String of Turtles: Complete Grow, Care & Buying Guide

You may want to get a String of Turtles if you are fond of plants that perform well in normal household conditions.

The beauty this plant offers to your decor is undeniably aesthetic, but there are several conditions that you must meet for your String of Turtles to flourish fully.

Any plant parent will be willing to do anything to do right with this beautiful String of Turtles.

Here is a comprehensive care guide for String of Turtles on the care and propagation.

Plant Overview

The String of Turtles are native to the Brazilian rainforest and thrive in warm conditions, but you don’t have to worry because they can quickly adapt to most indoor environments.

It can also be a perfect plant if you have limited growing space.

Also, It is highly valued for its beautiful leaves, creating a dazzling cascading effect.

Let us have a quick overview of the plant to know them better.

String of Turtles for Sale

String of Turtles: Ultimate Grow & Care Guide

Although vining plants are easy to care for, here is a quick table with the brief requirements.

Now, let us discuss them individually for a better understanding and proper care of the plant.

1. Sunlight & Temperature

The String of Turtles thrives best in a well-lit position facing east or south.

The absence of light will harm the flowers and the color of their foliage.

The vines will also become lanky and unappealing. Hence, you must avoid low lights.

However, curling, yellowing, and wilting are the symptoms of the String of Turtles plant.

Hence, keep your plant in a location with enough light and air. Usually, near a window that provides filtered light is the best choice.

Moreover, when exposed to improper temperature, the plant shows yellowing, discoloration, and drying symptoms.

Tips to Provide Adequate Sunlight & Temperature

• Relocate the plant or use sheer curtains if the sun is blistering hot in the summer.
• Maintain a safe distance between the plant and the window to avoid direct sunlight.
• Bring your plant indoors and care for it under artificial grow light during winter to avoid frost.
• During the winter, two hours of early sunlight can help the plant recover.
• Mist your plants frequently during the hot months, avoiding the evening misting.

2. Watering & Humidity

The String of Turtles prefers their roots to be dry. It requires appropriate aeration through the soil, and the plant despises damp and sloppy soil.

Further, if the plant is over-watered, root rot is more prone to occur because the String of Turtles is succulent.

Underwatered plants show the signs like burning, wilted foliage, brown leaf edges, and stunted foliage growth.

Moreover, the string of Turtles thrives easily in average indoor humidity within 40-50% of the relative humidity.

Improper humidity in plants leads to shriveled leaves, wilting of plant parts, and increased susceptibility to microbial invasions.

Tips to Provide Watering & Humidity Correctly

• Check the soil before watering the plant. Only water the plant if the top three inches of soil are dry; otherwise, wait till it dries out.
• Water the plant once a month during dormancy.
• Use a soil moisture meter to determine soil moisture.
• Ensure the excess water drains through the container’s drainage holes when watering.
• A humidifier can help increase your space’s humidity levels, and a hygrometer can help you keep track of humidity levels.

3. Soil & Fertilization

A considerable amount of organic matter is essential to add to the potting mix to help with moisture retention and plant nutrition.

Prepare your potting mix by mixing grave, grit, perlite, coarse sand, and coir in a ratio of 1:1:1:1:2.

Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, Hoffman Soil Mix, and Dr. Earth Pot of Gold are commercial recommendations for a better soil mix.

Additionally, feed your plants once a month with a mild NPK fertilizer in a ratio of 10-5-5.

Alternatively, use Dr. Earth Nitro and Purived liquid fertilizer as your plant food.

Improper fertilization leads to various disorders in the plants, such as:

Tips for Proper Soil & Fertilization

• To begin, start with nitrogen-rich plant fertilizers and slow-release fertilizers.
• You can just dilute a general-purpose fertilizer to half-strength and use it.
• Use organic fertilizers like eggshells, vegetable byproducts, garlic and onion skin, and fish bones, replacing synthetic fertilizers.
• Moisture aids in the absorption of nutrients. Before fertilizing the plant, I recommend that you water it first.
• Improving the soil drainage by adding perlite and placing a water-filled pebble tray can be beneficial.

4. Annual Pruning

The trailing vines are the Strings of Turtles’ defining feature and don’t require substantial trimming.

Similarly, you can consider pruning them if their growth is stunted or dull due to physical injuries, pathogens, or pests.

The major pests invading the plant are Mealybugs, Spider Mites, Scales, and Thrips.

They feed upon the plant parts and transmit different diseases from one plant to another.

Additionally, a String of Turtles gets ill from diseases like Root rot, Bacterial blight, and Botrytis blight.

After being infected by these diseases, the plant gets symptomized from yellowing, browning, and rotting of the plant parts.

Tips to Prune String of Turtles

• Use clean and sterile tools to avoid contamination.
• Also, consider using a sharp pruning instrument to obtain a clean cut without stressing the plant.
• First, cut off the dead, yellow, and diseased leaves and stems.
• Avoid pruning the plant when it is actively growing. It slows the growth of the plant.
• Use fungicides & insecticides to boost the plants’ growth without any infection.

5. Potting and Repotting

A string of Turtles benefits from partial root binding because it promotes string expansion.

Because String of Turtles is a semi-succulent plant, it does best in terracotta or clay pots rather than plastic ones.

Don’t forget to use a pot 2″ larger than the previous one.

If your String of Turtles’ roots is poking through the drainage holes in the pot or it is not growing properly, realize it’s time to repot them.

Also, your plant needs repotting if the leaves start yellowing or drooping.

Additionally, you need gardening gloves, pruning shears, a garden trowel, and a garden fork for repotting.

Steps to Repot 

• Water the plant before repotting. It’s because repotting a damp lump of soil is considerably more manageable.
• Carefully remove the plant from its present container.
• Prune the roots and shoot if there is an infection. Use sterilized pruning shears for this purpose.
• Add potting soil after placing the String of Turtles in the center of the pot. With your fingertips, gently firm the potting soil.
• Use enough fresh potting soil in the new pot to bring the plant’s root ball to an inch or less below the pot’s edge.
• Water the plant thoroughly and keep it in a suitable spot.

Growth Habit and Flowering

The String of Turtles is a little plant with a modest growth rate. They take at least three to five years to reach full maturity.

Flowers of String of Turtles are usually small and inconspicuous. Further, they resemble tiny and white spike-like buds with no scent.

Toxicity of String of Turtles

According to ASPCA, the String of Turtles is non-toxic to people and pets.

As nibbled plants don’t look attractive or healthy, you may want to place the String of Turtles out of reach of your pets, especially your cat.

If children & pets eat the leaves, it is common to have stomach distress or a change in taste. If so, contact:

• Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.
• National Capital Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

Propagation Methods for String of Turtles

Furthermore, you can quickly multiply String of Turtles through stem cuttings or seed germination propagation.

Stem cuttings are easy to propagate; you only need a suitable procedure and patience.

Gardening gloves, shears, potting mix, perlite, and terracotta pot are the essential tools required for propagation.

Propagation of String of Turtles Via Stem Cuttings

Stem propagation must be the most frequent way of propagating houseplants with strings.

You can begin taking stem cuttings when the plant grows in spring or early summer.

Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Prepare the Stem Cutting

• Just above the leaf nodule, cut the stem using sterilized pruning shears. Make sure each cutting has at least one node.
• Remove any extra leaves. On your 5- 15 cm long string, you can only keep 2-3 leaves.

Step 2: Select the Propagation Medium

You can use either water or soil medium to root your String of Turtles.

Propagation in Water Medium

Propagating a String of Turtles from freshly cut stems in water is the easiest.

• Fill a clean, clear jar halfway with chlorine-free filtered hormonal water.
• Place the cutting in the water and replace the water every 4-6 days.

Propagation in Soil Medium

Preparing potting mix is the first and most crucial step for soil propagation.

• Prepare a potting mix with peat moss, vermiculite, coco coir, and rooting hormone as your plant requires.
• Allow the soil to sit slightly after thoroughly moistening the mixture with water.
• New roots and leaves would take at least 4-6 weeks or more to emerge.

Propagation of String of Turtles Via Seeds

You can harvest the seeds once they mature. Therefore, collect the seeds by the end of summer and start the germination in early spring.

Tips for Growing Strings of Turtles from Seeds

• Soak the String of Turtles seeds overnight in filtered water in a small container to break the dormancy.
• Put the necessary seeds in the proper soil mix and gently press them down.

• You may sprout the seeds using a heating mat. Alternatively, wrap the grow dish with clear plastic to hasten germination.
• To avoid pressure and force on germinating seeds, use a spray bottle instead of pouring water directly. However, don’t keep the soil damp all of the time.
• Lastly, check on the seedling’s progress and give them a new pot as they mature.

String Of Turtles Vs. String of Hearts

Both of these plants offer elegance when grown in a hanging basket.

Let us have quick differences between String of Turtles and String of Heart.

Frequently Asked Questions About String of Turtles

Is String of Turtles rare?

The String of Turtles was once uncommon, so I thought it a rare one.

However, recent fame made it widely available in nurseries, plant stores, and garden centers.

Why is My String of Turtles Not Growing?

The amount of sunlight your String of Turtles receives determines their growth rate.

However, other parameters are equally important to be up to par for smooth growth.