6 Easy Rules of Caring Succulents
Because of their special ability to retain water, it is very easy to care for succulents . They tend to thrive in warm, dry climates and don’t mind a touch neglect. This makes them well adapted to indoor growing and ideal for people desiring low-maintenance houseplants. If you’re choosing succulents for the primary time, follow these steps for successful care of your new plants.
Choose an appropriate succulent for your indoor conditions :
Most succulents like direct sunlight, but if all you’ve got may be a shaded corner in your house, accompany low light-tolerant plants like mother-in-law tongue. If you propose to grow your succulent during a hanging planter, a trailing variety like string of bananas may be a great choice. Always read the plant labels to work out the daylight needs, size, and spread of your succulents.
Provide a really well-draining potting medium.
Nurseries always plant their succulents in soil that’s too rich and retains an excessive amount of moisture, so you’ll want to repot your succulent as soon as you bring it home. Start with a rough potting mix with good drainage and aeration. you’ll find special cactus and succulent mixes at the nursery, or maybe use an African violet mix. To further improve drainage and stop compaction, add perlite or pumice to the cactus or African violet mix (up to 50% of the entire potting mix, counting on your particular succulent’s moisture needs). Always wet the combination before using to make sure it’s evenly moist.
Choose your container.
When repotting, use a container that features a drainage hole and is a minimum of 1 to 2 inches larger than the nursery container. Avoid glass containers (such as mason jars or terrariums) as a long-term potting solution, as they don’t allow roots to breathe and may cause plant disease over time. Fill rock bottom one-third of the container with pre-moistened potting mix, then position your plant inside and backfill with more pre-moistened potting mix.
Place the potted succulent during a sunny location.
Most succulents prefer a minimum of 6 hours of sun per day, so attempt to place them near a south- or east-facing window. you’ll notice your succulents becoming spindly or stretching toward the sunshine if they don’t get enough sun.
Allow the potting mix to dry out between waterings.
The number-one mistake many of us make with succulents is overwatering them. It’s best to water more, but less frequently. Saturate the potting mix thoroughly (while ensuring water flows out of the drainage hole properly) but allow the combination to dry out slightly before subsequent watering. If the potting mix stays consistently wet a day , the plant may eventually die.
Fertilize your succulents a minimum of once a year.
The plants benefit most from fertilizer within the spring (when the times get longer and new growth begins), and again in late summer. Use a balanced, all-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer (such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10) diluted to half the strength recommended on the package instructions. there’s no got to fertilize succulents in winter when they’re semi-dormant., They don’t need the nutrient boost because they’re not actively growing.