New in and desperate

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself to the community. I am new with gardening and I have to be honest - I am a real disaster for my plants. I have been grieving a few plants, trying a few things but nothing seems to be the right solution and I am a bit lost with what I am supposed to do.

I am currently living in a flat facing north so the light is very low and doesn't get much sun. Not ideal I know.

Please can someone help with advice for getting my plants healthy. The following ones are struggling!

Dry olive tree (Olea Europeaa): I first placed my olive tree on my balcony but brought it inside as it got completely dry and sad. I thought it was over watered as it rained a lot in London this summer. I let the soil dry to avoid rotting and started watering it by putting it in a pool of water in the bath and letting it suck up the water. Some green branches appeared but i still don't know what's the right thing for it as I read an olive tree need some rest and no water during the winter.

Kalanchoe luciae + non-identified plant with shrivelled leaves + Pachyphytum ovirefum rotting:

I used to water my succulent plants in the bath every two weeks so they suck-up the water they need. My florist told me I was wrong and that I should water them and let the soil dry completely before watering again. I have tried but since then, the leaves of my Kalanchoe and non identified plant started shrivelling. Also my Pachyphytum leaves start rotting.

I am just completely lost in terms of how to water my plants. Also do I need to water them more if the heater is on?

Many thanks for your help!

Caroline

 

First let me offer a warm welcome Caroline.

I can't speak for your olive tree, but I noticed all your other plants are in clay pots which can dry out very quickly in a heated environment. To me it looks like they need watering at closer intervals, and are stressing out. Granted I am no expert in anything, but logic dictates what I'm seeing in your photos.

 

Trees in pots need to be checked daily for moisture. Use a chop-stick, stick it into soil deeply, withdraw it. touch the chop-stick, if it feels damp, there is enough residual water in your soil for today. If it is dry water it well.

If you can pick your tree up and place it in a sink or tub, put it there and water it enough so that all the soil is soaked. Let it drain in the sink-tub etc.

Statistically your soil that your tree resides in is probably made of too fine particles and wants to compact and be anoxic (too wet). Poking soil daily and deeply will only be a kindness.

Bonsai hobbyists have kept oleo europa in very shallow pots for at least the past 75 years. if they can do it, you probably can too.

 

Welcome from Canada

If it is any consolation re: your last photo I've never been terribly successful growing those either. They always drop the little round leaves and never seen happy no matter what I do.

Haven't grown any of your other plants so have no tips or insights.

 

Many thanks for all your replies and warm welcome. I will take Frank's advice and split my questions.

@LIcenter @Coppice I will take your advice on board in terms of watering
Thanks @Islandlife for making me feel less terrible

 

With gardening and growing plants is to keep at it. Sometimes you'll get a plant that is just not going to be happy anywhere and other times you'll get one that you place and treat exactly the same way and it'll take off and grow and thrive. Some plants are super tender and some you can't kill even if you stomp on them.

Keep on trying and don't give up.

 

Hi, and welcome.
I am not entirely sure what you can do with those succulents. You know that succulents by nature like lots and lots of sun and little water. If these nice plants of yours die, I would suggest not buying more succulents if the only light source that you have is on a north-facing window. We can talk about alternative plants for your home that require less light.

On the other hand, If you are quite determined to save these succulents pictured above, you might opt for a grow light to supplement the indirect northern light coming in the window.

Please let us know how your plants fare. Good luck.

 

hi.

 

Welcome to the forum! Do you have any indoor plant lighting that could supplement the lack of a sunny and bright window?

I defer to everyone as I'm new too, but want to share that recently I moved my bad-looking succulents to gritty mix "soil" from their generic potting soil. I also give them LED grow lighting when it's dark out and I mist them with a spray bottle every threeish days. This is what my succulents seem to like - when I was waiting a week to water, they were unhappy. Do they all have drainage too?