Zoffia No, it was not mentioned. But many leaves will do the same, without any help. Even just sitting on a tray or table - without any soil or anything else. Here are some leaves that were just waiting to be tossed in compost, on a plastic saucer, and they grew very vigorous roots and even plantlets. This is in less than a week - roots started to appear within 24 hrs on most, and plantlets in about 4 days: No water, n soil, no rooting hormone of any kind... ETA: But we know that there are few succulents that will not propagate from leaves, regardless of what is put on them, but from offsets. Rooting hormone is not needed for offsets either. I am not against using it, but why bother?

It does sound like a problem with too much water to me. There is a problem with seedlings called 'damping off.' It's similar to what you are describing and is caused by too much moisture and fungus. Pictures will really help us help you. My growing conditions are much different. I can grow outdoors and approximate the way they grow in nature. You are trying to recreate those conditions indoors. I wonder how big your plantlets are when the leaves fall off. My leaves seem to hang on for a while. This one was quite unusual - the leaf stayed on for nearly a year! In this next tray you can see a few dried leaves, but they are still hanging on, like that one near the quarter. All of these leaves rooted before I planted in these trays, but I have tucked them into the potting mix and let them sprout in the soil with no problems. I've done the same thing in my garden - let them root where they fell. These are a few weeks older. I tried using turface and perlite fines I got from sifting. I won't do that again because it stays wet too long. It looks like sand and I should have known better. LOL A couple of these have fallen off the leaf - like that one just above the quarter. I will leave it in this tray until it gets larger so I don't disrupt or damage the roots. Oh - these are deli meat trays that I punched holes in. The potting mix is not deep, so I water about once a week when it dries out completely. Mine are in the sun after plantlets show up, but I have also put them in the sun once I have roots in the potting mix. I look forward to seeing your leaves!

McKenna I agree with Stefan about using grit in the mix; but it needs to be of certain size - not sure what size gravel you are using. Particles are best if in 3-6mm size - perlite (if sifted or rinsed) is approx. that size. So if you want to add grit, that is size to look for. If you can't find it, you can mix C&S soil with perlite (sifted or rinsed), using min 50%, or as much as 75% of perlite. Adding just a handful doesn't help at all. Container with drainage holes and fast draining (grainy) mix make great growing conditions for succulents and easy for the grower.

I never rooted any succulent in water, or suspended above it. I do not use rooting powder either. Leaves to root should be healthy. And some will root readily, others will take longer and some do not root at all regardless of method used. Many will root just laying there, without any soil. I know some ppl use your method, am not sure of results. Hopefully someone that tried will post. Some leaves will shrivel and dry up, other - the waterlogged ones - will most likely not root. I would still be on lokout for perlite - kitty litter holds more water IMO (its purpose is to absorb some moisture? - I think). That is the reason I suggested using just some, and using much more perlite. I do not know what is water holding capacity of it - perhaps similar to turface?, but I am just guessing. Here is a table of different materials (from one of the members here):