What a sweet gift! You're gonna have to show him some tough love and take it apart. Maybe ask him to help you and show him how the mold and the peat have to go and why. And wouldn't he be sad if any of them died??? Maybe you could replant some of it in the basket after everything dries out, leaving some of the leaves and crowded plants out for propagation....I really think you're gonna eventually lose a lot of it if you leave it in there too long.

Okay good, I was hoping that would be the general opinion. The basket pot is really nice and surprisingly functional. I wasn't expecting any drainage hole and was pleasantly surprised with the nice one I found. It's so heavy, at least 25 lbs (no lie), gota be made of concrete.

He only made that one little comment about it but I could tell what he meant was "I know what you're thinking and if you do that it means this gift isn't good enough and you don't like it. That will hurt my feelings". I think the best move (knowing him) is to take it apart when he is asleep or at work, do what I have to do, and recreate the basket with fresh soil and the most prominent succulents. He will never notice if a couple are missing from that basket and potted separately elsewhere.... I don't think! Haha. The things we do to spare their girly little feelings!

Plant you referred as "guy below is feeling too wet and that's why it is pushing up" is Sempervivum, starved for light - that's why it is pushing up. It also looks very wet, I think I see some rotted leaves. Pull hem off. It is hardy plant and should be outdoors whole year round.

Beautiful gift, but unfortunately you should take it apart ASAP and replant. Make sure your bf knows it's not his fault!!! Soil they are in looks very wet, and moldy. You could use same container - wash it very well, use some bleach. Get a well draining mix, preferably one that contains lots of inorganics. Wash old soil off all plants, put them on some newspaper/paper towels or rag to soak up excess water. Trim off any damaged roots - dry, broken, mushy. Leave for few hours to callus after cutting roots and repot. I prefer plants separately, but you could pot few together if you like. Sedum rubrotinctum looses leaves easily, but they will grow roots and plantlets. I would give it separate pot.

Last plant (perhaps E. Perle von Nurnberg, but could be different plant) has some damage to stem - maybe rot? Is the stem soft? If not, maybe it was chewed on before or even started rotting but callused over. If soft, behead it. I would actually pot up part of stem with roots, cutting off the damaged part if it is soft or looks like rotting. Roots look OK from what I can see. Maybe it will grow some offsets. And try to re-root upper part, above the damage. I would pot this one into it's own pot too. Part with roots could be watered after few days. Rootless part should be left in dry mix until it starts growing roots.

BTW, spraying plants with so many different products may not be such good idea. One needs to establish what the problem is and use product for that situation. Plants are quite week from being in water retaining soil and low light, don't bombard them with so many different weapons :) I know you were trying to make sure there is no bugs and diseases, but "too much of good thing is not good". It would be better to take plants out and clean them up and repotting after purchasing.

Beautiful basket and arrangement. Your bo did well. :-)

While I understand you are not a "bug" fan, the reality is if you are going to keep living plants, bugs are unavoidable. I would rather have a few bugs hanging around rather than use poisons in my home with the resulting exposure of said poisons to me, pets, or anyone else. Poisons are a last resort to tackle serious issues like mealy bug infestations.

I agree with the others about the issues -- light and poor media -- that others have mentioned. Furthermore, I do agree with Lisa about being upfront with your boyfriend regarding the need to "tear it apart" and even possibly getting him to help you with the project. I would suggest you ask him to read through these posts. It may help for him to see that you took the time to do some research and consult experienced hobbyists rather than this just being some "whim".

The media has to go. Few nurseries plant cacti/succs in an appropriate media for the plants long term health. Because they don't know how long the plants will sit in a store or if they will get watered at all by the store employees, they often will use a peat based mix to ensure the plants will not need watered for awhile. Then, too, such a mix is less likely to spill all over than a coarse inorganic mix during shipping and weighs less as well. For the health of the plants, the media has to get changed out -- and that is certainly no ill reflection on your boyfriend. Rare would be the person not in the hobby who would realize different plants have different media requirements and that one simply can't trust the store or their supplier to have potted the plants in an appropriate media.

As Rina mentioned, you are going to have to provide more light to avoid an etiolated mess. If you cannot do so, especially given your zone, AFTER repotting into a much more inorganic mix (store bought "cactus soil" won't likely due if used straight), greatly restrict watering until spring when the pot can be put outside. In a cool brightly lit area, water can withheld completely or close to it for the course of the winter. IIRC, Rina doesn't water her plants at all during the winter. I can't keep mine as cool as I'd like, but because I cannot provide supplemental lighting over the course of a grey Michigan winter I still rarely water my succs over the winter and when I do, they only get a few sips of water. This prevents them from growing and becoming etiolated from insufficient light. The exception are my Haworthia which are winter growers and like lower light levels ... they get watered regularly over the winter.

Many of my succulents are in warmer location so they need to be watered. I do have supplemental lights for them. Few I can keep in cool spot get almost no water at all for 3-4 mo. There is natural light there (not that great-just typical winter light), but temps are around 35-40*F.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond, you rock.

Wait a second here.... Is a cooler temperature over the winter a good thing? Ive been trying to keep everything at a temp I'm comfortable in (65-70). Should I aim for something lower? Full disclosure- we haven't turned the heater on yet, just have a couple space heaters in the living room. The rooms that all the plants are in probably hover around 60, 50 on a colder night.

This is my first winter with plants of any kind (I've found that I have a fondness for succulents above most others!) so I'm just learning about the water and light requirements for each plant. It blows my mind how little water these guys really need this time of year. Idk if I'm going to be doing much watering at all thru the rest of winter!

Any other summer dormancy/ winter growers I should be aware of?

I just got my set up going with the plant lights and the rest of my clan is doing well. I need more lights bc my collection never seems to stop growing but it's satisfactory to say the least. So once I feel comfortable enough to put them with their brothers and sisters they will definitely be happier basking in better light. The problem with the basket is that it's still in quarantine in the guest bedroom and although it is the brightest natural light in the house, it's not enough! I think I'm gonna bring the grow light into that room at night to help them out a little.

How long do you keep new plants in quarantine?

Im assuming the semps in the basket grew up in a green house and they've been in my house for a month. Is it okay to just throw them out into the cold now? Do I need to do it gradually or wait until spring or something?

You don't have to convince me, I hate the mystery soil. I never thought it would stay damp for THAT long, tho!! Yowza!! I hate having all these pretty plants piled on top of each other so you cant enjoy each one and so you can't reach them to clean up when you need to. I hate having to care for them all exactly the same. Not cool. I should have just gone with my instincts and done it right away but better late than never I suppose.

Since it is my first year with plants idk what to expect bug wise. And in any other situation I would completely agree with a couple bugs being better for the house than chemicals to control them. However... parasitic worms are where I draw the line. They made my poor love pug so sick and I just couldn't maintain mental health if I did nothing and just waited 2 yrs to find out if I'm harboring those little beasts. I'd feel guilty for getting her sick again and I might drive myself crazy with anxiety in the meantime. Ugh, I could puke thinking about parasitic worms in my house. Spiders, fungus gnats, aphids, they're not ideal but they're not going to keep me up at night and make me hand wash every spoon, glass, plate before I use it. Parasitic worms kick my anxiety up so bad. I need a Xanax just thinking about it. Disgusting. To each their own but Ill take the chemicals this time!!!

I love my plants but I would give up everything I own (which is pretty much just the plants! My house burned down with everything in it back in April) if my puggles health depended on it.

Come on! Look at that face!! She's a precious angel from heaven! She's the sweetest, cutest, most hilarious girl I know. Humans included.

Pug Life.

Peace, Happiness, and Pugs

Pugs not Drugs

Cooler temps are fine, just make sure potting media doesn't stay wet. Cool & wet is not good for succulents. Many are opportunistic, and will keep growing if given higher temps and regular watering. They still need good light, much more if they are growing. Otherwise, they will etiolate - grow spindly, skinny stems that are weak, and the color will not be as good as it should be. Grow light at night won't help. If using it on plants that are in any spot with some natural light, put the lights on during daytime - let plants sleep at night. It should be on for at least 6hrs.

ETA: I would put semp outside, it isn't that cold yet. BUT - make sure it is dry, and in well draining mix. If it is raining often, put it somewhere where it doesn't get wet for at least a week or longer.

The semps I have outside are under an overhang to keep them dry since the weather is so unpredictable lately. They could get more hrs of direct sun in a more open place but I didn't think they would like the pouring rain and 25 degree nighttime lows together.

Would u mind sharing a pic of your outdoor plants in their happy 5a homes? A picture is worth a thousand words, I might finally stop bugging you over every detail!!!!

Sempervivum blooms:

Oh they're all so beautiful and cheeky! They look so happy and healthy, they make me smile!! I love how the ones in the same container compliment each other so perfectly. You've got this down pat! Are they all in containers or are they in the ground too? It seems like they're the new trendy house decor but you obviously have extensive knowledge and experience, how long have you been growing them?

So once they're established you just leave them out in the elements, no matter how much rain? Ever have to cover them? If I have learned one thing it's that a sure recipe for death is "wet and cold". So I'm just really confused about how a cold wet winter isn't sure death. I'm pretty sure you know my story but I moved into my boyfriend's house in April and therefore "inherited" (for lack of a better word) an already established garden. He inherited it from his grandmother (with typical Grandma style) and ever since she passed away he has been adding and replacing where needed with anything and everything random and free. Besides a tiny patch of some ground cover that is mostly hidden under other plants, the only succulents out there are a borderline of Autumn joy. Booorrriiinnnggg! Don't get me wrong I love them for many reasons but they're just not that visually interesting to me. I didnt even realize they were succulents until I started IDing and researching everything out there. I always just thought of succulents as aloe and cactuses that could never be grown outside here in Jersey.

So help me out here. The Autumn joy is hardy. It dies back but sprouts back up (in multitudes) every yr. So then are the semps considered evergreen? And what about the plants in the latter post? Are those all different sedum? Do any of them die back in the winter? Is that first pic a hanging basket?

Photos I posted are all in containers, but not in hanging baskets. Some could be, like plants with pink flowers in 1st photo of last post. And there are many others that grow as ground covers and spread and will grow well in hanging baskets. Many will die back like Autumn Joy, semps don't. There are many different hardy succulents, many are sedums, some tall (like Autumn Joy), others short and many in-between.

They will grow just the same in ground. I do not cover them.

I have been growing plants in ground and containers for number of years. Here are some older pics:

Oh wow I never thought about making mounds to redirect and elevate. Duh. Awesome, thanks again!

"chrissyd1121(6B)

However... parasitic worms are where I draw the line. They made my poor love pug so sick and I just couldn't maintain mental health if I did nothing and just waited 2 yrs to find out if I'm harboring those little beasts. I'd feel guilty for getting her sick again and I might drive myself crazy with anxiety in the meantime. Ugh, I could puke thinking about parasitic worms in my house. Spiders, fungus gnats, aphids, they're not ideal but they're not going to keep me up at night and make me hand wash every spoon, glass, plate before I use it. .... To each their own but Ill take the chemicals this time!!!"

Unless Puggles is in the habit of eating potting soil, you'd be better off worrying about the pesticides you would use. Parasitic worms have complex life cycles. Typically. their eggs or larvae must be ingested by the host organism. Most lay their eggs in soil or feces or something the host will eat. They do not go crawling around in search of a host to parasitize. In the case of heartworms -- probably the one of the most dangerous canine parasites if not caught early -- sterilizing the soil the plant and the entire house would be useless. Their larvae are transmitted by the bite of mosquitos which have previously taken a blood meal from an infected host. Pesticides on the other hand could be very easily ingested if Puggles happens to be a plant nibbler or licks a pesticide coated leaf.

Thats the part I couldn't fully understand. So it's the eggs and or larvae living in soil for up to 2 yrs, correct? So what about the segments? I read that tapeworm segments can each grow into their own tapeworm... Does that have to happen inside a host? And if the pug ate potting soil would she host the work? Or does it have to be eaten by something like a flea or rodent first?

Opinions on all the white flecks like this? Different shapes sizes and colors, some more translucent than white. Usually just potting medium? Can you see root bugs move when they are present?

Okay party people, I've got it all figured out! The basket is getting filled with semps for outside and the rest are getting their own pots. All with fresh brand new soil.

One more question for anyone and everyone... When you pot a large rosette shaped succulent, do you put it in a pot that fits the roots and let the leaves hang over the rim...

Or do you let the leaves sit on top of the soil and maybe go a bit bigger with the pot so that the plant can be better supported?

I use grit top-dressing, so leaves do not sit on 'soil' - but I do not use soil to make mix anyway.

For your 1st plant, I would repot (if you are repotting) into pot just a size bigger.

Semps will have many offsets and - IMO - look nice when in big clump. They will grow over rocks without hardly any soil. It should be able to support itself when healthy enough.

Alright cool, thanks!

I'm always conflicted about... Everything kinda haha.

I like top dressing but someone commented in a forum once that they don't like to use it on succulents bc it keeps moisture in. So that's always swirling around in the back of my mind.

Whenever a pot seems to be a good size for the roots, the plant itself always seems to hang over the edges. And I wasn't sure if then gravity eventually causes the bottom leaves to snap off. But then a pot that looks like the right size for the plant seems too big for the roots.

Neither of the plants in those example pics are getting repotted right now. The first one actually did get repotted bc that pot is a glazed ceramic and the hole is kinda small. The soil never seemed to dry out in it so I switched it to a plain Terra Cotta. Im sticking to the Terra Cotta for the time being bc they ease my mind in regards to letting the soil breathe and dry.

Im repotting the plants from the basket in the original post. The 2 that look to be echeverias are actually a lot bigger than I thought! They're gonna have to rest on the soil or they will flop and snap all over the place. I'll just use some top dressing and hopefully they're happy!

Chrissy

There are ppl that say that about top-dressing. My experience is different. I use just gravel for it. In plastic pots. With very gritty mix, that drains well. I actually do not understand why would layer of grit keep moisture in - but that is JMO. I have some terracotta pots, but not many - they are bit heavy to me, and also more fragile (I guess I am clumsy...:) I have probably around 300 potted plants (not only succulents) and big majority is in plastic pots.

chrissyd1121(6B)

"So it's the eggs and or larvae living in soil for up to 2 yrs, correct? So what about the segments? And if the pug ate potting soil would she host the work? Or does it have to be eaten by something like a flea or rodent first?"

All of that depends upon the organism in question. The eggs of some can last for a long time, but others don't. The environment they wind up in can have a great impact. Trichinosis, for example, is caused by a parasitic roundworm. The larvae form cysts around themselves in the muscles of their host and can remain in stasis that way for years. They are released from their cyst when their host gets eaten wherein they "hatch out" in the new host's stomach, mature and start the cycle over again. Now should the host die and rot away on the ground the cysts would degrade and the worms die. Btw, trichinosis can occur in humans who eat undercooked pork as pigs -- particularly free range -- can be particularly susceptible.

Whether Puggles could serve as a host, again depends upon the organism. For example, most people do not realize that dog heartworms can wind up in other creatures including cats and humans if a mosquito carrying the larvae in her gut bites them. But because the body chemistry of a cat or human is quite different from a dog's, it is rare for any larvae to survive let alone reach maturity in those hosts. Furthermore, even on the odd chance any do survive to maturity, they will not be able to breed so that host is a dead end for them.

chrissyd1121(6B)

" I read that tapeworm segments can each grow into their own tapeworm... Does that have to happen inside a host? ?"

That would be incorrect. Each proglottid (segment) of a tape worm is a sexually mature reproductive system. Consuming a proglottid will release eggs into the digestive system of the consumer. If the proglottid is not consumed the eggs are not released and they eventually die. The proglottid does not and cannot grow into a new worm. The "head" portion of the tapeworm, however, will continually produce new proglottids throughout its lifetime.

Paul-

Thank you so much for better explaining that whole process to me. That's a big help. I've never had an experience with dog worms before and it was super creeping me out. I felt like I kept seeing little segments all over the house. I still don't know if I'm crazy or if I was seeing them.. or of they were something else entirely. Looked like little clear translucent fibers that I never saw move but seemed to end up everywhere. When remi got the worm diagnosis I figured that was them but she's not sick anymore, I never see them in stool and I saw them more after her bout then during. Idk