Crassula Baby Necklace has small, fleshy, and tightly stacked leaves that grow along its thin stem. Its grayish-green leaves have beautiful red in bright light on the margin, intensifying with more sun exposure. It can grow up to 8 inches tall and 4 inches wide.
The form of this succulent resembles a string of beads or a beaded necklace of a baby, which is why it is called Baby Necklace.
Like other Crassula species, Crassula Baby Necklace blooms white, tiny flowers from late spring to early summer.
Crassula Baby Necklace Care Guide
The Crassula Baby Necklace could be an unchallenging plant to grow because it could thrive in a short period of neglect. However, even if you are a beginner, there’s nothing to worry about when growing Baby Necklace.
If you plan to grow this succulent, here are the following essential care guides you must need to consider.
Watering Procedure
In growing succulents, proper watering is essential. It can be a bit tricky because it generally depends on the current climate where you live. There is no specific schedule for when to water your succulents.
During summer, Crassula Baby Necklace needs frequent watering. The warmer the climate, the more it needs watering as the soil gets quicker to dry.
Watering your succulents also depends on where you planted your Baby Necklace. Succulents grown indoors need less watering than outdoors because they have different environments, temperatures, and lighting conditions.
Less watering doesn’t mean a small amount of water. Instead, it means reducing the frequency of your watering.
The soil’s moisture can be the indication of whether your Baby Necklace needs watering or not. You can check the soil’s moisture by sticking your finger in the top inch of the ground. You can also use a moisture meter to measure the soil’s moisture. If the soil feels wet, do not water it yet. Water only if the ground is dehydrated.
You can also tell if your succulent is lacking in water through its leaves. If the leaves of your succulents get wrinkled, it is time to water your succulents thoroughly.
If grown in a container, water your succulent thoroughly until the excess water run through the drainage holes. Then, remember to pour off the excess water from the draining saucer.
Soil Requirement
Another essential element in growing Crassula Baby Necklace is the soil. Like other succulents, this plant requires well-draining soil. Using fast-draining soil prevents your succulents from getting root rot. Otherwise, if the medium isn’t fast-draining, sitting for a long time in wet develops molds and bacteria.
A well-draining soil composes two materials, organic and inorganic. Combine one part of organic material, regular potting soil, and two parts of inorganic material: pumice, perlite, or coarse sand.
This particular mix for succulents has superior drainage and will dry out quickly after watering.
You can also create a medium for your succulents to make it easier to drain if you live in humid locations.
Lighting Conditions
Like other succulents, Baby Necklace will thrive best if you provide adequate sunlight. They need at least four to six hours of bright light to grow healthy and stunning.
If you want to grow them outdoors, put them in place to get morning sunlight rather than afternoon sunlight. Protect your Baby Necklace from the scorching sun in the afternoon to prevent the leaves from burning.
Other succulent growers want to grow their Baby Necklace indoors as decoration. However, it may not thrive if they lack bright light. Consider putting them in locations where they can receive enough light, preferably near windows or window sill.
Baby Necklace tends to stretch out or elongated if they lack light. If you notice this kind of behavior, move your Baby Necklace to a brighter location. Using grow light is another option to provide adequate light if grown indoors without enough light.
Pots and Repotting the Crassula Baby Necklace
Repotting your Crassula Baby Necklace after buying from Nurseries or Garden Centers is a must. Plants from Nurseries usually comes with a plastic container and different kind of soil.
To repot your Baby Necklace succulent, knock off the old soil and transfer it into a new container with suitable soil for succulents.
In choosing containers for your plants, it is vital to have drainage holes. Without drainage holes, your succulent will likely die due to root rot.
Crassula Baby Necklace will look nice if grown in hanging baskets or adorable tiny pots as a display to your house. It is also a perfect addition to any succulent arrangements.
Temperature
Crassula Baby Necklace is not cold-hardy succulent. They can tolerate mild frost and cold temperatures but not for a prolonged period.
If you live in USDA hardiness zones below 9, it is best to plant Baby Necklace in a container that you can bring indoors. They will never survive in locations that have extreme winter conditions if not grown indoors.
Crassula Baby Necklace can thrive at an ideal temperature of 65°F to 70ºF in summer.
Fertilizer
Fertilizing Crassula Baby Necklace is not necessary. However, to ensure their proper growth and encourage blooms, they may need help.
For a plant to produce flowers, they need lots of energy, and feeding them with nutrients will help them bloom.
The ideal time to fertilize your plant is during the growing season or spring and summer months.
Apply a balanced blend of fertilizer diluted to half strength every two weeks of the growing season.
Crassula Baby Necklace Propagation
Crassula Baby Necklace is a beautiful succulent. It is one of the most attractive succulents that you will ever see. You will love to see more of these tiny plants around your house as natural ornaments.
This suuculent is one of the easiest plants to propagate because it will only take few steps.
- Make sure that the plant you want to propagate is mature already.
- Select several healthy-looking stems just in case some of them don’t make it.
- Cut stems with a clean pair of scissors or pruning shears.
- Remove excess leaves from the stems’ cut end to expose some nodes from which new roots will grow.
- Allow the stems to dry for a couple of hours or a day to heal the cut part. Some succulents need more extended periods to dry because they have thick stems. Crassula Baby Necklace has thin stalks allowing it to dry quickly. You can also dip the cut-end in rooting hormone to speed up the process and for a higher chance of success.
- Prepare a small container, preferably 2-3 inches pot, and filled it with succulent soil mix.
- Stick the cut end of the stem cuttings into the soil.
- Please place it in a bright, shaded place and avoid exposing it to direct sunlight.
- Mist them once in a while but do not water them thoroughly until they developed new roots, about two weeks.
- Expect them to be fully rooted after four to six weeks. You can also see new growth at the side of the stem cutting at this point.
Switch to regular watering from misting and reduce the frequency of watering as the plant matures. You can also increase the amount of light once the plant is fully rooted and established.
Crassula Baby Necklace Pests and Problems
Before buying or bringing plants into your home, always check it and the container for signs of pests. It is best to transfer your plant to a new pot to check the soil and check the roots thoroughly.
Always remember not to put your newly bought plants near your other plants. To be extra safe, you can quarantine your freshly purchased plants for a month before joining them with others.
Unfortunately, Crassula Baby Necklace is susceptible to pests and insects. If not treated early, it will die. Always check your Baby Necklace every time you water them to prevent problems from spreading.
In growing succulents, there are few common pests known to be destructive to your lovely plants.
Mealybugs are seriously deadly to succulents if not treated early. They sucked the moisture from the plants, resulting in wrinkly leaves, and eventually dried up your Baby Necklace.
Mealybugs
These are tiny white soft-bodied insects and appear with small, white, cottony, weblike substance. Sometimes you may not notice those tiny insects because they hide in the crevices of the leaves.
It is easier to dispose of the plant if the infestation is too heavy. If light infestations, pick off mealybugs with cotton tips dipped in alcohol.
Another option is an organic spray, but make sure to scrape off any wax and insects, which also serves as added protection.
Aphids
These are small sap-sucking insects in the superfamily Aphodoidea. You can often see them feeding in clusters on new plant growth.
Ants and aphids can form mutually beneficial relationships that make infestations even worse. For example, ants protect aphids from predators in return for honeydew secretions.
You can treat aphid infestations with a strong jet of water to remove the insects from the plants. You can also use a light soap mixture sprayed on the plant.
If this happens, allow the plant to dry out completely and cut back the watering. If the soil is not fast-drying enough, consider replacing the medium with more well-draining soil.
Sunburn
Another problem that you may encounter is the browning of the leaves, which is a sign of sunburn. Consider moving your Baby Necklace into the shader part of your garden or indoors during the summer months. Extreme heat from the afternoon sun could also burn the leaves of your succulents.
If you are a busy person and forgot to water your Baby Necklace, expect the plant’s leaves to be withered and wrinkled. Withered leaves could be a sign that your plant is underwatered and needs a good drink. Immediately drench your plant thoroughly to keep them hydrated. After few hours or so, the leaves will begin to perk up.
