THE MAIN REASONS WHY THE LEAVES OF THE MONEY TREE BECOME SOFT Save so as not to lose! why does the fat plant get sick and how to cure a houseplant money tree? Slow growth Why does the Crassula (money tree) not grow (stand in one place) or grow poorly and what to do? Since the money tree (crassula, crassula) is a semi-desert plant, for good growth it requires natural habitat conditions: bright, but not excessive lighting; adequate drainage; watering during the growth period; drying of the soil and coolness during a period of relative dormancy. If these conditions are met, you won’t have to complain about slow growth money tree. You can give it an attractive appearance by regularly pinching the shoots, which stimulates growth points and helps quickly grow the crown. ATTENTION! In order for the Crassula to grow quickly, you need to find optimal mode lighting, the so-called “golden mean”. The money tree needs bright light, but the plant should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Leaves are falling off Money tree is losing leaves: why? Since Crassula (money tree) reproduces with the help of leaves, their shedding indicates a leaf disease or is an alarming signal that the plant has found itself in unfavorable conditions and urgently wants to leave offspring. Why does the crassula flower (money tree) lose its leaves (crassula sheds) or why does the crassula lose its leaves? The reasons (why the leaves fall) of such an unpleasant phenomenon or disease can be: excessive watering and insufficient lighting, especially during the winter dormancy period; prolonged repeated drying out of the earthen coma; watering cold water from the tap; too frequent fertilizing. What to do, how to care for it at home and how to save it if the leaves of the fat plant fall off? Having analyzed the reasons, you need to try to follow the watering regime in accordance with the season, water with warm, settled water, and minimize the use of fertilizers. ATTENTION! In winter, watering Crassula is reduced to 1-2 times a month; the lower the air temperature, the less frequent it is. It is advisable to reduce the temperature in the room to 15⁰, because at this time the weather in the homeland of the money tree is cold and dry. The trunk has rotted. Why does the money tree have a soft, thin trunk? Succulents, which include Crassula (money tree), which are accustomed to storing water for future use in desert conditions, do not tolerate excessive soil moisture. The roots begin to rot, followed by the trunk of the plant. If, after drying the soil, the plant does not return to its proper form, then everything is very serious - it urgently needs to be replanted. How to save and what to do if the trunk rots, the roots rot and the money tree (crassula) dies? Before transplanting, you need to wash off the soil from the roots and carefully inspect them. If everything is not so bad, and only the roots are rotten, they are cut off to healthy areas and powdered wood ash and planted in a new substrate. It is almost impossible to revive a rotten trunk. Stem cuttings of Crassula take root very easily, and the new plants that you grow from them will help you work on mistakes. Leaves turn yellow Why do the leaves of Crassula (money tree) turn yellow? The most likely cause of yellowing of the leaves of the Crassula is a lack of light. What to do if the leaves of the money tree turn yellow? If the windows of the room face north or northeast and the toast is turning yellow, you should think about artificial lighting. During the warmest time of year, the most best place for the fat woman there will be a garden or loggia with protection from direct rays of the sun. Soft limp leaves Money tree withers and leaves fall off! Let's look at why this happens. Why do the leaves of the money tree wrinkle, become soft and thin, and become lethargic, and what should you do if the money tree withers? Loss of leaf elasticity in the Crassula indicates a problem with watering. The plant is either suffering from drought, or the roots are suffocating from waterlogging. What to do if the money tree has soft leaves? It is necessary to check whether the substrate drainage is sufficient and adjust the watering. Another reason may be excessive solar insolation, especially if the plant has recently been transplanted. Roots damaged during transplantation cannot cope with the money tree's need for watering, and the leaves wither and wrinkle. Black spots appeared on the leaves Why do the leaves of the money tree turn black? Dry, round black spots on Crassula leaves appear as a result of sunburn. Shading the plant from direct sunlight will solve this problem, but the affected leaves will fall off over time. Black and brown soft spots on the leaves indicate that the Crassula is affected by a fungal infection. Leaves with signs of disease should be removed, the plant should be treated with a drug to combat fungal infections, and if necessary, the treatment can be repeated several times. No need to be afraid of deletion large quantities leaves, this creates new growth points, the crown of the plant will be thicker and more luxuriant. ATTENTION! It is worth reviewing the conditions for keeping the money tree, since the fungus develops only in rooms with high humidity. Ventilating the room and mulching the surface layer of the earth can help cope with this problem. The leaves are turning red Why and why do the leaves of the money tree turn red or have they already turned red? The main reason for the redness of the leaves of the Crassula is too bright sunlight. The Crassula does not tolerate direct sunlight, although its African origin would seem to indicate the opposite. A red tint may appear on the leaves after a “change of residence”, moving the plant from a shaded windowsill to a brightly lit one. This problem can be solved very simply - just slightly shade the window with a light curtain, and the leaves will turn bright green again. If, in addition to redness, the leaves are also slightly wilted, it means that the change of location has led to sunburn, and the money tree needs to be fed with complex fertilizer and sprayed with a biostimulant. You can use Epin, the universal “ living water» for affected plants. CAREFULLY! When using Epin, you should not overdose, the count is literally drops, this drug is so active. To treat an adult plant, 1-2 drops dissolved in a glass of water are enough. If the underside of the leaves turns red, you need to pay attention to the watering regime; perhaps the plant simply does not have enough moisture, the earthen ball has dried out. Pest control and photos Pests don’t really like to settle on Crassula, but from time to time it suffers from their invasion. Why does it appear on Crassula white coating(white spots or dots on leaves): what is it? Sometimes in the axils of the leaves of the money tree you can see a white coating, similar to cotton balls. This is a signal that a mealybug has settled on the plant. In order to get rid of it, you need to: wash off the pest warm water from the shower; wash the fat plant with a small brush with a thick foam of laundry soap, then rinse the plant with clean water; treat with infusion of garlic or tobacco, decoction of cyclamen tubers. Such treatments are carried out 3-4 times a month. The scale insect affects not only Crassula, but also many other plants, for example: Hoya, Poinsettia succulent, Cereus cactus. If you don’t fight the mealybug, it will feed on the sap of young shoots, which will lead to weakening of the plant, slower growth, loss of leaves, and the appearance of a colony of sooty fungi on the Crassula. The white coating on the plant must be rubbed between your fingers in order to distinguish a mealybug infection from a fungal infection. A musty smell indicates a fungal infection. It is much more difficult to get rid of spider mites. Its presence can be noticed by small yellowish spots on the leaves and threads of cobwebs. The reason for the appearance of this pest is warm and dry air, so by spraying the plants regularly, you can avoid the appearance of mites on the fat plant. In the early stages of damage, you can treat the money tree with garlic or tobacco infusion, or soap suds. Such measures are not always effective; most often, neighboring plants are also affected by the mite. In this case, only insecticide treatment will help. They need to treat not only the plants, but also the surface on which they stand, as well as flower pots to destroy clutches of spider mite eggs. The scale insect can be noticed only at a late stage of infection, when red-brown plaques (spots) appear on the bases of the petioles of the money tree and the back of the leaves along the veins, that is, the pest can be seen with the naked eye. The following measures are urgently taken: scale insects are removed by scraping them from the surface of leaves and shoots; the fatty mushroom is wiped with tobacco or soap solution, washed with warm water; treat the plant with a systemic insecticide. At severe defeat scale insects, when all the leaves are covered with sweet sticky secretions, are very difficult to deal with. REFERENCE. The soap solution for spraying is prepared in the following proportion - 10 g of potassium, green or laundry soap per half liter of water. Before soap treatment, the soil in the pot must be covered with film. What to do: the money tree falls from gravity? This problem is only possible if the pot with Crassula was not turned in relation to the light, its crown became one-sided, and the tree lost stability. How to strengthen the trunk of a crassula? To solve the problem mature plant transplant into a slightly larger pot, slightly reducing the load on one side by pinching. It is advisable to replant in the spring, but if the situation does not tolerate delay, you can use the transshipment method, that is, carefully remove the plant along with a lump of earth, place it in a larger pot, and carefully fill the gaps between the soil and the walls of the pot with substrate. The shape of a young plant can still be adjusted by rotating it around its axis. The plant reaches for the window glass, the only source of light, and the main trunk bends. Timely attention to the shape of the money tree will allow you to get a slender plant with uniform growth and a neat crown. Having created the Crassula optimal conditions for development, you can be sure that problems and diseases will not interfere with growing a beautiful, strong plant, signaling to its owners about the well-being of the house in which it lives.
Perhaps no other indoor plant has as many signs associated with it as the money tree, as it is often called. Many believe that the level of family well-being directly depends on the size of the money tree, and most importantly, on the number of leaves on it. This plant is very unpretentious, does not require special conditions or complex care, growing quickly, but at the same time, situations when the leaves of the money tree fall off are not uncommon. Why the money tree sheds its leaves, how to avoid it and how to help it - read about all this in our article.
Reasons why money tree leaves fall
1. One of the reasons why leaves fall off a money tree is because improper care behind the plant. Although the fat woman is quite unpretentious, she is demanding in some respects:
- a sufficient amount of fresh air - the room should be well ventilated, and the money tree should not be in a draft;
- correctly selected air temperature - in winter time the air temperature in the room should not exceed +15 C;
- good lighting - in summer it is better to send the fat woman to the balcony, where it will bask in the sun, and in winter put it on an insulated and well-lit window sill;
- sufficient amount of moisture - it is very important that the money tree is watered abundantly and in a timely manner, but at the same time it should not be categorically flooded.
2. Second possible reason along which the leaves of the money tree fall - illnesses. Most often this is Fusarium rot, which occurs as a result of overwatering. At the same time, the roots of the fat plant begin to rot, which subsequently leads to the death of the entire plant. In this case, a light pink coating forms on the root collar, and then the leaves begin to fall off. To avoid this, when planting a money tree, you need to add well-crushed charcoal to the soil. You must not forget about drainage - for these purposes it is better to use expanded clay, laying it out in a layer of at least 20 mm. If the plant has already been damaged, you can try to save it by 
replanting it in new soil, thoroughly cleaning the roots and cutting off everything rotten.
3. Can cause leaf loss excess fertilizer. In this case, it is also better to transplant the money tree into new soil.
4. Another reason why the money tree sheds its leaves is Very heat air. In unfavorable conditions, the money tree, like other plants, will strive to reproduce. And it will do this precisely by shedding healthy leaves, which will later be able to germinate and produce offspring.
This beautiful plant is scientifically called Crassula - from the Latin “crassus”, which means thick or fleshy. It is popularly known as Crassula, and even more often called money tree. Sometimes gardeners are faced with a situation where the leaves of the fat plant fall off. This fact is upsetting, but you can help your favorite culture. Today we will tell you what are the reasons for this phenomenon, what other flower diseases are known, how to help your pet and properly care for it.
The money tree belongs to the succulent family, so caring for it is simple, and the main thing is to choose high-quality soil for planting and not to disturb the lighting and watering regime.
The most a common question for beginning flower growers it is like this - why do the leaves of the Crassula suddenly turn yellow and fall off? There are certain reasons that can provoke this phenomenon.
These include improper watering of the plant. It should not be watered too often, since the fat plant can accumulate and for a long time retain moisture in the leaf structure. With excessive frequency of watering, the crop reacts by shedding healthy foliage, withering, and possibly developing diseases. But long breaks in watering should not be allowed either. It is especially important to observe the frequency of watering in winter, when the fat plant is resting. Once a week is enough for her, and in the summer – once a day in small portions and water at room temperature. The remaining moisture from the pan must be drained so that the roots do not rot. If this happens, the plant must be moved to new soil, after cutting off the rotten particles. Take care of a high-quality drainage layer - it is optimal to use expanded clay, spreading it at least 2 cm thick. 
The leaves can become covered with brown spots and crumble if the money tree is scorched by direct rays of the sun. It gets burned most often when it is located on a south window. If you take your pet out into the sun, protect it with a thick sheet of paper or newspaper. In winter, the plant should be kept away from radiators and heaters.
When you see more than one fallen leaf, think about whether the cause may be an excess of mineral fertilizers. The crop will need to be replanted into new soil with the addition of charcoal. In the future, do not exceed the dosage of fertilizers specified in the instructions.
Do not water the fat plant with cold water. Use only settled and room temperature. If leaf fall has already begun, you can water your pet with warm water, but so that it does not end up in the pot.
Temperature fluctuations also lead to leaf shedding. Do not leave the pot in a draft or heat, or move it from a cold to a warm place. When a plant has been on a cold windowsill for a long time and the roots are frozen, it will no longer be possible to save it.
Leaf fall is often caused by fungal infections and the presence of pests - scale insects, mealybugs and spider mites.
Some are interested in why the fat plant sheds its leaves when it looks healthy outwardly? With normal care, fallen leaves can be a sign of the natural aging process of the tree. You can try to slightly extend its lifespan by performing anti-aging pruning.
Video “Money Tree”
Flower diseases
A money tree can get fusarium rot if it is watered abundantly and other care rules are not followed. Treatment is carried out with a suspension of foundationazole at the rate of 2 grams of the product per 1 liter of water and transplantation.
Brown spots or yellow color on the foliage - a signal of a flower being damaged by a fungal or bacterial infection. A complex drug is used for treatment. 
Black spots on the surface of the leaves that become soft are the result of severe sunburn. Take care to protect your pet.
If the leaves of a plant are deformed, then it may not have enough moisture. If there is a lack of moisture, they can also dry out.
In the autumn winter period a completely healthy Crassula may lose its leaves. Then it should be moved to a bright window sill or additional artificial lighting should be used.
A silvery coating on the surface of the foliage should not frighten gardeners - this is a normal physiological process. But a white coating indicates that the crop is infected with a mite. If it smells musty, it's most likely fungal infection, called powdery mildew. IN in this case Treatment with Fitosporin or Fundazol will help. If there is no smell, your pet has been attacked by ticks. Then for treatment you will need the drugs “Fitoverm” or “Aktara”.
If the plant wilts, the root system may rot. The salvation will be transplantation and placement in diffused light. In the first month, watering should be done from a tray and in small quantities.
At the beginning of spring, the foliage may turn red. It is associated with a disruption of the process of photosynthesis. In order for the leaves to turn green, the pot must be removed from the illuminated windowsill deep into the room. 
When Crassula has too much small leaves, it may lack lighting or nutrients. Then you will need fertilizing for succulents, which contains less nitrogen and phosphorus.
How to help
If the leaves of your tree have already turned yellow and leaf fall has begun, you should take action.
You should control the frequency of watering and use only warm, settled water. But initially, watering should be temporarily stopped until the earthen ball dries out. Renew it carefully, making sure that the tray is always dry.
If the problem lies in the soil drying out, you need to water the crop a little more often. In winter, place the pot in a cool place and do not water the money tree more than once every 1 to 2 weeks. 
When it is not possible to remove the pot from the windowsill located near the radiator, you can place it on a thick piece of foam. Then your pet will avoid overheating.
If the air in the room is dry, it is recommended to spray the leaves with water. For the normal life of the fat plant, a soil mixture of leaf, turf and peat soil, as well as sand, is required. You will need a wide and not too deep pot.
Plant care
Caring for a toastie is not too difficult. The main thing is to create conditions for it that are close to natural, taking into account the period of growth in spring-summer and dormancy in winter-autumn. 
Plant care includes competent system glaze. This succulent is native to Africa, so it does not tolerate excess moisture. The soil must dry out normally before the next watering, and the tray must be dry. Watch the lighting - the plant should not be placed in the sun. The normal place for it is considered to be the south-eastern part of the house.
In spring and summer, Crassula will be comfortable in the fresh air - for example, on the balcony. In cold weather it is better to place it on the south side. A turf or universal soil mixture is suitable for growing the plant. You can prepare it yourself from 4 parts turf soil, 1 part sand, leaf soil and humus.
Drainage for the culture consists of brick chips or pieces of coal. All-purpose fertilizers or additives for succulents are ideal as fertilizers. In spring and summer, fertilizing is applied once a month, in autumn and winter - several times less often. It is also necessary to maintain the room temperature at +18 – 25 degrees. With the arrival of autumn and winter it is reduced to +10 - 15, sometimes up to 6 degrees Celsius.
Crassula does not need regular spraying of foliage. It is acceptable to occasionally wipe it with a napkin or damp cloth to remove dust. The plant loves regular ventilation. But at the same time, drafts should not be allowed so as not to harm the tree. It is very important to choose the right pot for growing. Because otherwise, crop growth may slow down or stop. Ideally, choose a wide one and not too much tall pot. Because the succulent has a superficial root system. The width should be slightly larger than the crown or equal to it.
The money tree (or crassula) is considered a completely unpretentious plant with strong immunity. But Crassula can suffer from pests and diseases due to unscrupulous care. Any ailment can be cured without much expense if it is detected on early stage, identifying by the signals that the plant gives. One of the common signs is that leaves are falling off.
Who is Crassula
Crassula (crassula) was born in South Africa, and received its name due to its thick and fleshy foliage. It has many varieties and is propagated in two ways: seeds and cuttings.
It is believed that this plant is able to purify the air in the room where it grows, as well as bring prosperity and material wealth to the house. Crassula is called the money tree and is classified as a talisman plant.
Water the fat plant a couple of times a week if the days are hot, and at a temperature of 18–23°C, one watering is enough. Autumn and winter close up heating devices It is better not to keep Crassula, despite its tolerance to dry air.
Feed the fat woman no more than twice a month in the summer and once a month in the winter. The ideal fertilizer for this plant would be one that is suitable for cacti and succulents (only in a dosage reduced by half). Any fertilizing is applied to moist soil.
You can’t replant the fat plant too often. This should be done as a last resort, when root system the plants have already filled the pot. This usually happens once every three years. A mixture for cacti is suitable as soil for the Crassula. You need to take a shallow pot and put a drainage layer on the bottom.
Video: caring for a fat woman
Diagnosis of ailments
At unfavorable conditions and inattentive care, Crassula is affected by diseases.
Table: causes of money tree ailments
| Symptoms of illness | Causes | Corrective measures |
| The leaves turn pale and fall off |
|
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| The stem stretches out | Abundant watering when there is insufficient lighting or during cold periods. |
|
| Red spots on leaves | Bacterial outbreak. | Remove affected leaves. Treat the plant 2-3 times with a complex antibacterial drug (for example, Fitosporin-M) with an interval of 10 days. |
| Slow growth |
| It is necessary to adjust watering, fertilizing and lighting intensity (provide additional lighting for the fat plant for up to 10 hours a day). |
| Trunk rotting | Excessive watering without drying the earthen clod. | If after the drying period the plant has not returned to normal, then replanting will not help. In this case, the Crassula can be saved only by rooting the surviving cuttings. |
| Lack of light. | It is necessary to provide the plant with bright, diffused light for 10–12 hours a day. | |
| Softening the foliage | Unregulated watering. | If drying out the earthen clod does not produce results, then replanting is required. The roots should be freed from rot, washed in a solution of potassium permanganate and only then transplanted into new soil. |
|
|
|
| The fat plant is full of moisture, which it receives not only from the soil, but also from the air. Therefore, it evaporates excess water on the surface of the foliage, opening the pores. | It is necessary to adjust watering and reduce air humidity. | |
| Redness of leaves |
|
|
| Silvery coating | The plant has experienced stress and is recovering. | Powder in the form of silver pollen on the leaves is a sign of “pushing out” dead cells. This symptom does not require any action. The fat woman will update itself. |
| The leaves are wrinkled | Strong flood after a long drought. | Such changes in soil conditions harm the plant, it experiences stress and dies. The first symptom of problems is wrinkling of the leaves. |
| Dry brown spots | Insufficient watering. | The fat plant should be watered regularly with warm and settled water until the soil dries 3–5 cm deep. |
| The plant is drying out | With dry leaves, a plant can signal that the earthen ball is over-moistened, or that the roots have filled the entire pot, and it’s time to replant. | If such symptoms appear, it is necessary to inspect the root system and at the same time dry the earthen ball. If the plant is cramped in its previous pot, then it needs to be replanted. |
Photo gallery: symptoms of illness
Withering of the Crassula trunk can occur due to its death during flooding. Drying of the soil provokes the appearance of dry brown spots on the foliage Excessive watering leads to rotting of the stem Sunburn can easily be confused with a disease Softening of foliage and branches can occur when the root system rots If you mercilessly flood the Crassula, its leaves will turn yellow and fall off Black spots on the Crassula may be a sign of a fungus Increased humidity in the soil and air encourages the Crassula to evaporate water through leaf pores Bacteria on the leaves of the Crassula leave such traces as if they are gradually conquering territory from the plant
Treatment of Crassula
In almost all cases of malaise, the plant can be saved. It is important not to let the situation get worse and accept necessary measures during.
The plant turns yellow and drops its leaves
One of the most common problems faced by a grower growing Crassula is leaf loss. There may be several reasons for this. The main one is improper watering.
Irrigation with cold water can destroy the plant. Problems can arise due to differences between air and soil temperatures. Dampness in cold conditions provokes not only the falling of leaves, but also the appearance of mold and the proliferation of fungi, so you need to water the plants with warm, settled water, always taking into account the temperature of the environment.
Improper watering of a plant can lead to loss of foliage
The stem stretches out
When there is not enough light, the plant suffers from a lack of nutrition, because it receives it not only through the soil, assimilated by the roots, but also through the leaves, through photosynthesis. As a result, when there is little lighting, and the fat plant receives watering in the normal amount, the body’s growth accelerates, but the plant does not have time to develop and stretches with all its might upward, towards the light source. Therefore, to form a beautiful bush, you need to place the plant in a well-lit place. But we must not forget that shading from direct sunlight is required.
Lack of light with abundant watering will unsightly stretch the trunk of the Crassula
Crassula grows slowly
This problem does not have a clear solution. If the development of the fat woman is too slow, you need to think about correct mode watering, lighting and fertilizing. During the dormant period, the plant must be provided with proper conditions.
The trunk rots, the leaves become soft or wrinkled
These symptoms are caused by too much water in the soil. The first step is to dry the soil well. You may have to transplant the fat plant into new soil. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that the plant will not be able to recover. Then the solution would be to propagate Crassula using healthy cuttings.
Crassula leaves wrinkle due to heavy flooding after drought
If the fat woman has been sitting on a lighted window for a long time without watering, then you should not immediately rush to water it. The fact is that the roots of the plant, without moisture, shriveled and dried out, and after newly received water they will begin to straighten out. If you give them more moisture than they can absorb in this state, the roots will crack and may rot in a new environment that is too damp.
It is not surprising that the leaves of a flooded flower become wrinkled after suffering from drought.
Black spots appear on the leaves
Gardeners often confuse bacterial spot with sunburn. It is easy to distinguish these spots if you understand the nature of their occurrence. The burn always occurs locally, that is, in the place where the beam was directed, and does not spread in any way after the sun exposure disappears. Dark spots resulting from a bacterial infection gradually invade the leaf blade.
For treatment against bacteria and fungi, it is very effective to use the drug Fitosporin-M. One part of the substance is thoroughly dissolved in two parts of water, and then the resulting mixture is diluted again with water 10 times and the fat plant is treated with this solution on the foliage.
The plant is lethargic, its parts are drying out A wilting plant may indicate that the roots are already cramped in the pot. This means it's time to replant the Crassula. Doing so better in spring . Of course, if the plant is sick and in danger of dying, then you cannot wait.
In addition, a drying plant signals an incorrect watering regime - excessive or insufficient.
The leaves are turning red
Excess light and lack of fresh air leads to reddening of the leaves.
The roots darken and rot
If the malaise of the fat plant is detected and it is caused by rotting of the roots, then saving it, when the trunk of the money tree has not yet had time to blacken and rot, can only be done by replanting after treating the root system. To do this, remove the plant from the pot and thoroughly rinse the roots under warm water. running water, and then, after carefully examining the processes, remove the damaged areas. After the plant has only healthy roots left, dip them in a light crimson solution of potassium permanganate for 15–20 minutes to disinfect.
To avoid the development of bacterial infection and fungus, which could also cause the root system to become diseased, it is recommended to plant Crassula only in treated and disinfected soil and pot. To do this, the earth is calcined in the oven for an hour at 200 o C, and the pot is doused with boiling water, steam, or rinsed with a steep manganese solution or a 20% bleach solution.
White dots or silvery coating appeared on the leaves
Light dots indicate that the plant is oversaturated with water. In this case, it is necessary to dry the soil by reducing watering. A silvery coating is a sign that the plant has experienced stress and is now recovering. There is no need to take any measures other than proper care.
A silvery coating on Crassula leaves indicates recovery from stress.
Why does the fat woman get sick and how to deal with it
There are also dangers arising from the activity of fungi or bacteria that love dampness and cold. Plants with weak immunity are especially susceptible to them.
Crassula fungus infection
The most common causes of illness in the fat woman are fungi and bacteria. Their appearance can be triggered by an excess or lack of air or soil moisture, air temperature or lighting.
The most vulnerable period of time for Crassula is winter, when daylight hours are short. In addition, there are constant temperature changes in houses due to the low temperature outside the window in combination with the operation of the heating system.
Crassula can be affected by wet rot or gray rot, the occurrence of which is provoked by fungi. In this case, brown spots appear on plant tissues, increasing over time and eventually covering the entire plant. It is necessary to transplant Crassula into new soil in time or root healthy cuttings (when the disease is not yet in an advanced stage).
Otherwise, the rot will quickly spread throughout the entire bush and the plant will die.
The process of spreading putrefactive lesions can be stopped by sharply reducing watering and increasing ventilation. The affected areas of the bush are cut off, and the wounds are disinfected with potassium permanganate, brilliant green or an alcohol solution. After processing, the sections are powdered with ash or crushed coal.
Crassula infection by bacteria
Identifying a bacterial infection of Crassula is very problematic, since the external symptoms of the disease are practically indistinguishable from fungal ones. Rot caused by bacteria can be treated with fungicides. A series of antibiotic foliar treatments are then carried out using penicillin or gentamicin. Penicillin does not have a toxic effect on plants even in severe doses. Therefore, you don’t have to be afraid to destroy the fat woman, especially since the most effective assistance
she will need injections, and it is better to turn to specialists with this question.
Pests
The scale insect is quite easy to detect: light brown tubercles or spots with a yellow tint can be seen on the surface of the leaf and stem.
It's not difficult to fight her. Insects are collected by hand, and then the plant is treated with a soap solution or Fitoverm. This bio-product must be used according to the instructions; it is safe for humans and plants, but extremely effective against plant pests. The scale leaves on the Crassula obvious signs
your presence Spider mite - very small insect
, which causes enormous damage to the plant. Despite its small size, the tick can be seen with the naked eye. It looks like a small gray or red dot that is in constant motion. A clear manifestation of a mite attack is a cobweb enveloping the leaves of the Crassula, as well as yellowing or browning of the leaves.
Spider mites leave visible marks on the occupied plant If you find a tick on the Crassula, you should immediately spray the plant and immediately put a bag on the Crassula, tightening it on the pot. In conditions the tick will die. Other means to combat the pest are a soap solution or the Apollo preparation.
This is a fairly frequent visitor to the Crassula. It likes to be located on the roots and in the axils of leaves, feeding plant tissues and gradually weakening the bush’s immunity. In addition, it spoils the appearance of Crassula, covering the greens with powdery secretions that resemble cotton wool.
The mealybug on the Crassula is visible to the naked eye
The scale insect is easily washed off the foliage with a stream of water. After getting rid of insects, Crassula is treated with a cotton swab dipped in an alcohol solution or garlic infusion. The drugs Fufanon and Actellik also cope well with the pest.
The root bug settles on the roots of the fat plant. It's not easy to find him there. This usually happens during the spring transfer of the plant to another pot.
If a scale insect attacks, you should wash the roots of the plant under running water (temperature 50°C), and then treat the root bundle in a solution of Fufanon or Actellik (twice with an interval of 7–8 days).
The root bug unfolds its activity inside the root system
What to do to revive Crassula
The most common problem in keeping Crassula is trunk rot. Having received a beautiful mini-tree with fleshy foliage, the beginner, apparently, succumbs to the false impression that such greenery must be fed intensively, and begins to mercilessly flood the Crassula.
Meanwhile, if the soil in which the crassula grows is not allowed to dry out, excess moisture at the root collar will cause tissue rotting and the stem will separate from the roots. In this case, it is impossible to revive the plant.
The plant can only be saved by rooting cuttings. To do this, you need to perform a certain algorithm of actions.
- The plant must be carefully examined and healthy cuttings of at least 10–12 cm must be selected.
- The selected cuttings are carefully separated from the mother plant and left to lie at room temperature for a day to wither.
- The branches are rooted in water. First, their trunk is exposed, clearing of leaves. Cuttings standing in water should not be in bright sun; they will be more comfortable in partial shade. By the third week, the plants will be ready to move into a separate pot.
- To transplant a rooted branch into a pot, you should prepare the container: rinse the pots in hot water with soap, and then disinfected in a strong solution of potassium permanganate. The container should not be large, as it is a transfer point for the cuttings.
- A 7-8 cm drainage layer of expanded clay is laid on the bottom of the pot, and half the container is filled with a mixture of equal parts on top. river sand and turf land.
- Using a pencil, make a 2-3 cm hole in the pot with soil, where the cutting is carefully placed.
- Not reaching the edge of the pot 2 cm, add the remaining soil mixture.
- The cuttings are watered with settled water at room temperature. Each subsequent moistening is carried out only after the earthen clod has dried.
- A young plant cannot be moved to another place until it is completely rooted in the soil and finally transplanted.
Video: how to make Crassula bloom
There has long been a stereotype that the fat woman is one of the most unpretentious plants. Despite the resistance of Crassula to many factors, it can fall ill due to the simple inattention of the grower. Timely measures taken will save the plant.
The flower holds up fine bad light and lack of watering long time. For this reason, novice flower growers love this plant. Besides easy care it attracts appearance and the ability to attract wealth to the home. But even the hardy fat woman sometimes develops all sorts of diseases.
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The lifespan of Crassula directly depends on growing conditions. If everything suits her, she will delight her owners for decades, without changing her color, but only increasing in size. There are specimens that live up to fifty years. However, owners often do not have the patience to care for it for more than 20-30 years. Moreover, the first flowering is observed only ten years after planting.
Sometimes a flower begins to have a problem with leaves falling off. The spectacle looks sad, so it is necessary to quickly figure out why the money tree is shedding its leaves in order to stop this process. There may be several reasons:
To stop leaf falling, it is worth identifying the cause and eliminating it.
For example, if there is an excess of fertilizers, the money tree should be transplanted to another soil. Helps deal with pests special means. In case of excessive lighting, the flower is covered with newspapers. If the watering mode is incorrect, it is adjusted in the right direction. The water should be at room temperature. An aging fat woman is rejuvenated by circumcision.
Typically, a plant experiences a similar disease if it is watered too often. Inexperienced gardeners believe that Crassula needs water immediately after the soil dries. However, in warm weather it requires watering once a week, and in winter - only once a month.
If the leaves become soft, the flower can be revived. The young fat plant is taken out of the pot, the roots are carefully cleaned with a knife, placed in a glass of water, and only then replanted in new soil. Mature tree It is not recommended to remove it from the pot. It is enough to remove the wet substrate, replacing it with dry soil. Watering stops completely.
The problem is also observed in the presence of pests. In this case, special preparations and treating the foliage with a sponge and soap will help.
IN natural conditions habitat, the fat woman is accustomed to receiving food as a result of a desperate struggle for survival, so she is fed quite rarely. In spring and summer, the procedure is carried out once a month, and in autumn and winter - once every two months. Beginning flower growers prefer to buy cactus solution in florist shops for this purpose, using it in accordance with the instructions. Moreover, in cold weather the solution is made twice as weak so as not to harm the plant.
Crassula requires the following nutrients:
Usually, a universal fertilizer is used to feed the plant, but calcium can also be added using a prepared composition from egg shells, or an infusion from it.
To do this, the shells are washed, dried, ground into a fine powder, and then added to the money tree pot. It is recommended to place such fertilizer at the bottom of the container for the fat plant when replanting for drainage. The shell layer will facilitate the flow of air to the root system and prevent waterlogging of the soil.
The infusion is prepared as follows: place ten shells in a liter jar, pour boiling water over them, and leave for two weeks in a place where light does not penetrate. The resulting liquid is used to water Crassula.
The soil in the pot should be moist before the procedure. The next day, the tree is sprayed with warm water.
White coating on the leaves of the Crassula
If harmful substances are found on the money tree mealybugs, they are immediately destroyed by wiping the surface of the fatty mushroom with a soap solution.
A sponge or brush is used for this. Insecticides also help in the fight against scale insects. But they should be used if the soap solution does not have the desired effect.
Crassula has no specific pests. On it you can see the usual ones for everyone indoor plants insects:
Withdraw spider mite pretty hard. His presence is given away yellow spots on the foliage of a flower. If the initial stage of the disease is missed, then cobwebs and the pests themselves appear between the leaves. They quickly adapt to insecticides, so it is advisable to alternate special preparations. The treatment should be combined with washing the plant with soapy water, infusion of garlic or tobacco. It is recommended to wipe all nearby surfaces with the solution to destroy insect eggs.
It is impossible to notice the scale insect at an early stage of its appearance. Crassula owners know about the damage when they see red, brown and yellow spots on the leaves. The pest is extremely dangerous, so the actions of flower growers must be prompt. It is necessary to smear the insects with kerosene, then manually remove them from the fat plant. Next, the wood is treated with a solution of soap or tobacco. Then it is washed with a swab soaked in clean water. Finally, the use of an insecticidal drug is required.
Mealybug causes flower growth to slow down, shoots to bend, and leaves to fall off. This pest is recognized by white deposits on the leaf axils. If the fight is not started on time, sooty fungi develop.
After treatment, the Crassula should be transplanted into another pot, or the existing container should be disinfected and the soil replaced. Care remains the same.
Thus, although the money tree is hardy and unpretentious, sometimes it is also subject to various diseases and exposure to pests. To prevent the plant from dying, you should start the fight against the ailments of the fat plant in time. If you monitor the condition of the flower and properly care for it, it can live for many decades.Video about how to properly care for a money tree and protect it from diseases and pests:
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