>> HI THERE, WELCOME TO BACK YARD BASICS, WITH OUR VERY SPECIAL GUEST THIS WEEK, CINDY
ARREDONDO FROM DESERT TO TROPICS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME YOU.
>> KNOW WHY SHE'S HERE TODAY?
BECAUSE I, THE PRODUCER OF THE SHOW, KILLED ONE OF MY SUCCULENT PLANTS IN MY OFFICE, SO
CINDY IS GOING TO EXPLAIN TO US TODAY HOW ALL OF US CAN AVOID DOING THAT.
BECAUSE IN THE WINTER, WE'RE BRINGING OUR SUCCULENTS IN, OR WE HAVE INDOOR SUCCULENTS.
HOW CAN YOU TELL WHEN IT NEEDS WATER?
>> THERE'S PROBABLY THREE REALLY GREAT WAYS TO TELL YOUR PLANT NEEDS WATER.
ONE IS WAITING UNTIL THE SOIL IS COMPLETELY DRY AND YOU KNOW THAT IT'S DRY.
AND YOU CAN LIFT IT UP.
WHEN THAT WATER WEIGHT IS GONE, YOU ARE GOING TO FEEL AN AIRY LIGHTNESS THAT DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE CONSIDERING THAT YOU HAVE A PLANT IN THERE.
THAT'S ONE WAY OF KNOWING.
THE OTHER WAY IS TO DO THE PINCH TEST.
IF IT'S A STEM SUCCULENT LIKE THIS GUY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FEEL ITS STALK.
WHEN IT'S HARD LIKE A POTATO, DOESN'T NEED ANY WATER.
WHEN IT BEGINS TO HAVE A GIVE LIKE A TOMATO, THEN YOU CAN EITHER WATER OR WAIT UNTIL THE
THIRD WAY TO SEE IF IT NEEDS WATER.
WHICH IS VISUALLY, WHEN IT BEGINS TO SHRIVEL OR WRINKLE, THE LEAVES WILL BECOME LIKE RAISINS,
THEN DEFINITELY WATER THEN.
THAT WILL START YOU INTO YOUR ROUTINE.
>> THAT IS AN EXCELLENT POINT BECAUSE WE ALL TEND TO LOVE OUR PLANTS AND WE TEND TO OVERWATER
THEM TOO MUCH.
SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS LIKE THE STEMS ROT.
>> RIGHT, YOU WILL BEGIN TO NOTICE DISCOLORING OF THE PLANT IF IT'S A DISCOLORING OF THE
PLANT.
THE OLD AND NEW LEAVES TURN YELLOW AND FALL OFF.
OTHERWISE YOU WILL NOTICE A YELLOW OR BROWNING COLOR ALONG THE BASE, SOIL LINE, THAT'S A
GREAT INDICATOR THAT IT'S COLLAPSING FROM THE INSIDE.
THE OTHER WAY IS REALLY OBVIOUS, MOLD AND FUNGUS, IT'S AMAZING SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY
CONSIDERING THESE ARE DRY PLANTS, THAT YOU WILL SEE A LAYER RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF THE
SOIL, EVEN ON TO THE PLANT.
>> MY GOODNESS.
WELL, I'VE DONE THAT.
SO IF IS THERE A WAY, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS LITTLE GUY RIGHT HERE, IF I HAD DONE THAT
TO IT, OF COURSE I WOULDN'T HAVE, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX IT?
CAN WE SAVE THIS PLANT?
>> THIS PLANT IS DEFINITELY SALVAGEABLE.
>> GOODIE.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE MUSH COMING ALONG WITH IT.
WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS FIRST MOVE IT TO DRY WARM, LOCATION, BREEZY.
>> LIKE THE BAHAMAS.
>> LIKE THE BAHAMAS, RIGHT NEXT TO A KITCHEN WINDOW WILL WORK FABULOUS, TOO.
IF IT'S ALREADY TOO GONE, LIKE YOU CAN SEE HERE IT'S MUSHING ALL THE WAY INTO THE SOIL
LINE, REMOVE THAT SOPPY SOIL, YOU WILL SEE THIS IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF WATER ROT, TURNING
BROWN.
>> AH.
>> YOU CAN EITHER SNIP THIS AT THE HEALTHIEST LOCATION THAT YOU CAN FIND, GO AHEAD AND TAKE
THAT LIVING PIECE, SET IT TO THE SIDE AND YOU KNOW THAT IN A WEEK OR SO IT'S GOOD TO
GO.
>> REALLY?
JUST SIT IT OUT AND LET IT DRY YOU CAN PLANT IT AGAIN.
>> DEFINITE FRIDAY THIS IS SO GREAT, OH, MAN!
>> NO WATER REQUIRED.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT HAS ITS ROOTS.
THEY WON'T ALL DIE.
SO THERE ARE SOME THAT WILL COME ROOTS AND ALL.
BUT OTHERWISE YOU TAKE THESE PIECE THAT'S HAVE THE SOFT BLACK, CUT THEM OFF.
>> RIGHT THERE, LIKE THERE.
>> RIGHT THERE.
>> OH, I LOVE IT!
>> AND NOW YOU WILL JUST WHITTLE THAT INTO SOME SOIL IN ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AND YOU'RE
GOOD TO GO.
>> THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO.
THIS IS SALVAGEABLE.
AS BAD AS IT LOOKS, YOU CAN PULL THE GOOK OFF AND THAT'S THAT'S HORRIBLE.
BUT YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO REMOVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM THE POT UNLESS YOU WANT TO.
YOU CAN JUST REMOVE THAT THAT DYING PIECE, LET IT DRY OUT.
YOU WILL NOTICE THIS ONE IS YELLOW.
THAT'S AN INDICATOR THAT IT, TOO, IS ON ITS WAY DOWN, SO BEFORE IT EVEN GETS THERE
>> PROACTIVE.
>> POP IT OUT.
YOU CAN ALSO IF YOU DECIDE, WELL, THIS DOESN'T JUST LOOK ENTICING ANYMORE, THEY ARE SO GREAT
YOU CAN JUST TAKE THE HEALTHY ONES, TOO, AND POP THOSE OFF, AND JUST START OVER.
>> THIS IS A CONTROL FREAK WOMAN.
THIS IS CONTROL FREAK SUCCULENT LAND.
OKAY.
WELL, I WE'VE ONLY GOT A QUICK AMOUNT OF TIME, JUST TELL US QUICKLY ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS
IS A COMMON THING FOR MANY OF US, A PLANT LIKE THIS.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THIS ONE?
>> I GET THIS QUESTION A LOT WITH THE WATER YOU KNOW THE SOIL WILL BE WET, IT WILL START
TO DROOP OVER, FALL OVER COMPLETELY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY.
YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD GRIP ON YOUR SCISSORS.
>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE SHARP SCISSORS, TOO, THAT YOU WILL NOT FIND HERE AT KLRU.
>> APPARENTLY NOT.
>> YOU WILL GET SOME SHARP SCISSORS THAT WOULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER.
>> MAN.
>> OKAY.
>> THEN YOU LET THAT DRY OUT.
>> YOU WILL CUT THAT.
YOU WILL LET THIS WOUND DRY OUT FOR A WEEK OR SO, YOU CAN USE A ROOTING HORMONE.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE.
LET IT DRY, PLANT IT IN A WEEK, KEEP IT IN THE SHADE OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT.
AND YOU ARE GOOD TO GO.
>> SUPER.
WELL, CINDY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THINK THE PLANT, THE SUCCULENTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS WILL BE THANKING YOU, YOU SAVED A LOT
OF LIVES THIS WINTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.