A string of pearls is one of the good-looking plants I saw in succulents. This looks very good for home indoor. This plant mostly suffers from leaves turning black, white, purple, and brown.
if we didn’t take good care at an earlier stage of the plant then it’s difficult to take care after. sometimes plants may even die.
The string of Pearls plant turning black due to low lighting or overexposure of light, under watering or over watering, low humidity, pest or bacterial infestation, or it may be physical stress for the plant. Identifying the exact cause and taking proper care helps the plant to recover faster.
Low or over-exposure light conditions and Overwatering or underwatering will make plants susceptible to weak and it gets diseases.
No need to worry about this problem, if you take good care of the plant it is totally recoverable from this stage, If you didn’t take action for your string of pearls plant leads to get infested by pests and fungal infestation.
Let’s look into what are the reasons behind black spots on the string of pearls plant. I followed exactly the below steps to recover my plant from turning black.
1. Low exposure or over exposure to Sunlight or any artificial light for string of pearls plant
To keep the plant healthy light is essential. The string of pearls can tolerate low exposure to sunlight. But it grows well in bright indirect light.
If you keep the string of pearls plant in low light and give more water. This will remain wet for more time, so this is a problem for the plant.
If the plant gets enough sunlight then the soil will not be moist for a longer time, This also helps in preventing mold and pest infestation.
Give six to eight hours of bright light to help the plant. It cannot tolerate the harsh afternoon sunlight.
Long stems and black leaves are signs of incorrect lighting conditions. Relocating the plant where it gets bright indirect sunlight should solve the problem.
2. Overwatering or Underwatering string of pearls plant
Don’t water the plant blindly with the duration (1 or 2 days interval). Check the soil before you water the string of pearls plant.
Avoid watering if the top layer of the soil is already moist. you can check the soil moisture by moisture meter or simply by finger.
Overwatering leads to the major problems of plant-like root rot and fungal infections, when a string of pearls plant overwatered, the plant will die if action is not taken in time.
Water thoroughly but don’t overwater the plant. Ensure you have a drainage hole in the pot so that water won’t stay a long time in the pot.
Water once or twice a week is more than enough for the string of pearls plant during summer, if it is winter then I only water once every week.
Nutrition deficiency behind the pearls turning black, brown, and yellow.
3. Sudden Temperature changes
A string of pearls plant does better under room temperature. The sudden change that is rise or fall in temperature will give a shock to the succulent plants and cause black leaves.
The shock will make the plant turn brown or black, Don’t expose the plant to cold or hot climate change.
relocate the plant indoors to make it feel better.
4. Pest investation and Molds problem of string of pearls plant
Pest Investation
A string of pearls plant is mostly affected by bugs or pests as sap-sucking creatures that drain the nutrients from plants and weaken the string of pearl plants.
Mealybugs are one of the bugs which can easily be found on plants, white substance on a string of pearl plants. These bugs easily multiply in less time and cause many problems for a good-looking string of pearls succulent plant.
When these pests are attacked lead to white molds on plants and stop the growth of plants.
Spider mites on a string of pearls plant. If you find the web-like structure on a plant then it is affected by spider mites. They are commonly in red color and belong to the spider family.
Scale infection is also one of the things we found in strings of pearls. use the below solution to fix the problems.
we need to keep checking always if the string of pearls is attacked by any pests if they are not identified at an early stage then they can kill the plant.
Solution:
- seperate the infected plant from other plants, prune the infected and damaged part of the plant.
- Dip the cotton in rubbing alchol and dab the areas where you notice the insects,
- Use insecticides to plant that attacks the outer body of pests and kill them.
- Use 1 tea spoon of Neem oil with 1 gallon of water and spray it on the plant every 7-14 days.
- wash the plant under running water to get rid of certain pests such as spider mites.
- Use Horticulture oil to fix the scale infection on string of pearl plants.
Molds
The white substance on the top layer of the soil basically molds and they are harmless, If you leave the molds untreated then it will attract other problems for the plant.
Make sure the plant doesn’t sit on excess water after watering, use well drainable soil. provide sufficient light and adequate water.
Keep checking plants once they have molds so that you won’t miss any signs.
Solution:
- Provide sufficient sunlight to plant.
- give adequate water to plant.
- make sure plant doesn’t sit on excess water for too long.
- Use well drainable soil so that it won’t sit in water.
- Use filter water to watering string of pearls plant (to eliminate excess salts like fluoride).
- Don’t water blindly check soil before watering.
- Reduce the watering during winter as the plant is in dormant period.
5. Less Fertilization problem for string of pearls plant
Inadequate fertilizer will make plant stunted growth. As a sign plant will turn leaves to black to show nutrition deficiency.
Feed the succulent every 2 months during spring and summer. Don’t apply fertilizer in winter because the plant will be in a dormant period.
FAQ:
Q. Why Is My string of Pearls Turning Black?
A. The string of Pearls plant turning black due to low lighting or overexposure of light, under watering or over watering, low humidity, pest or bacterial infestation, or it may be physical stress for the plant. Identifying the exact cause and taking proper care helps the plant to recover faster.
Q. When Do We Need To Fertilize String Of Pearls Plant?
A. The string of Pearls plant needs fertilization every 2 months during spring and summer. Don’t apply fertilizer in winter because the plant will be in a dormant period. If you apply in winter then it will harm the plant.
Final Thoughts:
The string of pearls turns black due to low lighting or overexposure of light, under watering or over watering, low humidity, pest or bacterial infestation, or it may be physical stress for the plant. To fix appropriately follow the above methods.
Let me know your feedback in the comments.
