Potting new lithops in November

[Nicevans]

Hi,
Advice on when or whether to water newly purchased and potted lithops (verruculosa, lesliei, helmutii) in November would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

[Stuart]

No more water now until the old leaves currently showing have dried up and new leaves have come through next spring.
Stuart

[rodsmith]

No more water now until the old leaves currently showing have dried up and new leaves have come through next spring.
Stuart

I agree 100%.

[iann]

Newly-transplanted Lithops do tend to suck down their old leaves quicker, but still shouldn't need water until next year. Gives them plenty of time to toughen up and get used to your growing conditions.

[Nicevans]

Thank you all for the helpful advice.

[ralphrmartin]

So what would the advice be if the newly purchased lithops are about 1/8" (3mm) across?

I'm rather amazed at how small some lithops I've just bought are...

[MatDz]

So what would the advice be if the newly purchased lithops are about 1/8" (3mm) across?

I'm rather amazed at how small some lithops I've just bought are...

This is really interesting, as some of my seedlings are doing this now - from a good 8-10 mm cotyledon a 3 mm Lithops head emerges. It certainly doesn't look right to me, but maybe some really do that? I will need to check the species, but about half are looking right (i.e. size of the new head roughly matches the cotyledon), and half are doing what I described above.

Do the 3 mm Lithops look ready for shipping at all?

[Terry S.]

I just would not buy bare root Lithops at this time of year, particularly when that small Ralph. Maybe you wanted to beat the 1st January deadline, but there is no shortage of Lithops in the UK. Our problem at the moment is that many of the spare Lithops will belong to amateur growers and we have not got any events at which they can be made available. I am aware of one German nursery who lists Lithops that are as little as one year old.

To answer your question, I would bring them indoors into an area of lower humidity and give them some water to avoid dehydration. My greenhouses, even in the south-east have had very high humidity for many weeks; ideal conditions for fungal diseases and watering Lithops out there could easily rot them.

[ralphrmartin]

Thanks Terry. It's a fine balance between humidity rotting them, and them dessicating from a lack of reserves. Greenhouse humidity is averaging about 70% at the moment, and the fan runs when it foes up. I'll perhaps bring them in, following your advice.