Mine does this every winter, but mine is outside. It gets damaged by the frosty air;). Is it a possibility your plant could be getting chilly at night? Assuming it is winter where you are at;).

What type of pot is it in and type of mix?

Interesting. It’s always 70 degrees F in the room it’s in. — it’s also in its original clay pot from the organic gardening center I got it from. The soil is an extremely fast draining mix, like a cactus / succulent mix, but also feels like an orchid mix as well.

Maybe the mix is the culprit?

Mine got this from being too close to the window when it got cold outside. Next to the glass is a microclimate that's slightly different from the ambient room temperature.

Mine does that some degree in winter.....I think it is just the nature of the beast :-) I wouldn't necessarily attribute it to something deficient in the growing practices.

btw, mine is the Sticks of Fire variety and spends the majority of its life outside in as much sun as I can manage and only comes in during the winter cold period. It is never subject to very cold temps so doubt that is the cause.

It does tend to change to a uniformly green color in winter due to less than ideal amounts of sunlight. Even the gro-lite doesn't help with that :-(

Its fine. Old leaves die and that what they do. Like Kara-- its something outdoor plants do in cold seasons. When it warms,they grow new ones.

Anybody see the Nissan commercial where they drive by a hillside road lined with 6-8' firesticks in soucal? Most Firesticks I've ever seen planted.

RINA,

i think you may be right on the hydrophobia...

as well as the addition of the liquid fertilizer to soil that was too dry.

For now, would you (*or anyone reading*) recommend allowing the entire pot to soak in a filled sink for a couple of hours?

Im thinking that Submersion could clear up both the hydrophobic soil, as well as flush out any fertilizer, while allowing the plant roots to take in water.

Is it in a warm room? Is this problem still spreading?

Yes, if it is really hydrophobic. Hydrophobic peat is difficult to rewet, I use hot water (warm if there is plant) to do so. I hardly ever fertilize succulents, but think dry soil+fert is too much for plants. I would definitely flush it.

If mix is not hydrophobic, just pour lots of clean water and let it dry well. After water stops draining from drainage holes, set it on angle - more will come out. I would set it on stack of newspaper to get more off, and after perhaps even insert wicks thru the holes.

I don't want to say 'do it now' since I do not have this plant, but that's what I would do if problems are as you said.

To fertigate, it is best to first to pour some clean water over the mix, let it dry out, and after that water with fert solution.

Btw, if your mix is hydrophobic, it may be good idea to change it. I see some bark, which should be OK but even bark could become hydrophobic. I think it is easier to re-wet than peat. I grow all succulents in very gritty mix, made of chicken grit, coarse perlite and smaller amount of turface.

perfect, thank you very much.

I'm actually headed out to my neighborhood garden center now to put together a gritty mix! what are the proportions / recipe that you suggest?

This is a mix I use: chicken grit and coarse perlite in equal amounts; turface between 10-20% of total. This may be quite heavy for your plant because of big container. Others use different proportions and other substrates: pumice is good (hard to get for me). Many mixes will work, as long as they drain well.

Did you make your existing mix? Do you know what is in it? You mentioned it feels like orchid mix - I am assuming because of lots of bark? You may be able to reuse it if it is quite new: would you be willing to sift finest soil/peat out? Then you could mix remaining bark with lots of coarse (= sifted of fines and dust) perlite, or pumice, and grit. That could be well draining...I am just speculating here :)

I’d love to find out what happened to your cactus. I bought one in the summer and within a month it started dropping pencils. I thought I was water it too much, so I cut back to every three weeks and added a grow ligh. Then it started throwing off an alarming amount of pencilS. I took it to the store I bought it from and they exposed the roots. It only had a couple leading me to believe it what a cutting that wasn’t rooted enough. They told me to keep it in water to grow roots, that did nothing. Finally after a month and a half I planted it in well draining soil and within two weeks the plant turned grey and died. The owner of the store felt so bad she gave me a huge one of her own to replace it. The only problem is she used normal soil from a company called “Good Dirt.” It’s mostly peat. I feel like I should repot it in Al’s gritty mix that I made, but I’m gun shy after losing the first one. Please note the giant rocks are only a temporary solution. The plant is so top heavy and the soil is so light I’ll be fixing that problem when I repot.