String of Turtles Care
(Peperomia Prostrata)

If you are a plant lover with limited time and space in your room or office, String of Turtles is the perfect plant for you. Also known as Peperomia Prostrata, String of Turtles are tiny little succulents that are native to Brazil. A string of Turtles can thrive in any location and condition without much care. That is why they are among the most popular and featured plants in houseplant collections across the world. With a slow growth rate, they can grow up to 12 inches after reaching full maturity, which takes about 3 – 5 years. The plant’s attractive leaf shape has also made it a favourite to use in fairy gardens, container gardens, and terrariums.

General

These multi-coloured succulents get their name from their leaves that look like the shell of turtles dangled together.

The String of Turtles is a native plant from Brazil, and they tend to stay on the smaller side, which makes your plant a great desktop plant. However, their leaves are quite delicate and can fall off with rough use, so care must be taken while handling them.

Sunlight

Bright indirect light is best for your String of Turtles. Keeping them in bright direct sun for too long will burn their leaves. One or two hours of morning sunlight will help it maintain good health.

The growth of your vining plant starts at the top. So make sure that the topsoil is receiving an ample amount of light for the development.

Your Peperomia Prostrata can also be grown under fluorescent lights.

Watering

Your Peperomia Prostrata is highly sensitive to overwatering as this succulent plant stores water and can rot easily. Just give them 1/6th of the pot’s water volume. They prefer slightly moist soil conditions. Overwatering can wash off the soil’s essential nutrients.

The soil should be dry before you water your plant.

During the winter season, water your plant once a month but avoid misting the leaves then.

Soil:

Rich fertilized soil will promote the root growth of your vine. But the soil must have an excellent drainage system to prevent the waterlogging situation.

You can add extra topsoil to your plant during the growing season to replace the soil you lost throughout the year.

Fertiliser:

Feeding your String of Turtles will help them maintain their bright vines and ensure that your plant’s beautiful pattern is held throughout the season.

Fertilize your Peperomia Prostrata with a diluted houseplant fertilizer once every two weeks in the growing season.

You can also use pellets of slow-release fertilizer at the beginning of their growing season. However, if you overfertilize them, the leaves may start falling.

Do not fertilize your plant during the falls and in the winter season.

Toxicity:

Well, your String of Turtles is one of the houseplants that are not toxic to humans or your pets.

Additional Care Information:

Your String of Turtles needs occasional pruning to remove the leggy strands and any dying strands and leaves. However, do not trim your vine too much at once, or you may shock the entire plant. That will damage your plant and will stop the new growth.

Be careful while watering your plant. Do not allow the soil to get extremely moist, as this may lead to root rot that can kill your plant.

Your String of Turtles’ leaves are very delicate and may fall off while relocating and pruning the plant. So be sure to handle your plant with extreme care.

Troubleshooting:

Spider mites: They are a significant problem for your plant during the winter months that make the leaves look white and rusty- Spray your plant with an insecticidal solution and maintain high humidity levels in the future.

Mealybugs: Your Prostrata is present as white fuzzy stuff on the leaves or stems of your plant that can easily spread and infect other indoor plants- Spray your plant with diluted isopropyl alcohol.

Whiteflies: They are one of the most common tiny bug pests for houseplants- Spray an insecticidal solution to the leaves or neem oil to your plant.

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