How Do You Take Care Of Gasteria Liliputana?
How Do You Take Care Of Gasteria Liliputana?
Gasteria Liliputana is easy to care for and requires low maintenance. Gasteria Liliputana plants can be grown in almost any type of soil. They require minimal attention and they do not need a lot of light. They will grow well indoors or out and are just perfect for shade.
The secret to keeping your Gasteria Liliputana plant happy is to give your plant plenty of space so its roots have room to spread.
Placing this plant on a sunny windowsill is a great idea as long as you are careful about watering it correctly. The following are the aspects to consider when caring for Gasteria Liliputana;
Watering:
Gasteria Liliputana is a drought-tolerant plant so it can be watered whenever the soil appears dry. You should water Gasteria Liliputana once a week when you notice its soil is dry to avoid root rot. The best time to water your Gasteria Liliputana is in the morning. To minimize the amount of water you need to give it, place a layer of gravel at the bottom of your pot before adding soil.
Soil:
Gasteria Liliputana can grow in almost any type of soil. The soil is the most important factor to consider when planting Gasteria Liliputana. It can thrive with a mixture of sand and perlite or vermiculite. You should not allow the wet soil to remain in your potting mix as this will kill your plant. The soil in your pot should be moist but allow the plant to dry out somewhat in between watering.
Sunlight:
Gasteria Liliputana plant can thrive in almost any type of light, except in extreme heat and drought. It will grow in full sun or shade. Before planting your Gasteria Liliputana make sure that the place you select receives moderate to low amounts of light.
Gasteria Liliputana does not require a lot of sunlight but needs some sunlight to grow healthy. It does best when provided with partial shade most of the day.
Fertilizing:
Gasteria Liliputana should be fertilized once a month in the spring and summer. Use a water-soluble fertilizer that contains a 10-10-10 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. If you want to give Gasteria Liliputana extra nutrients, you can apply half of the amount recommended by your fertilizer package. If you feel that your plants need more fertilizer give them a weak dose of fertilizer (1/4 strength worked well) once a month.
Temperature:
Gasteria Liliputana does best at a temperature of 60-75 degrees F. This can be achieved by providing your plant with winter protection and lots of light. Make sure that you provide them with enough cool periods during the day to prevent them from heating up.
Humidity:
Gasteria Liliputana prefers to have high humidity of 65%. You can achieve this by placing the plant on a tray filled with damp pebbles. You may also mist it outdoors or grow it indoors near a humidifier. You should place your plant in a terrarium that contains a humidifier. Give your Gasteria Liliputana plant water regularly and keep the soil moist.
Potting and Repotting:
Gasteria Liliputana should be repotted every two years in spring. Spread the old soil evenly on the ground and place your Gasteria Liliputana in a clean pot with new soil. When repotting, handle it gently and place the new pot in a location where the plant can get lots of light.
Propagation:
You can propagate Gasteria Liliputana by either; using leaf cuttings, root cuttings, or seeds. You can propagate this plant by taking the leaf and planting it in a potting mix containing peat moss and sand. Make sure that you keep the leaves moist until they sprout roots. When propagating by seed, soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before planting them to increase the germination rate.
Pruning:
Gasteria Liliputana should be pruned once a year in spring and summer. When pruning, cut the plant back to the next leaf and do not remove more than one-third of it. Make sure that you prune your plant after it has finished producing its flowers or you will remove it with your pruning shears.
If your plant has a few brown leaves or if its leaves turn brown during winter, then you should consider cutting them off as they will not provide the nutrients and energy that your Gasteria Liliputana needs.
Pests and Diseases:
Gasteria Liliputana is very easy to grow and they are not prone to pests or diseases. You can remove spider webs or otherwise damaged leaves. Remove spider mites with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Gasteria Liliputana responds well to feeding with a regular liquid fertilizer applied one-half the recommended strength once every month during the growing season.
How Often Do You Water A Gasteria Liliputana?
Gasteria Liliputana is a drought-tolerant plant so it can be watered whenever the soil appears dry. You should water Gasteria Liliputana once a week when you notice its soil is dry to avoid root rot. The best time to water your Gasteria Liliputana is in the morning.
To minimize the amount of water you need to give it, place a layer of gravel at the bottom of your pot before adding soil. The best time to water your Gasteria Liliputana is in the morning. To maximize the amount of light that reaches your plant, make sure to water it in the early morning when the sun will warm up its leaves later in the day.
You should avoid over watering this plant as it will cause root rot and browning foliage tips. The soil should be moist but allow the plant to dry out somewhat in between watering.
You should allow the soil to dry out between watering, do not water your Gasteria Liliputana exclusively in the morning. Over watering can lead to root rot and will cause your plant’s leaves to brown or fall off. Watering your Gasteria Liliputana can help if it is suffering from a lack of nutrients.
Keep in mind that the soil should feel moist when lightly squeezing it with your fingers, but avoid getting water on the leaves or letting liquid escape.
Once every month you need to give your plant a weak dose of fertilizer. When watering your plant, make sure you do not soak its soil and use only a light misting of water so that there is no runoff into the rest of your potting mix.
How Do You Propagate Gasteria Liliputana?
Gasteria Liliputana is easy to propagate by leaf cuttings, root cuttings, or seeds. When taking leaf cuttings or root cuttings, ensure that you remove just the bottom 2 inches of the plant so that it does not lose nutrients and energy. Take leaf cuttings in early spring before new growth begins after blooming has finished.
Use a sharp knife to make a 4 – 6 inch long stem with one bud at the top. Soak them in water for 24 hours before planting them when propagating by seeds to increase the germination rate. Place the cutting in a mixture of peat moss and sand or perlite and keep it moist.
When growing Gasteria Liliputana from seed you should expect germination within about two months. The seedlings need to be thinned out after one month if there is too much competition for nutrients and space.
You should also wait until the leaves grow bigger before transplanting your Gasteria Liliputana into a larger pot. The following are the steps to follow when propagating Gasteria Liliputana:
Propagation from leaf cuttings;
- Remove the bottom 2 inches of the plant.
- Remove all but a couple of nodes from the bottom 2 inches.
- Cut off a leaf, taking care not to damage the stem below where you made your cut.
- Place this leaf into a potting mixture of peat moss and sand or perlite and moisten thoroughly but do not let it dry out completely in between watering, as this will cause root rot.
- Keep your plant in a warm location where it will receive lots of light.
- After a month, transplant it into a pot with new soil and provide less water than you did before the leaf-cutting was taken.
Propagation from root cuttings;
- Pot your Gasteria in perlite and peat moss and keep it warm for about 2 weeks until you see new growth.
- When the growth is about 3 inches long, remove it from the direct sunlight and put it into a pot with new soil.
- Keep your plant in a warm location where it will receive lots of light.
- After a month, transplant it into a pot with new soil and provide less water than you did before the rooted cutting was taken.
- When new growth forms, remove it from the direct sunlight and put it back into a warm location where it will receive plenty of light.
Propagation from seeds;
- Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before planting them in a mixture of peat moss, perlite, and sand or peat.
- Keep your seedlings moist.
- After a month, transplant them into a pot with new soil and provide less water than you did before the seeds were soaked in water.
- When new growth forms, remove it from the direct sunlight and put it back into a warm location where it will receive plenty of light.
- When the leaves grow bigger, remove them from the direct sunlight and put them back into a warm location where they will receive lots of light.
- When the plant is about 6 months old, it should be big enough to be transplanted into a pot with new soil.
