happen outdoors when they get too much shade.
Sometimes, before a succulent topples over or grows large, the leaves will curl up.
While a very curly succulent gets a lot (or too much) sun, one that flattens or has spreading leaves doesn’t get enough. This is one of the first signs that your succulent needs more light.
Succulents will look their best if they get enough sunlight, but they will still grow in low light conditions.
They won’t be as healthy or as beautiful as they should be, but it will usually take them a long time (a year or two) to die completely in low light conditions. However, if they receive no light, they will die much faster.
How to Store Stretched Succulents
Once a succulent has stretched, it will not return to its original compact height and shape. But don’t worry, there are ways to regain a compact and tight garden.
Propagate Succulents from a Stretched Stem
Start by cutting off the top of the succulent with sharp scissors. Leave at least an inch at the base with 2-3 leaves. The base will be better if you leave some leaves to absorb the sunlight.
If the cutting (the top part you cut off) is too tall for your liking, you can cut off part of the stem to shorten it. Be sure to leave enough stem to plant it in the ground later.
Let the cutting dry out for a few days. Once the cut end has become calloused (completely dry and “crusted over”), you can plant it in the ground.
Keep in mind that cuttings need to be watered a little more often than a fully rooted plant, but don’t let the soil get too saturated.
Be sure to use soil that drains very well so the stem doesn’t get too soft and rot.
You can read more about propagating succulents from cuttings here.
The cutting should start rooting, maybe in a few days, but definitely in 2-3 weeks.
As the roots take hold you will need to reduce the watering so that it is on the same “schedule” as the fully rooted plants.
Keep the original plant
The base, or original plant, will begin producing new shoots within a few weeks. You can continue to care for this plant as you did before cutting it, but you should give it more sun than before.
The leaves you left on the original base plant may drop or die at some point. This is completely normal, but will not necessarily happen.
However, don’t worry if they fall off. The new rosettes will be able to continue to grow without the “mother” leaves.
give it more light
If you have stretched plants, you can follow the above procedure to encourage new growth, but unless you give them more light, the cutting and new growth will stretch as well.
So before you make the “cut”, try to find an area for your succulents where they will receive more sun than before.
If moving them isn’t an option, you can also add a grow light to supplement the light they are already getting.
Generally, you want your succulents to get as much sun as possible. Inside it is really difficult. Especially in the winter, it’s nearly impossible to grow succulents without a bit of a stretch.
Again, using a grow light can help and the best option is to place them near the window that receives the most sunlight throughout the day.
So the next time you notice your succulents leaning towards the light or getting too big, you’ll know what to do!
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