Advice for sick plant please

[Julie A]

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Hi all, if anyone can tell me what ails this plant I'd be delighted. It is a Senecio Cineraria according to the label, I bought it about a year ago from a shop which looks after its succulents well and all others bought from there are thriving. This was thriving until the last week or possibly 2. It has always had a lovely silver/grey layer on the leaves (don't know technical term) but that is disappearing and the leaves are turning yellow and dropping off. It has been flowering for months which I took as a sign of health but I also know some plants will flower profusely if they think they are dying in a last ditch attempt to procreate but as signs of ill health are recent it doesn't seem likely there is a connection. The label says position away from direct sunlight but I've always found it does well in bright sun. However, 3 wks ago I moved to a place where it is getting a lot less sun and less light generally. Is that a coincidence? It is an enthusiastic drinker and I use a moisture meter and through the summer watered it 2xwk as it was drying out quickly. More recently I have been watering once a week or a fortnight and am wondering if it got over dry as it does whack through the water. I only water when it is dry. Never thought a succulent would suffer from too little water though. The rate it is loosing leaves it will be a shadow of its former self soon and I suspect unrestorable?

[PhilW]

Have you checked the soil for mealy bugs or other critters?

[Julie A]

I hadn't Phil but have now. Took it out of the pot to look, nothing moving on the surface of the soil. Spent a minute or two while I had it out to examine the plant more closely, remove dead stuff etc and nothing appeared. Might there be something hiding under the surface? On closer inspection it is clear the leaves are going floppy and yellow from the base up - if that helps.

[PhilW]

See what others say but it sounds like too much water, too little light and maybe it's in a cool spot? All possible as the light is now diminishing, the temps are dropping and the soil won't dry out as quick.

[Julie A]

I thought it looked like over-watering but couldn't think that it was but yes, it could be compounded by move to a cooler less well lit spot. May consider itself to be in a draft although I wouldn't have thought more than the previous site ie there is a window open at night nearby. Thanks for your insights.

[topsy]

Hi Julie,

I don't think this plant has got too cool as I keep mine in an almost unheated area,

I think you may have hit the nail on the head when you said you had recently moved and it was now not in such a bright place, can you change that? I cannot see what size pot it is in but it looks as though it is well over the edge of the pot and so may need something a little larger. You do not say if you have ever fed this plant? Contrary to what the others have said I think your plant is in need of a drink, it naturally grows at this time of the year, but it will need more light.

The white powder - farina - may also be disappearing because of the change in brightness, it may come back, but in any case should start appearing on the new leaves as they come along. I believe that this plant originates in Kenya, so would be used to bright, sunny and hot conditions. Farina occurs on many different succulents and is I believe, protection against too strong sunlight.

I do not think your plant is dying.

Best wishes,

Suzanne Mace

[Julie A]

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Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for your reply. I'm encouraged I can move it again to a slightly better spot in a few days and then in a few weeks time it will be able to have all the light it wants - I'm having to move around a fair bit currently but the new 'resting place' will be great for my succulents. Re repotting - I'm always nervous of over potting succulents - here is a photo to see what you think. I guess it does look pretty root bound. As I said I tend to leave them much longer than normal plants - maybe too long!

Re feeding - yes through the summer I feed all my succulents with Vitax Cactus and Succulent food every few waterings.
As you are clearly used to this species, can you tell me what you do with the woody stems that the flowers appear on, after blooming? Do you cut them right back? They almost become part of the plant.

Thanks for the info on the farina.

Many thanks

Julie

[Julie A]

PS Suzanne, when I got it out the pot I had a good probe with the moisture metre. It is dry but not bone dry.

[topsy]

HI,

Yes, your plant looks very healthy in the root department, if a little pot bound, but only a little. This plant has quite a large root stock underground, you can't see it because of the great mass of leaves, far more than I get on mine, so whatever you are doing it is pretty well spot on, apart from the amount of light.

Yes, I do cut the flower stems off once they have dried up and it often has more than one flower on a stem so don't be too hasty,

Best wishes,

Suzanne

[Julie A]

Thanks Suzanne, well I'll keep watering, get it more light asap and repot it sometime in the not too distant future and hope for the best Thanks for all your help.

Julie