String of pickles (ruby necklace) care

Light

Most houseplants will scorch where string of pickles thrives. Give it the windowsill you'd otherwise leave empty because everything else burned there. Bright light with several hours of direct sun. A south or west-facing window is ideal; strong light is what turns the leaves and stems from green to vibrant ruby-red. In low light the plant grows leggy, stays green, and rarely flowers. A plant moved abruptly from low light to direct sun bleaches in 48 hours — always acclimatise over a week.

Watering

String of pickles watering is mostly about restraint. When the soil is fully dry, roughly every 2-3 weeks — and never on a schedule. The finger test (or the pot-lift test) catches the actual moisture state; a calendar assumes weather and light don't change. Use the soak-and-dry method: water thoroughly, then let the mix dry out completely before watering again. Shrivelled, wrinkled leaves signal thirst; soft, mushy, translucent leaves signal overwatering. Cut back sharply in winter when growth slows.

Soil and pot

String of pickles grows best in gritty, sharply draining cactus/succulent mix. A fast-draining blend such as cactus mix cut with extra coarse sand, perlite, or pumice (roughly 1:1 grit to organic matter). Excellent drainage is essential — the fleshy roots rot quickly in dense, water-retentive soil. Plant in a pot with drainage holes. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

String of pickles sits happiest at around 30-50% humidity and 18-27°C (65-80°F). Prefers low to average household humidity and tolerates dry indoor air well. Avoid humid, stagnant conditions, which encourage rot and fungal problems. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed string of pickles sparingly. Light feeder. Apply a diluted (half- to quarter-strength) cactus or balanced fertiliser once a month during active growth in the cooler months; do not feed during summer dormancy or when growth has stalled. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on string of pickles in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Mushy, translucent, or yellowing leaves — Overwatering and poor drainage causing root rot — let the soil dry fully and use a grittier mix.
• Shrivelled, wrinkled leaves — Underwatering; give a thorough soak and the beads should plump back up.
• Leaves stay green instead of turning red — Not enough light — move to a brighter spot with some direct sun to bring out the ruby colour.
• Leggy, stretched stems with sparse leaves — Insufficient light (etiolation); relocate closer to a sunny window.
• Summer stall or leaf drop — This is a cool-season grower that can go semi-dormant in peak summer heat — reduce water and shade from intense midday sun until growth resumes.
• Mealybugs or aphids — Sap-sucking pests hide along stems and leaf joints; wipe off with isopropyl alcohol or treat with insecticidal soap.

Propagation

Very easy from stem cuttings. Snip a 10-15 cm (4-6 in) length with a clean, sterile blade, let the cut end callus for a day or two, then lay it on or insert it into barely moist gritty mix. Roots form at the nodes within a few weeks. Strands also root where they touch soil. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

String of pickles is mildly toxic to pets. Othonna (Crassothonna) capensis is NOT individually listed on the ASPCA toxic or non-toxic plant database, and no member of the Othonna/Crassothonna genus appears on either ASPCA list, so the genus is not confirmed clean. Online "ASPCA says non-toxic" claims are secondhand and unverified. Because related Asteraceae trailing succulents (Senecio species) are ASPCA-listed as mildly to moderately toxic, treat string of pickles as mildly toxic: keep it away from pets, watch for mild GI upset (vomiting) if chewed, and verify with your vet or ASPCA Poison Control (888-426-4435). If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

String of pickles deep-dive guides

Every aspect of string of pickles care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• String of pickles watering schedule
• String of pickles light requirements
• Best soil mix for string of pickles
• String of pickles fertilizing guide
• When to repot string of pickles
• How to propagate string of pickles
• String of pickles growth rate & size
• String of pickles cold hardiness
• String of pickles temperature & humidity
• Is string of pickles toxic to cats & dogs?

Related guides

String of pickles is also known as ruby necklace, string of rubies, little pickles, and string of pickles.

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