Best Tips to Care for String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
Have you ever come across a beautiful, trailing plant with small, bead-like leaves that resemble a string of pearls? If so, you might have stumbled upon a String ofls plant, scientifically known as Senecio rowleyanus.
This charming succulent is a popular choice among plant enthusiasts due to its unique appearance and low-maintenance nature.
Today we’ll be discussing the care and keeping of String of Pearls.
Table of Contents
Light Exposure
The first thing you need to keep in mind is light exposure.
Compared to other succulents, String of Pearls has slightly different needs for light. They perform well in bright light, but also prefer some shade. Hence, you can grow them as an indoor plant.
Just make sure to put them in a bright spot where they get at least four to six hours of morning sun. They don’t like intense sunlight and high heat, so they do need protection from afternoon sun, especially during summer. String of Pearls won’t suffer from lack of sunlight as much as other succulents, but you might notice the newly grown leaves get elongated if they don’t receive sufficient light.
Temperature
String of Pearls prefer temperatures around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit to thrive. They’re not cold hardy and should be brought indoors if temperatures fall below 40 degrees.
Watering
Watering String of Pearls can be tricky sometimes.The stems and pearls are very fragile, so they’re pretty sensitive to water. Just water when the soil is completely dry and remember to give them a real good soak. Avoid spraying water on their leaves, especially if you live in a humid climate.
One trick to water String of Pearls right is to wait until the leaves get a little deflated. That’s a sign when they need water.
Soil Type
Like most succulents, String of Pearls prefer gritty soil.
You can either make your own by mixing organic soil with perlite and pumice or grab a bag of cactus oil mix.
Pot Size
Choosing the perfect pot size is important too. String of Pearls have a shallow root system, so you don’t want to put them in a deep pot.
Terracotta pots are recommended, since they’re made of breathable material which allow the root system to aerate. Another important thing is to make sure the crowns of the pearls stay at the same level with the top of the pot or at most half an inch or an inch lower than the top.
Propagation
Propagating String of Pearls is pretty easy.
First, prepare a pot of well-drained soil and some four to six inch healthy clippings of String of Pearls. If your String of Pearls have problems and you want to save them, you can also remove the remaining healthy cuttings and try propagating them. Next, you should remove some pearls at the bottom to further expose the stem.
Let those cuttings callus well for two to three days before replanting them. Slightly mist the soil in advance and lay them on top or stick the stems in the soil. Place the pot in indirect sunlight and the cutting should start to root after two to three weeks.
Common Problem & How To Fix them
The most common problem with String of Pearls is shriveling leaves. Watering issues or inadequate sunlight are the usual causes for this problem. When String of Pearls are underwatered, they will start to shrivel and dry up.
Too much sunlight can also make these pearls dry up. If you notice the pearls turn brown and wrinkled, it’s a sign they’re getting sunburned. Another widely known issue with String of Pearls is overwatering.
You can usually tell String of Pearls is overwatered by the puffiness and darkening of its leaves. Those leaves will later become mushy and shriveled up. Severe cases will eventually lead to root rot and dying succulents, so be careful not to water String of Pearls when soil is still moist.
Even though succulents are generally pest resistant, you might find mealybugs appearing on your String of Pearls. To fix it, use an insecticidal soap or neem oil to remove these insects. Prepare a mixture of water and neem oil and add a few drops of dish soap.
This treatment must be repeated a few times to prevent pests from coming back.
 *(Include an image of droopy leaves)* Some plants, such as calatheas, prefer moist soil at all times; otherwise, they develop that signature brown tissue damage on the leaves. The annoying thing here is that the damage cannot be reversed and can only be cut away, leaving you with a damaged plant. If the soil of your plant is bone dry, you'll notice that it's pulling away from the sides of the pot. This is because the soil has shrunk due to a lack of moisture, so make sure you are not letting this happen by watering a little more frequently. #### Signs Your Plant is Overwatered (darkgreen) Overwatering plants is a really common way that people kill their plants. Beginner plant enthusiasts often have a common misconception that houseplants need lots of water, but the reality is that these plants are native to hot climates where they may get periods of drought followed by large rain which rehydrates them. **Yellowing leaves** (red) can indicate an overwatering problem as well as an underwatering problem. If you are watering your plant too often and the soil is always wet, this can lead to root rot, which will begin to affect the leaves of your plant. **Limp and mushy leaves** (red) also indicate that you are overwatering your plant. This is particularly true with succulents such as Echeverias. Echeverias store water in their thick leaves and have difficulty storing excess water if you are watering your plant too often. This leads to mushy plants that eventually fall off.  *(Include an image of yellowing leaves)* Philodendron and Pothos plants tend to get mushy leaves that fall off if the soil is consistently soggy. My Philodendron Birkin recently developed some new brown leaves that fell off because I was overwatering it. Whereas crispy brown edges on leaves indicate an underwatering problem, if the whole leaves are turning brown, this tends to mean that the plant tissue is rotting due to too much water. You may also notice some water droplets on the ends of the leaves of some of your plants. This is the plant perspiring excess water through its leaves and can indicate that you are giving the plant too much water. Now, this tends to happen on plants that prefer drier soil, and I notice it quite often on my Philodendron Birkin and my Tradescantia Nanook. **Increased presence of fungus gnats** (red) can also be a sign that your plant is too moist. Fungus gnats like a moist top two inches of soil to breed and lay their eggs, so if your soil is wet, it creates a breeding ground for gnats. If you see lots of flea-like flies jumping around the top of your soil, I would just dial back on the watering and let the top two inches of the soil dry out before watering again. #### Watering Tips (darkgreen) It is important to allow the soil of your houseplant to dry out between waterings. This prevents the possibility of over-watering, which is one of the most common reasons people kill their plants. **Check the soil moisture** (red) before watering your plant by sticking your finger two inches into the soil. If it feels wet, leave it a few days and then check again. An even better way to check the soil moisture is to invest in a moisture meter. This device needs no batteries and tells you exactly how much moisture is in the soil, giving you control over watering your plants.  *(Include an image of a moisture meter)* When you identify that your plant needs water, make sure you give it a thorough soaking. Take your plant to a sink area and soak the soil four or five times until water drains out of the bottom each time. This ensures that all the soil in the pot gets moistened and there are no dry patches. **Bottom watering** (teal) is a method that has changed the health of my plants since I implemented it a couple of years ago. Place your plant in a container of water and let it absorb moisture from the bottom up. This method prevents water from getting on the leaves, which can cause leaf tissue damage. I hope this article was helpful. Now you know when to water your plants and when not to. Apply this knowledge to your plants and see the growth. Happy gardening! --- Incorporating these visual and formatting enhancements will make your article more attractive and engaging for your readers.](https://growinggaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pexels-artempodrez-7242495-scaled.jpg)
