String of Turtles - Peperomia Prostrata 12cm

String of Turtles is a popular semi-succulent plant for pots, hanging baskets, terrariums or indoors. The Peperomia prostrata has unique leaves that differentiate it from other species of Peperomia.

It is a slow-growing tropical annual and perennial with succulent leaves; prefers cold to warm temperatures with humid weather, in other words, average home temperature.

An easy plant to grow, String of Turtles can be adapted to a range of growing conditions. Here are some growing and caring tips: 

Light: Peperomia prostrata is a sun-loving succulent that enjoys bright but indirect light for optimum growth. Do not expose the peperomia plant to direct sunlight for several hours. One or two hours of direct sun during the morning are more than enough. This indoor plant can also be easily grown under artificial or fluorescent lights. Avoid exposing the pant to too much light as it can harm the foliage.

Soil: This plant enjoy loamy and wet soil conditions. But be wary that this plant cannot tolerate waterlogged soils; the fragile stems will rot if the plant is kept soggy for an extended time period. You can choose any soil medium that is well-drained and has excellent aeration properties. It is crucial to maintain proper drainage to get rid of the excess water for plant growth. You can improve the aeration of the soil by adding perlite to the potting mix. Fertile potting soil will encourage root growth and increase the strength of the vine.

Personally I use Cactus and Succulent mix with added 10%-20% pumice

Watering: In terms of watering, it’s better to underwater than overwater as the prostrata plant can rot easily. You do not need to water the plant very often. This succulent plant prefers slightly moist soil conditions. Keeping the soil moist in the growing season, but in winter, allow the soil to properly dry before watering as leaves will store water. With less temperature and light, the plant needs less watering.

Do not make the soil waterlogged by overwatering. Check the plant before water the plant when the top layer of the soil is dry. Choose small pot for this plant so that soil can dry out quite often before watering.

You can typically water the plant using the top watering method. But if you have a small pot, you can also consider bottom watering.

For bottom watering, place the pot in a container and fill it water so that 1/4th  of the pot is submerged in water. Leave the pot in the container for about 10 minutes and later allow the water to drain.

Your plant can also suffer from under-watering with deflated or flat leaves, little or no growth, and a significant decrease in foliage. If the pot is placed in a spot with too much sunlight, the soil will dry out far too quickly and scorch the plant’s leaves. This is when you have to move your plant to a shady location to avoid the worst.

Humidity: As compared to other succulents, Peperomia prostrata prefers slightly more humidity and water.  In summer, mist the leaves with water to increase the humidity. But make sure that the leaves do not stay wet for too long.

Fertilizer: Fertilize with a diluted liquid fertilizer every two weeks in the growing season. Alternatively, you can use slow-release fertilizer pellets at the starting of the growing season. Don’t feed the plant from fall to late winter seasons.

You can also apply the fertilizer by mixing it with water.

But remember, a small quantity goes a long way. Too much fertilizer in the soil or water, the leaves will start dropping. If you are using ‘ready to pour’ fertilizers, always water the soil before application to avoid root-burning. 

Toxicity to pets: Peperomia prostrata can be toxic to pets. In c