How to grow live stones at home?

Lithops are very beautiful unique plants that outwardly resemble stones, inside which a flower has settled. In nature, there are 37 species of these "living stones" from the Aiz family. Each species has its own color, making it invisible in the environment. Growing lithops is easy. Any florist who has had experience of keeping succulents can handle this. The most important rule for caring for "living stones" is moderate watering: they cannot tolerate excessively high moisture.

The natural conditions in which lithops grow are rocky slopes and African deserts, so they are very fond of high temperatures. "Living stones" can withstand temperature drops from +5 to +50 degrees, but they are very afraid of high humidity.

Watering these plants should be abundant so that all the soil in the container is wet, but at the same time all moisture should drain very quickly through the drainage holes. Plants need to be watered every two to three weeks. During the period from January to March, lithops hibernate, so there is no need to water them at all at this time.

Typically, these plants are propagated by cuttings. But you can also grow a "living stone" from seeds.

Existing seeds need to be soaked in water for 4 hours. After that, it is necessary to scatter the wet seeds from the bag over the soil surface, and lay a layer of sand 1 mm thick on them. Cover the pot with glass or a thick plastic sheet. Every day, the seeds must be sprayed, and then the greenhouse must be ventilated for 5-10 minutes. Sowing can be done at any time of the year, but Lithops emerge best in mid-July, because their seeds like high temperatures - about + 25-28 degrees.

After two weeks, sprouts will appear, then the glass can be removed from the pot. The container with sprouted seeds must be placed in a bright place, instead of watering, sprinkle them every day. After about 5-6 months, the seedlings can be dived. But the best time to transplant small lithops into separate pots is at the end of March.

Lithops are grown in very poor soil, which is based on sand. The main thing is that it allows air and water to pass through well. You can buy a store mix for cacti for "living stones", add river sand and drainage to it - crushed expanded clay, gravel, pebbles, broken brick. Be sure to lay a layer of stones on the bottom of the pot and on the surface of the soil. Lithops look very nice in a bowl together with other succulents.Such a composition is not only beautiful, but also useful for lithops: neighbors take away excess moisture from them.

In the first year of independent life, lithops do not feed. If lithops are not transplanted into another soil, after a year they begin to fertilize with a nutrient mixture for cacti, half diluted with water. Such feeding is carried out in every month of summer and in the first month of autumn.

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These are the most unusual of the green inhabitants of our planet. Since ancient times, each of the lithops has lived in a separate territory, among fragments of stones and rocks, copying the shape and color of the surrounding boulders. With visual contact, it is impossible to determine that these are plants until you touch them with your hands. How to grow lithops, amazing and amazing living stones, this article will tell.

Description of lithops

Living stones of lithops are characterized by a huge variety of petal colors during flowering - from carmine and lilac to white, cream, yellow. Flowers in appearance differ little from ordinary daisies and are comparable in size to or exceed the leaves. And when the mass flowering of living stones begins in their habitat, then this spectacle is one of the most delightful in nature.

Lithops Lithops is a genus of succulent plants of the Aizov family, numbering more than 30 species. Such "pebbles" come from the sandy and rocky deserts of Namibia, South Africa and Botswana. Living in natural conditions, they have adapted to the harshest conditions of existence in an arid desert climate. And in order not to become the prey of wild animals, which sometimes have nothing to eat in these harsh places, they disguise themselves as rocky ground with such care that you can distinguish them from real stones only if you touch them.

Lithops form vast colonies, populating dehydrated places of the planet, on the most impossible soil - quartz, limestone, granite. The terrestrial part of lithops consists of two thick leaves that have grown together, containing a reserve of moisture, consuming it during the most severe drought. The gap between them is shallow or can reach the ground itself, cutting the "stone" into two halves. New leaves and inflorescences appear from this cut.

Young lithops shares a root with the mother plant until it dies. The color and pattern of the leaves follows the pattern and color of the stones of the surrounding area. The underground part of the lithops consists of a short stem and a long root that goes deep into the sand in search of life-giving moisture. With the onset of drought, the roots pull the entire plant in depth so that it practically disappears from the surface. Lithops flower is similar to chamomile - in young plants, they close at night. This way they save moisture.

How to care for lithops

Living stones lithops how to care for succulents at home Reproduction by seeds Photo of flowers

In order to avoid mistakes when keeping lithops, one should understand the cyclical nature and conditions of its growth in the homeland. Live stones are often sold, and the only reason for the low prevalence of these interesting plants is a poor knowledge of their biology and, as a result, improper care, which leads to their death.

It is a very decorative but also extremely sensitive plant.They peek out from under the sandy ground to get their share of the sunlight. These small succulents are extremely varied in color. The top of the leaves is mottled and can be dark red-brown or yellowish, orange, blueberry, dark purple.

Spots, lines and streaks on the surface are a kind of windows through which the plant covered with sand absorbs weak light. With the onset of spring, a pair of new leaves appears from the gap, which replaces the old ones, which have given up their strength to resume growth.

• Lithops feels great on light windowsills, reacts positively to airing.
• He needs direct sunlight or artificial lighting for 12 hours every day for 4 hours.
• In low light, the plant may die.
• In winter, it is worth keeping the temperature at 10-15 degrees. Since December, watering is completely stopped, resuming it in March. Lithops can be sprayed only occasionally. Its life cycle ends - it consumes moisture from dying leaves.
• Watering begins in spring, when a new life cycle begins, resulting in new leaves.

The best way to water is to pour water into the pan and pour out the rest after 10 minutes. Or place the container in a bowl with moist peat, which is periodically moistened. At the end of our summer, the life of the lithops stops again - watering should be stopped. In September, lithops bloom, after which watering is again reduced. During the growing season, you can put the container with "pebbles" outside under a canopy to prevent rain drops.

Leaving for a dormant period, it ceases to develop, and its leaves fade. Having noticed these signs, it is worth stopping watering and placing the pots in a bright, cool place.

Twice a year, you can fertilize with complex fertilizer, which should be added to the water for irrigation in minimal quantities. This should only be done for plants that have not been transplanted for more than 2 years.

Soil for lithops

Growing lithops How to grow lithops Reproduction and care photos of species

For live stones, pots with a height of about 7 cm are selected. When selecting a container, the size of the root system is taken into account - too much soil will lead to acidification, decay and death of the root system. Be sure to arrange drainage at the bottom of the planting tank.

• The soil substrate can be prepared from the store soil for succulents, sand, perlite (1: 2: 2).
• Live rocks can be planted in wide bowls in combination with other desert succulents.
• It is necessary to grow living stones in groups - this is how they grow in nature, closely pressed against each other. Planted alone, they grow poorly, do not bloom and may die.
• It is good to do mulching with small decorative stones: this will have a positive effect on the microclimate in the soil and will create an additional decoration for the composition.

Most succulents are not picky about the composition of the soil - the main thing is that it passes water well and does not contain a lot of humus. To reduce acidity, crushed wood ash or chalk is included in its composition.

Diseases and pests of living stones

• Well-groomed lithops are rarely susceptible to pest attacks and the development of diseases.
• If signs of the disease are noticed, the affected particle is cut out with a knife, and the wound is dried and sprinkled with activated carbon.
• Sometimes they are affected by mushroom gnats or worms, which happens with excessive watering. In this case, the soil substrate is watered with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate, followed by drying.

Lithops from seeds at home

How to grow lithops from seeds Growing lithops from seeds Photo of seedlings

Seed propagation of lithops is quite simple. It is better to immediately purchase a bag of the mixture - then you will get many different types at the same time.

• Sowing is carried out in a wide, shallow dish with a transparent lid and drainage holes.
• The soil mixture for sowing is prepared from standard store soil, sand, perlite (1: 2: 2).
• The soil is thoroughly moistened and seeds are distributed over the surface as rarely as possible. Sprinkle thinly with sand on top, cover the container with a lid or glass, cling film.
• Seeds do not lose their qualities for a long time, so the germination rate can be 100%. They germinate unevenly. The first ones may appear during the first week.
• To accustom small plants to air and for ventilation, the lid on the container is lifted every day.
• Watering is carried out through a pallet - water is poured into it and drained after a while.
• Pebbles grow very slowly. Sometimes they fall on their side, since the roots are not yet sufficiently developed - in this case, we help them to take a vertical position with a toothpick, pressing them a little into the ground.
• It is better if the container with seedlings is placed in a sunny place.

The first flowering under optimal conditions can occur 3 years after sowing.
Living stones grow very slowly - this can be used to create mini-compositions that will remain in their original form for several years. Lithops literally emit positive energy that people in the room feel.

When properly planted, they require almost no maintenance - you can forget about them for several weeks. And "pebbles" will only be grateful to you for this, because they do not like excessive attention. Such a composition is ideal for people who cannot devote a sufficient amount of their time to caring for indoor plants, but want to have a living corner at home. Lithops will perfectly cope with this task, creating a piece of the unique landscape of the sultry desert in the house.

Lithops species

Living stone Conophytum Lithops Conophytum

Succulent Lithops Conophytum Lithops Conophytum photo How to grow

Its leaves are connected, and at the top of the rounded "stone" there is a scanty hole for flowers and leaves of the next season.

Living stone Argyroderma Lithops Argyroderma

Lithops argyroderma Lithops Argyroderma how to grow a photo

It imitates sharp pebble chips, its paired leaves are somewhat pointed at the top and loosely adjoin each other. The name of this species alludes to the silver color of the leaf skin.

Living Stone Fenestraria Lithops Fenestraria and Fritia Lithops Frithia

Lithops fenestraria Lithops Fenestraria growing and caring for succulent photos

Keg-like leaves form continuous thickets. They are slightly distant from each other so that the rounded shape of each does not undergo deformation.

Lithops pseudo-chopped Lithops pseudotruncatella

Lithops pseudo-chopped lithops pseudotruncatella photo of flowers

It is distinguished by the presence of a shallow break and a pinkish-gray color of leaves with a pattern of a more intense shade. Golden yellow buds appear in the fall.

Lithops salt tolerant Lithops solicola

Lithops salt tolerant Lithops solicola photo How to care

Outwardly, it looks like a slingshot, which is stuck in the ground. The upper side is darker than the lateral ones. During flowering, a chrysanthemum-shaped snow-white flower shoots.

Lithops beautiful lithops bella

Lithops beautiful Lithops bella photo Growing and care at home

A deep rift is visible between the olive-gray leaves. The pattern on the surface is formed by thick broken lines, and the flowering is accompanied by a pleasant aroma.

Lithops fuller

Lithops Fuller Lithops fuller maintenance and care Photo of succulents

Height does not exceed 1.5 cm. Leaves are gray-blue or brownish-yellow with a convex top surface covered with brownish-green pattern and red-brown spots. The flower is a white daisy.

Lithops Optics Lithops Optica

Lithops Optics Lithops Optica photo How to grow and care for a cactus lithops photo

These stones are painted in a lilac-lilac tone, and the inner surface is slightly lighter and does not grow more than 3 cm. The white flower with yellow stamens is located deep in the crevice.

Lithops Olive green Lithops Olivaceae

Lithops Olive green Lithops Olivaceae how to care photo

Its shape resembles a heart with cut tops. These are greenish-gray pebbles with whitish chaotically located specks. Delicate yellow buds are located on light green peduncles.

Lithops Marble Lithops Marmorata

Lithops Marble Lithops Marmorata growing and care at home photo

Their upper gray-greenish surface, dotted with many gray lines, looks velvety. Chamomile flowers bloom after rain.

Lithops Lesliei

Lithops Leslie Lithops Lesliei how to grow indoors photo

Its fleshy leaves are strongly shortened, gray-blue in color with a shallow arcuate crack. Their flat part is dotted with a fine mesh pattern.

Lithops Brownish Lithops Fulviceps

Lithops Brownish Lithops Fulviceps growing and care in indoor conditions photo

Irregular stains are scattered over the coffee-brown flat surface of these stones, giving the impression of a squeezed out irregular grid. The diameter of the yellow flower reaches 3 cm.

Lithops Aucamp Lithops Aucampiae

Lithops Aucamp Lithops Aucampiae cultivation and care at home photo

Intense chocolate shade with lighter blotches of leaves resembles chocolate truffles.

The Lithops received the intriguing name "living stones" for a reason. The natural habitat of these curious plants of the succulent family is the rocky deserts of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa. Lithops grow on rocks and disguise themselves as they do not get eaten. The appearance of the plant is unusual: a pair of fleshy fused leaves, about 2 cm in size. They really look like a flat stone, split in half. A peduncle emerges from the "gap". Flowers are yellow, white, rarely orange. They look a bit like daisies. Bloom period: July - October.

Like all desert plants, lithops have long roots that go deep into the depths, which is due to evolution: after all, they have to extract water from the depths.

During a drought, lithops "hide" in the ground, trying to preserve the moisture stored in the leaves.

What lithops are, photos of living stones

There are more than 40 species of lithops in nature, but only 15 can be grown at home, and some of them are artificially bred hybrids.

So: what lithops can be grown at home:

Lithops Aucampiae

A plant with small, 2 - 3 cm, rounded leaves of green, brown or bluish shade with dark spots on the upper part. The "gap" between the leaves is deep. Lithops flower Aucamp is bright yellow, fluffy.

Photo. Lithops Aucampiae

Lithops Lesliei

Small, about a centimeter and a half leaves, usually brown with a pinkish, gray or white tint. But there are also red-greens. These babies bloom with large, 5 cm, yellow flowers and slightly smell nice.

Photo. Lithops Aucampiae

Lithops Marmorata

Similar to Leslie's lithops, but the color of the leaves is gray with a bluish tint, and the pattern on them resembles veins on marble, hence the name. It blooms with the same large but white flowers.

Photo. Lithops Marmorata

Lithops Optica

Tall, up to 2 cm, rounded leaves of very different colors: from greenish-gray to crimson. Deep gap between leaves. The flowers are white, small, chamomile-like.

Photo. Lithops Optica

Lithops Olivaceae

Tall, rounded olive-colored leaves with a pattern of white streaks and specks on top. The flowers are yellow and slightly shaggy.

Photo. Lithops Optica

What is Lithops Mix

As the name implies, it is a mixture of either different varieties of lithops, or from "living stones" and other succulents. Tastefully selected, it looks very stylish and will be a true decoration of the interior.

Growing lithops at home

Despite the outward exoticism, living stones do not require special care.

However, some rules are best followed.

Lithops, like deciduous trees, “shed” old foliage and grow new ones. Young leaves emerge from the same "break" as the peduncle, and, as they develop, eventually completely replace the old ones, which dry up and fall off.This is the natural developmental cycle of the lithops.

Attention! Live stones should be purchased when young leaves are just beginning to form.

In the store, the plant is sold together with a briquette of peat mixture. This is not a suitable soil for lithops, whose natural habitat: quartz-granite rock, exposed to the hot African sun. Therefore, the peat mixture must be carefully removed, trying not to damage the roots. In young lithops, they are very fragile.

Before planting, be sure to check for damage to the root collar.

If the plant was "overwatered" in the store, then the root must first be dried so as not to rot.

What kind of soil will live stones "like"

The soil is suitable for lithops, as well as for cacti.

Even a specialty store may not have Lithops mix. In this case, calmly use the soil for the cacti. Or prepare the soil mixture yourself according to the recipe: 1/1/1/2, where 1 part is a mixture of clay with turf, 1 is leaf humus, 1 is fragments of bricks and 2 is coarse sand.

Watering

The birthplace of "living stones" is an arid desert, so their need for water is minimal. If an absent-minded florist forgets about his pets for a couple of months, they will survive it. But from abundant watering they will quickly die.

Lithops need water mainly during the period when young leaves are formed, and even then it is enough to add it to the pan and spray the plants from time to time. In winter, when lithops have a "dormant period" (usually from January to March), watering is not needed at all.

Attention! With the appearance of flower ovaries, watering completely stops, and when the flowers bloom, it is resumed, but very carefully. The soil should dry out between waterings.

Top dressing

It is only needed if the plants have not been transplanted for more than two years. But even then, it is enough to feed them with fertilizer for cacti twice a year (in early spring and early autumn). The dose indicated on the package must be halved.

Site selection and lighting

Lithops are best placed on lighted windows.

If your house has a window that faces the sunny side, then its window sill will just be the most suitable place for lithops: as much natural light as possible, as close to the glass as possible. In winter, African plants will miss the sun. To help them, place a fluorescent lamp about 15 cm above the pots.

Temperature and humidity

The desert is a place where intense heat gives way to cold. Plants are used to this, so that no temperature fluctuations inside the room will seem extreme to them. Unless, of course, the fantasy occurs to you to put them on the balcony in winter. However, if the balcony is glazed and insulated, and the temperature there does not drop below + 5, then this will not be fatal. But the excess moisture is guaranteed to kill them.

There is no need to trim live stones.

Transfer

Lithops are transplanted every two to three years, when young leaves appear. But if you have just purchased a plant, you need to transplant it right away, regardless of the season and the state of the flower, for the reasons already mentioned above.

How to choose the right pot

You can plant lithops in a separate pot, no more than 10 centimeters in diameter, but deep enough (the roots of these plants do not spread along the top, but go deeper).

A lithops pot is best selected deep.

But it's better to make a lithops mix. Live pebbles are community plants and love company. In nature, they grow in colonies, like mushrooms. Lithops will feel great together with senecio repens, oscularia, bastard, rebutia, echinopsis. When creating a "rock garden", be guided by the fact that other plants do not obscure the sun for the lithops.

In this case, only neighboring plants will need to be watered, and the lithops will have enough of the water that seeps out from the sides.

Attention! Most often, at home, living stones die from excess moisture.

When lithops grows alone, it is quite difficult not to over-water the flower. And in the "kindergarten" he will take as much moisture as he needs.

There is one more important point: in the "garden", as a rule, the earth at the roots breathes, and the risk that the root system will rot is minimal.

Diseases, pests and ways to control them

During the dormant period, lithops can be struck by a scale insect. It is easy to deal with it, it is enough to lightly grease the leaves with a porridge of soap, garlic and water. You can spray lithops with yarrow infusion. It is prepared like this: 100 grams of dried and crushed plant is poured with a liter of boiling water, closed with a tight lid and infused for two days.

Growing lithops from seeds

Growing lithops from seeds is not that difficult.

If you are seriously interested in living stones, you can set up a curious experiment: grow lithops from seeds at home.

It is not difficult. When your lithops have faded, harvest the fruit and carefully remove the seeds.

The capsule must be crushed and placed in water. The seeds will sink, but the husks will remain. This procedure cannot be neglected, if you plant seeds with remnants of husks, they may rot and not sprout.

Prepared (peeled off) seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator for 6 hours.

A wide tray works best for planting. The soil mixture (1 part of peat and 2 of perlite sand) must be spilled with boiling water.

Dip the seeds slightly (not too much, so that the seeds need the light of the sun for them to sprout) and cover tightly with plastic.

If everything is done correctly, seedlings will appear in 10 days.

Then they need a place well lit, but slightly sheltered from direct sunlight and spraying 3-4 times a day. After three weeks, the frequency of spraying can be reduced to 1 - 2 times.

If the sprouts are very elongated, they should be lightly sprinkled with sand.

Attention! Lithops should be planted in separate pots after they have survived their first winter.

Lithops seeds have good germination, so this interesting experience will be quite within the power of even a novice florist.

Living stones are a real miracle. And with a minimum of effort on your part, they will decorate your apartment, give it personality and style, and, of course, deliver many happy hours.

The discovery of these amazing plants belongs to William Burchell, an English botanist and naturalist who traveled in September 1811 through the desert in the South African region of Prisca. In a book published later, the scientist gave a drawing of the discovered plant. The traveler was helped to notice the lithops, which looked like round pebbles, between the stones, a fluke, so good was the disguise.

How to grow lithops at home? Is the care and maintenance of these unusual plants difficult?

Lithops - living stones of the desert

Lithops managed to hide from the close attention of botanists for about a hundred years, because their current name, derived from "lithos" - stone and "opsis" - look, the plants received only in 1922. Today, six dozen species have been discovered and described, outwardly, indeed, resembling stones of all kinds of plant colors, opening yellowish or white flowers in the fall.

But the "stone" look of lithops is deceiving.

Two thick, intergrown leaves, of which the aerial part consists, are literally filled with moisture.

This is a kind of reservoir where the plant stores the water supply that is so necessary in the desert, which ensures the growth, development of the bud, flowering and reproduction of Lithops. The dimensions of the amazing "living stone" are modest, most species barely reach 5 cm in diameter. The leaves are attached to an inconspicuous, short stem, and the plant feeds on a long taproot. Nevertheless, at home, lithops are grown from seeds, and the grown "pebbles" delight the owners for many years.

In order for pets to feel comfortable in an apartment, it is important to provide proper care.Otherwise, it is difficult to wait for the "living stones" to bloom, and sometimes the plants die altogether.

Lithops care at home

If the care and maintenance of lithops is to their liking, they bloom regularly, their leaves are elastic and change to new ones about once a year. When the plant gets enough light, water and nourishment, it sits firmly in the soil and consists of a pair of leaves. As they grow, they begin to "lose weight" and dry out, and a new pair begins to appear through the gap.

As a native of the desert, lithops need year-round lighting. At home, it is better to place pots with these plants on the southern windows, but if this is not possible, it is possible to grow lithops at home only in a greenhouse with constant artificial lighting.

Summer temperatures prevailing in the middle lane, of the order of 20-24 ° C, are quite acceptable for guests from South Africa, because they perfectly tolerate forty-degree heat. The main thing is that pets forced to experience high temperatures do not additionally fall under direct sunlight. At home, lithops with especially hot periods fall from a semblance of hibernation, restoring vital processes only at night, when the desert cools down. How to grow lithops in an apartment?

In the warm season, lithops can be taken out into the garden or on the balcony, not forgetting to protect the pots from the sun. In the hottest months, the pots are shaded by 20-30% during the daytime. The rest of the time, protection from the sun is needed only when the rays are directly hitting the plants. In winter, a hibernation period begins for plants. At this time, a comfortable temperature will be about 10-12 ° C, but not lower than -8 ° C, otherwise the liquid inside the thickened leaves begins to freeze and destroy cells.

Caring for lithops at home is not complete without transplanting grown plants. When the root system of lithops fills its allotted volume, the plant is transplanted, choosing wide pots for this culture, slightly deeper than the length of the main root of the flower. Since lithops does not tolerate stagnant moisture, a drainage layer must be made at the bottom, and after transplanting the plant, greenhouse conditions are created for 2–6 weeks, carefully monitoring the soil moisture, the absence of drafts and the lighting regime.

If lithops are very sensitive to a lack or excess of moisture, then the composition of the soil for them can be almost any. It is only important that the substrate can retain the amount of water required by the plant, and is moderately nutritious.

The approximate soil composition for this species may include:

• two pieces of leafy land;
• part of the clay;
• two parts of washed sand;
• a small amount of peat.

After planting lithops, the soil surface is sprinkled with small pebbles, crushed shells or other mulching agent that prevents moisture evaporation and the development of mosses and molds on the soil. Lithops can be fed once every two years, if the plant has not been transplanted into new soil during this period. In this regard, care, like the maintenance of lithops, is not burdensome and simple.

Features of watering lithops

If, with a lack of moisture, lithops can live for some time due to the supply in the leaves, then excessive watering, and especially stagnant water, quickly leads to decay of the root system.

In order for the plant to constantly feel comfortable, you need to choose the right watering regime and be very attentive to the state of the "living stone". This is the main part of lithops home care:

• When lithops changes old leaves for new ones or picks up buds, it needs the most abundant watering.
• But in winter, with the onset of a dormant period, the soil is only occasionally moistened or watering is stopped altogether.

From mid-April to December, lithops can be watered after 10 days, but the plant itself can tell when it lacks moisture. Such a signal will be the wrinkling of the leaves during the daytime, which persists the next morning.On especially hot days, the maintenance and care of lithops becomes more difficult. Plants are given an evening shower, sprinkled with warm water.

With the beginning of wintering, watering is stopped. It must be renewed in February, at which time the plants can receive water once every three weeks or a little more often if the process of opening the gap between the old leaves is too delayed.

When watering, it is important to prevent moisture from entering the gap between the leaves, and so that the drops remain on the sides of the lithops. This can cause sunburn or tissue rot. If the regular watering is moderate, once a month the soil in the pot is soaked well, which mimics the rainy season and serves to develop the root system. It is watering, the most important part of lithops care at home, that determines the vitality of old leaves and the appearance of lithops. If the plant receives a lot of water, its excess accumulates in the aerial part, as a result, the leaves that have outlived their life do not die off and spoil the appearance of the plant.

Growing lithops from seeds at home

If you want to get young lithops from seeds, it is better to sow at home in March.

Before growing lithops, prepare a substrate based on:

• one part of red brick crushed to 2 mm;
• two parts of sod land;
• two pieces of sand;
• one part of clay and the same amount of peat.

Then the soil is steamed, mixed, cooled and loosened again. When filling the pot at 25-30% of the height, a drainage layer is made of fine gravel, and then the soil is covered and moistened.

Seeds are soaked for the fastest hatching for 6 hours and, without drying, are sown on the surface of the prepared soil.

Now the development of young lithops at home depends only on caring for them. After sowing, the container is covered with glass or foil and placed in a warm, lighted place for germination. In order for the seeds to sprout better, it is better to immediately provide conditions close to natural.

• During the day in the greenhouse or in the area of ​​the container, it should be 28-30 ° С, and at night only 15-18 ° С.
• Once or twice a day, the film is removed and the crops are aired for a couple of minutes.
• When the soil dries up, it is moistened with a spray bottle.

After 6-12 days, you should wait for the first shoots and prepare for a new phase of caring for lithops at home. When tiny sprouts appear above the ground, you need to ventilate them up to 4 times a day, gradually increasing the procedure time to 20 minutes. It is important that the air in the greenhouse does not warm up above 40 ° C, and the direct rays of the sun do not fall on the seedlings. If there is not enough light, after a few days the plants will signal a faded color.

When the size of young lithops is equal to a pea, the surface of the soil in the pot is carefully mulched with small pebbles. And at the first traces of mold or moss on the soil, they are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Despite the difference in the growth rate of home-grown lithops species, six months after sowing, it is time for the first change of leaves. This means that the plants are limited to watering, which is resumed only after the old leaves are completely dry. If small lithops develop better when there is some distance between them, then adult "living stones" are planted close to each other, leaving gaps of no more than 2-3 cm. The first transplant of seedlings can be carried out a year after planting, in a substrate for adult lithops. the maintenance and care of which is not so difficult.

Collection of lithops in a greenhouse - video