Do All Succulents Need the Same Care? Although succulents are not a true scientific plant family, they share many traits. All succulents are drought-resistant. They have shallow roots that absorb as much water as possible and swelling leaves that store water for a day without precipitation.
Because succulents have similar characteristics, the maintenance for each species is comparable. Succulents demand much less water and more sunlight than other plants. Additionally, they all require well-draining soil and a few other factors that we will discuss today.
Here is a list of seven general care suggestions for succulents that will keep your plant looking beautiful and healthy!
Keep Soil Moist
Particularly cacti, succulents are extremely sensitive to water. Succulents are hardy little plants that can withstand practically anything, except overwatering. Their roots will decay, causing them to attract pests such as mealybugs. You will have no choice but to discard your favorite succulent. Sadly, we have been there before.
If you want to avoid making the same mistakes we did, ensure that your succulent soil is fully dry between waterings. The importance of dry soil during the propagation of any succulent cannot be overstated. Even if propagating by leaves or cuttings, it is ideal to begin with dry soil.
Related: Best Apps to Help With Plant Care
Use Appropriate Soil
Using the proper soil might also prevent rot in your succulent. The finest soil for succulents will include sand and perlite or pumice for drainage. Perlite and pumice are porous, allowing water to move through them readily and accelerating the drainage of water from the pot.
Commercial succulent and cactus soils have these components, therefore they will suffice. However, you can also manufacture your own soil mixture with a few basic items. Three parts of standard potting soil, two parts of a gritty sand-like builder’s sand, and one part of perlite or pumice are our preferred proportions for our mixture.
Provide Your Plant with Air
Airflow is a vital aspect of succulent health that is rarely discussed. If at all possible, succulents should not be placed too closely together in arrangements; they require a little breathing room, just as I do on sometimes.
Tight layouts may have drainage difficulties despite their attractiveness. In order for the soil to dry properly, sufficient air must reach the soil and the roots; however, dense arrangements inhibit this. Your plants will have much stronger roots and more room to flourish if you space them out.
Space is a plus!
Give Your Cactus Lots Of Sunlight To Take Care of Them
The majority of succulents are native to sunny, warm regions such as the desert and the tropics, thus they require ample sunlight to thrive. Even low-light tolerant succulents, such as the Snake Plant, enjoy receiving several hours of bright, indirect sunshine per day.
Provide your succulents with six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. If you place your plants near one of your home’s sunniest windows, such as a south- or west-facing window, they will look more bright and healthy.
Providing succulents with ample sunlight will also prevent them from becoming etiolated. Etiolation occurs when a succulent is deprived of sufficient sunlight and begins to develop towards the nearest light source, typically on its side. Additionally, etiolated succulents grow rapidly and appear somewhat “stretched out.” It’s something you’ll definitely want to avoid, so place your succulents in a sunny location!
Related: How Often Should Succulents be Watered?
Don’t let your Succulent get Too Cold
Some succulents, like ‘Hens and Chicks’ and Sedums, can withstand frigid temperatures. However, most succulents may develop discolored, mushy leaves if left outside in the winter. Because the water they hold in their leaves begins to freeze, their tissues are destroyed. This damage is irrevocable, so you must bring your outdoor succulent within when the temperature drops below freezing.
Each succulent has a varied temperature range that it can withstand, so you should do some study to determine when you should bring your succulent indoors for the winter.
Use Fertilizer To Care and Grow Your Succulents
Succulents are notoriously slow-growing, but fertilizer helps them speed up. Fertilizer also promotes the flowering of succulent plants, so if you want to see your infant plant bloom, purchase some fertilizer.
We recommend using a low-balanced, water-soluble fertilizer for the majority of succulents. Balanced fertilizers include equal levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, the three essential elements for plant growth. A balanced fertilizer will have three equal numbers on the packaging, such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10.
Low-balanced refers to the fact that the fertilizer is not particularly concentrated. Succulents require much less fertilizer than other plants and might be damaged by over-fertilization. We recommend low-balanced fertilizers such as 8-8-8 and 10-10-10 mixtures. Avoid highly concentrated fertilizers with large numbers on the box, such as 20-20-20 mixes.
Even though you are using a low-balanced fertilizer, you need still to dilute it to half strength to prevent burning your plant. If you are using a water-soluble fertilizer, you can achieve this by dissolving half the recommended amount of fertilizer into the same volume of water. Therefore, if the packaging instructs you to combine one tablespoon of fertilizer with one gallon of water, you should only use half a tablespoon.
Some individuals fertilize their succulents monthly, however, we prefer to fertilize them less frequently. Once a month is our optimal frequency. The optimal time to fertilize your succulent is while it is actively growing, which is typically in the summer but might vary by species.
Determine the Species of your Succulent Plant.
That concludes our discussion! Determine the types of succulents you own if possible. Not all succulents develop at the same time of year, so determining which species you have will allow you to apply fertilizer at the appropriate time. Additionally, each succulent has slightly distinct light and water needs. Knowing the succulents you have will enable you to provide better care for your plantlings.
We hope this article has taught you everything you need to know about succulent care! If you require additional guidance, please review some of our previous postings. Happy planting!
