Here’s How To Properly Grow And Care For String Of Turtles, A Trailing Vine Succulent That’s Sure To Add Intrigue To Any Space

DimaBerlin - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only
DimaBerlin - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

Houseplants that form trailing vines that dangle elegantly over the edge of pots and baskets are a favorite for indoor gardens. In the past few years, interest in unique plants such as these, namely string of turtles, has grown.

If you are considering adding a string of turtles houseplant to your collection, here’s how to properly grow and care for one.

String of turtles is a type of succulent that is native to the rainforests of Brazil. It thrives in warm environments and can adapt well to the average household climate. The shape of its tiny leaves is what gives the succulent its name. Each one resembles the shell of a turtle. As the plant matures, its foliage develops a contrasting pattern of dark and light green.

The care of a string of turtles differs slightly from that of other succulents. To maintain its remarkable vining quality, conditions need to be just right. First, make sure your succulent receives plenty of bright, indirect sunlight.

The light should reach all areas of the plant, especially the top, so that it continues to produce new growth. Don’t keep it in full sun for too long, though, as that can damage the leaves.

Next, a string of turtles requires well-draining, acidic soil that consists of organic matter, particularly peat because of its acidic nature. Be careful not to let the soil’s pH levels get too low. Additionally, keep the soil slightly moist.

For the string of turtles, overwatering is worse than dry conditions. Avoid overwatering by drenching the soil until water starts to stream out from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Allow the top two inches of soil to dry out before watering again.

This succulent enjoys consistent warmth and dislikes cold temperatures. Keep your home somewhere between 68 degrees and 75 degrees. Refrain from placing the succulent near drafty areas.

You may also want to use a humidifier to increase humidity around the plant when the interior of your home is feeling dry. During the growing season, fertilize the plant with a diluted houseplant fertilizer every two weeks.

DimaBerlin – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

The string of turtles grows slowly and reaches full maturity after three to five years. At that point, it will be about a foot long.

Prune it regularly to give it a bright, well-kept appearance. Every one to two years, you’ll want to repot the plant in new soil to keep it healthy. The best time to repot is right before the growing season.

After reaching full maturity, the string of turtles produces flowers once a year, although they rarely show up when the plant is grown indoors.

The flowers look like small spikes that are white or a coppery-red color. They are not very pleasing to the eye, so if they do end up sprouting, you can remove them.

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Emily  Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a ... More about Emily Chan

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