You probably have noticed that your string of pearls plants that were once green, beautiful, and succulent are now shrivelled in appearance, drying up and even changing colour.
This might be a result of several issues but not to worry because this article will provide useful tips on how to revive the dying strings of pearls and help them bounce back to life.
What Are Strings of Pearls Plants?
Usually found in southwest Africa, this beautiful string of pearl plants are succulent plants that grow into string pearls, it is also considered an ornamental plant that is usually grown in a flower pot or basket with the leaves hanging down.
They also have leaves that are in the form of balls or pearls that elongate as the plant grows.
Although they almost have the same features, they should not be mistaken for a string of tears.
The string of tears is a species of pearl plant that has a teardrop shape while the string of pearls has a pear shape. Apart from this type of pearl plant we also have a rare type of string of pearls that are known as Variegated String of Pearls plants.
Variegated Pearl Plants:
This plant is only grown in the US and is known for its swirl of green, cream, and sometimes even pink colours that come out with the right combination of sun and water.
Why is Your String of Pearl Plants Dying?- How They Can Be Revived
If you notice that your string of pearl plants are dying or look weak, a few most common causes of strings of pearls plants dying are listed below:
1. Underwatering
2. overwatering
3. Pest
4. Not enough sunlight
5. Too much sunlight
1 . Underwatering:
Of course, your plants will shrivel and look pale when there is not enough water given to them. There is no specific time set about how often your string of plants should be watered, it depends largely on the climate conditions of where you reside.
So if your weather condition is dry or has intense heat, there will be a need to water the plants more (5-8 days), but when the weather cools down, you will also need to reduce the rate of watering (9-12 days).
If your string of pearl plant looks shrivelled, it’s probably because it is Under watered. Increasing the number of times your plant is watered in a month will help your plant to avoid drying up and bounce back to life
2. Overwatering
Did you know that one of the main reasons why a string of pearl plants die is because of overwatering, this is because overwatering of pearl plants can lead to rotting of the root, very soft stems that cause the stem to weaken and die, mushy balls.
A lot of people water plants every day as they feel it will help the plants to grow, although it is true, it is not the same for every plant.
If there is too much water on the soil of the plants, it will become squishy, sometimes burst, and eventually spread to other parts of the plants, leading to the death of plants.
To avoid your string of plants being overwatered, cut down watering to once in two weeks or less and allow the plants to dry out on their own, you can also allow the plants to look dry a bit before watering again to moderate the water content in them.
To check if your string of pearl plants needs water, touch the top of the soil and see if it feels dry, or still allow the plant to dry a bit and water progressively.
3. Pests:
Always known for attacking various plants, Pests are also a major factor affecting the string of pearl plants.
Depending on the level of infestation, pests can cause the plant to either weaken or in worst cases die.
If you notice that there are bugs on your plant, white residue, yellowing, or sticky leaves, it is a sign that your string of pearl plants is being infected by unwanted pests.
To get rid of unwanted pests, a few steps have been highlighted below
1. Spray a solution of water with apple cider vinegar on the plants.
2. Water and soap solution is also used to remove unwanted pests.
3. Change the soil If the infestation is much
4. A clean garden always helps.
4. Too much sunlight:
All plants indeed need sunlight to thrive, but when it becomes too much can lead to the death of plants. A string of pearl plants does not thrive well under intense sunlight, too much exposure to sunlight can cause the plants to become shrivelled, look dried up, have scars on the beads.
To avoid your string of plants getting scorched by the heat, the plants should be kept in bright shaded locations outdoors so that they still receive the sunlight but with shade.
5. Not enough sunlight:
Then if you notice that your string of pearl is not looking full as it should, it’s not getting enough sunlight. To prevent this, place the plant under shade or indirect sunlight.
If there is not enough source of light in your room, place the plant under a fluorescent lamp or bulb, or closer to the windows in your room where there s enough source of light and watch your string of pearl bloom.
6. Type of planting pot used:
The type of pot we use can also play a major role in our string pearl plant. It is best to Use a lightweight clay pot that can easily be hung, avoid plastic pot because it retains a lot of moisture, and also pots that can allow water to drain quickly. This will enable your plant to grow properly.
In conclusion, It Is not always easy to care for string pearl plants, but they always add beauty to our surroundings when they are taken care of.
If you follow all the tips above properly, your dying plant will bounce back to life and thrive well.
