Last Updated on October 31, 2021 by Phil
Small and cute, these are the perfect plants for tabletops and windowsills. They’re lovely to look at and they don’t take up a large amount of space.
These are great succulents to have if you want something that has odd-looking leaves and can produce flowers.
Best of all, like other succulents, it is low maintenance and won’t just die on you.
Read on to learn how to properly care for baby toes succulents.
About Baby Toes Succulents
source: Flickr
Baby toes are perennial succulents that are perfect for growing indoors, although you could enjoy them outside just as well if you live in a region where the weather is warm all-year-round.
These tiny plants only get up to 3 to 6 inches tall. Thus, making them easily fit on tabletops and windowsills.
In case you were wondering, it gets its name from the fact that its leaves look like the toes of an infant. These grayish green foliage come in column form with flat tops. And, if you look closely, you’ll see that the tops have a translucent membrane which people often refer to as “clear windows”.
But, that’s not all.
In addition to it’s uniquely cute looking foliage, it also produces lovely looking blooms. Some white, others yellow.
More interestingly, they react to light. So, don’t be surprised to see the blooms move, open or close as the day goes by.
Baby Toes Plant Care
source: Flickr
Baby Toes Light Requirements
Baby toes like a lot of sunlight. They do best in full sun or partial sun. So, if you’re planning to grow them indoors, it’s a good idea to find a spot that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight daily.
Somewhere like a south-facing window is the best choice. But, east and west-facing windows work well too. The goal is to get a lot of bright light for long periods each day.
The one place you want to avoid placing them is a north-facing window if you’re in the northern hemisphere. This is the spot that gets the least amount of sunlight because the sun is coming from the south.
Another option is to grow them outdoors. But, to do so, you need to live in an area where it’s sunny all-year-round, like zones 10 and 11.
Otherwise, you’ll need to bring them indoors once the weather starts to cool.
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Baby Toes Temperature & Humidity
These lovely succulents are native to subtropical deserts. So, they enjoy warm conditions.
More importantly, they don’t like and can’t tolerate the cold.
In fact, they prefer temperatures that stays above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if the winters get cold where you live, you’ll need to bring them indoors once the temperature drops below 30 degrees.
Watering Baby Toes
Like other succulents, baby toes are better at withstanding dry conditions than wet ones. That’s because they’re able to store moisture in their leaves.
Meanwhile, overwatering puts them at risk of root rot.
However, they do need to be watered so they can store the moisture in their leaves to use during the growing season.
As such, it’s a good idea to let the soil dry before watering again. One good way to check is to look at the clear “windows”, which are the top of its leaves. When these windows get soft and wrinkly, it’s a sign that your baby toes need watering.
To do so, you can water from the top of the plant or the bottom. The goal is to wet the soil thoroughly until water starts dripping from the bottom of the pot.
When you’re done, you’ll only need to water again once the soil dries out. Usually, under a brightly-lit window, that’s about 7 days.
Soil
Since they’re native to subtropical deserts, baby toes are used to gritty soil. More importantly, they don’t need soil that’s rich in nutrients.
But, the one thing that sandy soil does is remove moisture fairly quickly. As such, these succulents need well-draining soil. That’s because they’re fairly susceptible to root rot given that they have shallow roots.
One good option is to use a cactus mix. You can likewise amend the soil you have by adding perlite and/or pumice.
In contrast, avoid anything that contains quite a bit of peat moss or humus which are good at retaining moisture.
Fertilizing
Baby toes are not big feeders. The only time you need to feed them is during their growing season. Once winter comes around, you can withhold the fertilizer since they’ll go dormant for a few months.
That said, when spring arrives, feed them standard fertilizer diluted to half-strength once a month and they’ll be happy.
Propagation
The best way to propagate your baby toes plant is via its offsets. Although, you can likewise do so from seed. I do suggest going with the first method since it’s easier and more efficient.
Propagating Baby Toes from Offsets
Baby toes produce offsets as they mature. You can use a sharp knife to divide them from the parent plant. Then leave the offsets to dry for a couple of days or so before planting them in their own pots.
Propagating Baby Toes from Seed
Similarly, you can grow them from seeds. But, they take a lot more time and work to do so. If you live in cold climates, you’ll want to start them indoors.
