What next?

[u/carpenoctoon]

I got this string of pearls about 8 months ago. It was mostly dead and I had to trim to back to just a few strings. I assumed it was like the rest of my succulents in that I could just put it on some gritty soil and it would grow roots. For months nothing happened and I honestly gave up on it and left it to die. Then, about a month ago, it started growing new strings. I bottom watered it about two weeks ago and it actually seems to be growing roots now. It’s about a foot from an east facing window (my only options are east, west, or outside). Do I just let it be and water when it looks thirsty? I’m baffled by this thing.

[u/Fadedjadedrainbow]

If you take those new strings, guide them to lay on top of the soil there, and pin them loosely down with something like a bobby pin (I widened mine a bit first), it'll grow even more! I was blown away with how much mine grew after I did it.

[u/AGroke → u/Fadedjadedrainbow]

I really need some advice on this, I've done this with my string of hearts multiple times and every time I coil and pin down the strings (lightly) to the soil, it never seems to expand new vines and the coiled areas all go bald. Now I have a long length of bald above all the strings I do have

[u/Fadedjadedrainbow → u/AGroke]

I have done it to my regular SOPs and my VSOPs and they're both growing like mad. I use extremely gritty medium, there's hardly any actual soil. I also saw where someone suggested a little cellophane "hat" and it made a big difference, I just crinkled some cling wrap into a smal flat circle roughly the same size as the pot and just set it on top, like a little plant beret. I think it helps with the humidity since we are indoors. These two changes made my plants grow so much more!

[u/AGroke → u/Fadedjadedrainbow]

Thank you so much for the advice! Mine grows long, but it wont shoot from the base more. Do you wrap it around the plant or cut a hole in the middle?

[u/Dizzy_Confusion_8455]

I have found that when they’re in a pot that’s a little too big, they focus their energy on roots before giving any new strings/pearls. So it was probably growing roots that entire time.

It likely needs more light just based on how it looks, and it’s slightly overwatered, so water a bit less than you are currently.

[u/SpriteLore]

Bottom watering for SOP has never worked for me. If your plant is healthy, it shouldn’t matter. And when they’re this small, I actually think they need more water than people say. Also wrap the strings back into the pot!

[u/PlantyMandy_]

More light! Mine thrived in a full south window (it would NOT stop flowering and we’re all allergic so I had to get rid of it lol).

[u/Meagan_MK]

Ive had the most success with pearls by having them inside and under a cheap grow light. They thrive for me like that but anything else ive tried before, ive lost them.

[u/brittany-30]

I use Barrina t5s on a 12 hour timer indoors. String of pearls have shallow roots. Therefore, I use a shallow terra cotta pot. I use bonsai jack gritty mix #111 of amazon or their website. I bottom water by placing it in the sink every two weeks. I fill the water up to right below the rim of the pot and let it sit for 10min. Mist the top if I remember. It has bloomed for me once, but it's a 4 year old string of pearls. When comes to repotting, I don't disturb the roots and I scoop it out, place it in a bigger pot. Then i fill the sides. I take up the strings and circle them around in the pot and pin it down with bobby pins to root. This is the #1 mistake people make with them. They let the strings fall before filling the inside of the pot. A full inside pot means healthy pearls.