Overwatering is the primary reason why the Sedum plant dies. Botrytis leaf blotch disease also can kill your Sedum plant. Inadequate sunlight can make Sedum lose leaves.
Sedum is a genus of more than 600 species of succulents that serve as great undercover. Sedum plants are commonly called ‘Stonecrops’.
Creeping sedums can be grown in hanging baskets. There are a variety of sedum succulents and all of ’em are beautiful.
It is not hard to grow Sedum but some people do run into issues while growing this awesome plant. Let’s see what those issues are and how to solve them.
Why is my Sedum turning yellow?
An overwatered Sedum plant wilts and turns yellow. Overwatering leads to waterlogged conditions, which eventually causes crown rot. A severe black aphid infestation also turns the Sedum yellow.
Sedum crown rot/Sedum stem rot
Sedum leaves curl down when the plant is infected by stem rot. Curling and wilting is the primary sign of stem rot in Sedum. Stem rots at the soil line.
Prolonged waterlogged conditions interfere with the absorption of water/nutrients by the roots. Waterlogged roots become susceptible to a variety of fungal infections(rotting).
Water your Sedum consciously, do not overwater the plant. Check the soil with your finger, if it feels wet, the plant has been overwatered.
Sedum stem rot is caused by a type of Anthracnose fungus called Colletotrichum. The white fungal outgrowths can be seen on the lower stems of Sedum.
If you look closely, you can see the white, fruiting bodies of the fungus.
Stem rot control in Sedum
It is best to prevent stem rot rather than trying to treat it. It is quite hard to treat an infected Sedum. Here are some instructions to deal with overwatering.
- Make sure the soil/potting mix has good drainage.
- Ensure that the pot in which the Sedum is planted has drain holes to drain away excess water.
- If the infection is at an early stage, cut off the infected parts. Re-plant your Sedum in fresh soil and pot.
- If the infection is severe, dispose of the infected plants and the soil.
Propagate from a dying sedum
If the sedum is infected from stem rot, the first thing I’d do is propagate it. Cut the healthy-looking leaves off your Sedum.
Ideally, this should be done when the signs have just appeared. Do not wait until it’s too late. Dry the cuttings for a week.
Plant your cuttings in a fresh pot of potting mix. Make sure the potting mix is well-draining. Mix two parts of sand, two parts of gardening soil, and a part of perlite to make the perfect mix.
Tiny black bugs on Sedum
Those tiny, black bugs you see on your Sedum are Black Aphids. Black Aphids are the common pests of Sedum plants.
A severe black aphid infestation distorts the Sedum leaves and turns them yellow.
Black aphids that infest Sedum are tiny insects that multiply rapidly. Black aphids cluster on tender, new stems to suck the plant sap.
To detect a black aphid infestation early, you may want to hang yellow, sticky cards around the Sedum plants.
How do I get rid of aphids on Sedum?
Before trying to control aphids, you may want to take care of the ants. Ants carry aphids to the host plants. So, you can control aphids if you keep ants away from your Sedum.
Now that you know where aphids are coming from, let’s see how you can get rid of these pesky pests.
- Spray water forcefully on the branches that are infested with aphids. The stream of water would dislodge them.
- You can spray Neem oil on the infested branches to eliminate them.
- If the infestation is severe, spray insecticidal soap on the infested parts of the plant. Spray more than once if the pests are persistent.
Why is my Sedum turning brown?
Your Sedum is turning brown due to Gray mold caused by Botrytis. Sedum also turns brown due to Powdery mildew disease.
Sedum leaf blotch
Brown leaf blotches that are seen on the leaves of Sedum are caused by Botrytis. Sedum leaf blotch is also called Gray mold.
This fungal infection affects both the leaves and flowers. Dark, round blotches are seen on the affected plant’s leaves.
The brown spots appear on both the leaves and the stems. The flowers of the infected plant turn brown. Catch the infection early and you may save it yet.
Spray Sulfur or Copper based fungicide on the infected Sedum to eliminate the fungal infection. This works in the early stages of the infection.
If the infestation is severe and you couldn’t treat it, dispose of the infected plant.
Powdery Mildew on Sedum
Powdery mildew is a fungal infection that appears as a white layer on the leaves of the infected Sedum plant.
Brown lesions/spots appear on the surface of Sedum leaves. This might look like one of those leaf spot diseases, look closely.
You’ll see white fungal threads and chains can be seen on the infected Sedum. At first, only these white outgrowths are seen.
Respond as soon as you see the white threads on your Sedum. Spray Neem oil on the infected Sedum to eliminate powdery mildew.
If the disease has progressed, you need to treat your Sedum with something more efficient.
Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda and half-teaspoon liquid, non-detergent soap in a gallon of water to make a mixture.
Spray this on the infected Sedum until you get rid of powdery mildew.
Why is my Sedum losing leaves?
Sedum loses leaves when the plant doesn’t get adequate sunlight. This happens when Sedum has been in low light for too long.
See how much and what kind of light your Sedum gets. You may need to change the position of your Sedum for the best results.
Move your Sedum to a sunnier place or nearer to the window. Observe that Sedum for a while and it should recover.
Consider setting up a grow light if you want to control the light your Sedum gets.
Sedum dying in the middle
Tall varieties of Sedum die in the middle if they haven’t been pruned properly for a while. The plant becomes leggy and top-heavy.
Such top-heavy Sedum becomes leggy because of the overweight. This usually happens due to improper care.
How to keep Sedum from getting leggy?
Low light conditions, Overwatering, Overfertilizing cause your Sedum to go leggy. Sedum also becomes leggy if you don’t You need to rule them out one by one to fix the problem efficiently.
- See if Sedum gets adequate sunlight. If it doesn’t, move the plant to a brighter place.
- Make sure the soil isn’t very rich. Sedum thrives in poor, sandy soils. Nutrient-rich soil makes your Sedum go leggy. Amend the soil accordingly after getting it tested.
Why does Sedum fall over?
Sedum plants fall over if they have been sitting in waterlogged conditions for a long time. Rich and soggy soils make Sedum fall over.
You can fix this by adjusting the soil accordingly.
Happy Growing 🙂