How to plant succulents
The editor answers your questions about the experience of growing succulents, how to plant succulents, and the details are as follows:
Succulents have been popular for a few years, but there are still some succulent enthusiasts who need beginner-level articles on how to plant them. This article is a basic guide for beginners, and as the author says, experienced gardeners may ignore it. The following content ensures the highest survival rate without over-caring (suitable for the climate in Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, other areas please refer accordingly).
1. When you bring succulents home, if you don't repot them, it is recommended to place them on a balcony or window sill (with a glass barrier, not direct sunlight. If it's summer or autumn, when the heat is severe, newly purchased succulents should be shaded a bit more, such as covering them with gauze or a layer of tissue paper or foam netting used for wrapping apples, then gradually increase sunlight exposure), and remember not to water them.
2. Wait at least one week before watering, and the water should drain out from the bottom (the first watering can be less, pouring water along one side until it flows out). Be gentle when watering to prevent the soil from being washed away. In the future, water when the soil in the pot is almost completely dry, and if it's not a rare variety, you can wait 2-3 days after the surface soil is completely dry before watering.
3. It's best to ensure at least 2 hours of sunlight exposure per day, with full sunlight being ideal. Less than 2 hours of sunlight will cause the succulents to变形 (except for a few varieties), which is not recommended for growing succulents. About 5 hours of sunlight is considered standard, and most succulents can maintain their shape.
4. Planting in special climates: Generally, plants grow well and vigorously when the lowest temperature is above 15 degrees and the highest temperature is below 35 degrees. However, in summer, during the rainy season, and winter, if you don't know much, it's recommended not to water during these times and let them dry out. The succulents will not die. If you can't help but water, pour a small amount of water along the edge of the pot or use the immersion method, which involves placing the pot in a basin of water, but only immerse the bottom 1-2 centimeters for about 1 second. Of course, if your environment can maintain temperatures above 9 degrees in winter and below 40 degrees in summer, you can water normally, which means watering when the soil is almost completely dry. Generally, winter-type succulents should be watered slightly in summer and slightly controlled in winter, without completely stopping watering; summer-type succulents can be slightly controlled in summer and stopped in winter. You can look up online to see what type of plant you have.
5. Soil is a very important factor. If you want to repot your succulents, it's recommended not to use soil from vegetable gardens or mountains (both tend to compact, and even if they don't kill the plant, they won't thrive. You must break the traditional idea that roots must grow in mud). It's recommended to spend a bit of money to buy soil. If you really can't afford it, collect used honeycomb coal slag from a bakery early in the morning, put it in a bag, crush it with your feet or other tools, then sieve it in river water like washing rice to remove dust. Keep the particles larger than 2 millimeters, which is ready-made particle soil and very useful. Peat is cheap, so don't skimp on this. Buy good-quality peat, as domestic peat from the Northeast is only suitable for growing trees (sad).
(1) For succulents with fibrous roots, mix peat, perlite (or particle soil), and rice husk charcoal in a ratio of 6:3:1. After planting, cover the soil with small stones to press it down, which can also enhance the aesthetic appeal. Rich gardeners can buy some akadama soil,鹿沼土 or other particle soils, mixed in a ratio of particle soil to peat 1:1 or with a higher proportion of particle soil (the more particle soil, the less likely to kill the plant, and it satisfies the desire to water more).
(2) For succulents with fleshy roots (generally referring to 12-roller types), it is recommended to use coarse particle soil mixed with coarse fiber peat, plus some rice husk charcoal (you can refer to the soil mixture for orchids and clivia).
(3) For cacti, it is recommended to use all particle soil (various particle soils can be mixed, with ratios随意), and add some rice husk charcoal.
(4) It is recommended for beginners (actually a requirement) to mix soil when it is dry, not wet. After planting, don't water, let it dry, place it in a strong diffused light area, and then follow the watering methods in points 2 and 4. For cacti, it is recommended to let the soil dry for a few more days before watering. In winter, don't water, and start watering around April. When you gently touch the plant and it doesn't sway easily, it means the roots have started to grow, and you can gradually increase sunlight exposure.
6. Choose a pot that you like, but make sure it's the right size. Generally, a pot with a diameter 2-3 centimeters larger than the diameter of the succulent is fine. For tree-like succulents, a pot diameter 5-6 centimeters larger than the diameter of the rootstock is enough. Larger pots are more difficult to plant unless they are indestructible common plants. Place some large particle stones or small pieces of Styrofoam board at the bottom of the pot. If the pot holes are large and you're worried about soil leakage, cover them with gauze netting before adding soil.
7. In summer, most succulent varieties can tolerate temperatures below 45 degrees with good ventilation and shading. Some cacti can tolerate temperatures up to 60 degrees. In winter, it's best to keep the temperature above 5 degrees. Keeping it above 0 degrees is usually fine, but never below -2 degrees. If the temperature drops below 5 degrees, move the plant indoors and keep it away from the cold wind outside. Wind and evaporation can cause the plant to lose heat and freeze.
8. Fertilizers and pesticides: Fertilizers are optional for succulents, as they don't need much. If it looks unwell, a small amount of high-phosphorus and high-potassium, low-nitrogen fertilizer can be used. For convenience, you can buy some granular slow-release fertilizer to sprinkle on the soil or mix it in (be sure to buy high-phosphorus and high-potassium slow-release fertilizer, not compound fertilizer. Slow-release fertilizer usually doesn't burn roots, while compound fertilizer does). Fertilizer should be used稀 rather than浓, and below the labeled concentration is best. For pesticides, if the potting is controlled well, fungicides are generally not needed. Just buy some insecticides for prevention or when pests appear. There's too much content to cover here, so I'll address pest issues later.
In summary, these are some essential points for beginners, but there may be omissions. Please provide feedback and corrections. More detailed content can wait until you have more experience and your plants are thriving. There's more to come!
I wish everyone can make their succulents show their natural beauty!
Note: 1. The temperature mentioned here refers to the environment temperature of the plant, not the weather forecast temperature, so it's recommended to have several thermometers.
2. Summer here refers to the time when you still feel hot and sweaty even wearing a T-shirt, and winter generally refers to when the lowest temperature occasionally drops below 5 degrees, as forecasted.
3. Rice husk charcoal can be replaced with activated charcoal, wood charcoal, or coconut shell charcoal. The particle size should match your soil particles. Adding some charcoal is beneficial for aeration and sterilization.
4. The mentioned water control refers to controlling watering, which means using less water than usual (compared to the rapid growth season in spring and autumn) and longer intervals between watering.
5. Diffused light means an area where direct sunlight doesn't reach (behind glass is considered direct sunlight) but there is bright light (such as under trees, under eaves, or in the shade on a balcony). If you can't find a shaded area, you can create some shade (using shade netting, tissue paper, or two layers of gauze above the plant).
6. Succulents are products of harsh climates and are different from most plants, mainly in their drought tolerance, slow physiological and metabolic reactions, and sensitivity to cold and heat. In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, the main concern is not cold or heat indoors but infections before normal growth due to wounds. The key to avoiding infection is not medication but ensuring that the roots are not cut, injured, or damaged and have time to heal and grow new roots. Based on my observations over the years, it takes at least 2-3 days (or more than a week for slow-growing plants) for the roots to realize they are cut or injured, another 2-3 days (or more than a week for slow-growers) for the wound to heal, and at least 15 days to gather nutrients and grow new roots. Most succulents take one to two months or even longer. So if you're repotting or pruning the roots, don't water too soon after planting, especially not within the first week. Sometimes it's better to let them dry out completely before watering.
This article shares a detailed introduction on how to plant succulents (beginner's guide). I hope you will enjoy it!