How to Save Overwatered String of Pearls - String of Pearls Common Problem

Written by Ivy
How to Save Overwatered String of Pearls? String of pearls can store some water. Too much watering will cause ponding, so that the root system of string of pearls cannot breathe, and the leaves of string of pearls will be blackened, which will cause rot.

Which may cause overwatered string of pearls?

When we propagated potted string of pearls, too much watering is the main cause of the death of string of pearls. Too much water will lead to root rot, leaves rot and blacken, and finally lead to branches wither. Every time we water the potted string of pearls, we should check the dry and wet condition of the potted soil. Generally, we can't water it again until 3 ~ 5cm below the potted soil is completely dry. If you don't know when to water string of pearls, you must replenish water when the leaves are slightly shriveled and begin to shrink. We must not overwater string of pearls.

The Pot is Too Big

Watering means that the soil in the basin should be soaked until there is water at the outlet of the basin bottom. However, if the basin is large, the string of pearls will be threatened by overflow. If a tray is used at the bottom of the basin, we should pour out the water flowing from the basin to the tray in time. Because if there is more water in the tray, it will not only block the water outlet at the basin bottom, which is easy to accumulate water at the basin bottom, but also inhibit the string of pearls root system from breathing through the water outlet at the basin bottom, resulting in root rot or suffocation of the plant.

Plant Too Deep

If the plant is planted too deep in the pot, it will absorb more soil in the water, resulting in overwatered. When the basin is large and the soil is hard, we must treat it reasonably. If you have made a water seepage isolation layer under the basin bottom before planting flowers, but simply use loess to plant the flowers, at this time, we first need to dig out the excess floating soil on the basin surface, expose the capillary roots and increase the breathing of string of pearls. If you want to plant flowers without replanting, Improve the current situation of hard basin soil.

Over Watering

If too much water is poured, the water will slow down the soil, so that the air in the soil will be discharged by the water, and at the same time, it also prevents the possibility of external air entering the soil again, which leads to extreme hypoxia in the soil. The root of string of pearls can not get the required oxygen, resulting in the stop of plant growth and the failure of the root of string of pearls to absorb nutrients normally. The lack of oxygen in the soil will accelerate the reproduction of bacteria that can decompose organic matter and become active, and the acid-base degree of the soil will be unbalanced. The activity of these bacteria can produce toxic substances that damage the rhizome, and various diseases will grow in the root of string of pearls. At the same time, plant hypoxia will consume a large amount of soluble sugar in the plant and produce alcohol, which will affect the normal growth of string of pearls. After a long time, string of pearls will gradually wither and die. 
Read More:
How to Water String of Pearls Plant

What does an overwatered string of pearls look like?

 Root Rot

 Shriveled and Mushy Appearance

 Yellowing of Leaves

 Leaves Turn Brown

How to judge if the string of pearls is over watered?

We can learn to check the relationship between the basin soil. In the spring and autumn growing season, we wait for the basin soil to be dry and watered thoroughly. We should control watering when it is excessively hot in summer and cold in winter. For the maintenance of these string of pearls, do not rely on a simple watering schedule. Once we find that the leaves of string of pearls turn yellow, we should check whether the basin soil is often wet. If the basin soil is often wet or ponding, we have watered the string of pearls too much, which will lead to rotten roots of plants.

How to save overwatered string of pearls?

Drain Excess Water

We can pour out the string of pearls and soil, remove the soil, don't hurt the root system, and then trim the yellow leaves of string of pearls and put them indoors. Take out the soil of string of pearls, expose the soil to water and disinfect.

Place The String Of Pearl Under Bright Light

If the string of pearls is wilting because of too much watering, after we treat the string of pearls, we need to put it in a sunny place for maintenance, so as to restore the original growth of string of pearls. In summer, we should put it in a scattered light environment.

Remove The Damaged Portions

If the string of pearls has rotted, the rotten part needs to be cut off, and the remaining healthy part can be re cutted and rooted. During cutting, loose and breathable sand needs to be used to help it take root, and then transplanted into the pot soil after the root grows.
If the rotten roots are caused by our overwatered string of pearls, we must pull up the string of pearls in time, cut off the rotten roots, and cut a few centimeters more to the healthy branches.

Repot The Plant

After cutting off the rotten roots of string of pearls, we should soak the sterilization solution in time. We can use the common potassium permanganate solution or carbendazim solution. Generally, soak the bottom of the branch for 10 ~ 20 minutes, then take it up to drain the water, re hydroponic cutting for rooting, or directly use the loose and drained sandy soil for cutting, and re prepare some new soil, Select a smaller seedling pot for propagation.
When watering string of pearls, we should pay attention to dry rather than wet. If we have poured too much water, we need to put it in a ventilated place to let the water disperse well. If it can't disperse, we can only transplant it, cut off the rotten roots, put it in a pot again and maintain it in a ventilated place. In this way, string of pearls will grow healthily and the leaves will be full. There is no fixed amount or fixed time for watering string of pearls. It should be based on the content of granular soil or sandy soil in the pot soil, the size of the flower pot, and the impact of the environment, including temperature, ventilation, light, humidity, etc.

How to water string of pearls correctly?

Watering Rules

The watering rules of string of pearls are watered thoroughly and then dried slightly between watering. But it is worth noting that string of pearls can't stand wet soil. It's good to remember that string of pearls is drought resistant and is not used to too much water. We can reduce watering in winter and don't let the soil dry completely.

Watering Frequency

  • Different Season
  • Humidity Level
  • Soil
  • Water Quality
(Read more about string of pearls watering frequency)

How much and when to water

We don't water string of pearls once every few days. Before watering, we should check the dryness and wetness of the soil in the basin. If the soil is dry, we should water it in time. The water evaporates quickly in summer. You should water more. You can water it every morning and evening. In winter, when the temperature is low, you should water less. If it is lower than 0 ℃, you should stop watering to avoid stopping the growth of plants.
The water management of string of pearls doesn't need to follow the standard once every few days. Usually, we should judge when to water. We only need to look at the dry and wet degree of the soil in the string of pearls basin. The general method is to first look at whether the surface soil is dry or not, and then poke it with something like bamboo sticks. If the surface and internal soil are dry, It needs watering.

When to water after transplanting string of pearls

The growth of string of pearls requires sufficient water. If the water is too little when breeding string of pearls, it will lead to the lack of water in the plant, which will make the leaves of string of pearls dry and wilt. After changing the pot, string of pearls needs to be watered every other week. When watering, it needs to be watered directly in the soil, Provide water for the growth of string of pearls to make it more beautiful.

Overwatered String of Pearls FAQs

How do you revive a dying string of pearls?

If your string of pearls looks lifeless, there is nothing that several stolons can't solve! If your string of pearls is an old Chlorophytum that has been raised for a long time and basically has stolons, we can cut some stolons with air roots and put them in the pot again, and they can survive in a week. If it is winter, we need to place the string of pearls seedlings in a warm place for maintenance, otherwise they will grow slowly or suffer frostbite again.
String of pearls simply rotten leaves, yellow leaves and frostbite. If there is no problem with the root system, we can cut off all the leaves. After a period of growth, new leaves will grow again. This is also a common remedy for string of pearls!

How can you tell if a string of pearls has root rot?

In order to judge whether the string of pearls has rotten roots, we can choose to water it once during its growth period, and it is best to water it thoroughly. After two days, observe the state of basin soil on the plant surface again. Because the normal string of pearls root system has a sound function of absorbing water. If the soil surface is dry and white, it indicates that the string of pearls root system works normally and the plant does not have rotten roots.
However, if the soil surface of string of pearls is still wet after two days, it indicates that the root system of string of pearls is not functioning normally, and the root system of string of pearls may have rotted or be a sign of decay.

Can you bottom water string of pearls?

You can water your string of pearls from the bottom but it's not necessary. The root of string of pearls is fleshy, shorter and white. It is like a small radish. It is very cute. Therefore, it can grow normally without bottom water string of pearls. If we see that the root of string of pearls turns yellow white or black, it indicates that the root of string of pearls has poor growth and needs more attention.

Read More:
String of Pearls Plant: Info, Care & Propagation Guide
Is Your String of Pearls Plant Toxic to Cats
11 Best String of Succulent Varieties as Hanging Plants
How Much Light Does String of Pearls Plant Need 
How to Propagate String of Pearls from Cuttings
How Fast Do String of Pearls Grow