How to properly choose soil and pots for succulent plants
Today's mini experience sharing: the planting content of succulent plants, how to properly choose soil and pots for succulent plants, very good experience knowledge, recommended for collection!
(1) Personally, the most important points for soil are three: breathable, water-retaining with adsorption, and clean.
1. Breathable: This is very important. Most cacti and succulent plants have stems with strong water storage capacity, but their root systems are not very developed, so there must be space for the roots to breathe. The planting soil for most succulent plants should follow the state that can be pinched into a ball and crumbles when released.
2. The soil should have water retention and adsorption: The water must flow clear within three seconds, which is a criterion for determining the success of soil mixing. If the water flows out in less than three seconds, it means the soil mix is relatively coarse (except for plants in the genus 12-卷), and the roots cannot adsorb well to the soil. Some peat or meadow soil can be added to enhance water retention. If the water takes more than three seconds to flow out, it means the soil is too fine or has too much fibrous material, and it needs to be sieved again and mixed with some granular soil to improve the soil structure.
3. Clean: Clean means to achieve as much sterility and insect-free (eggs) as possible, and no harmful substances. I think it's best to use physical methods to keep the soil clean. First, sieve the soil, then put the sieved soil in the microwave to disinfect it, or scald the soil with boiling water. It's also fine. If it's coal slag, it must be washed with a large amount of clean water to remove sulfur before use. If it's sand from the beach, the salt must be washed off. In most cases, soil with salt (NaCl) should not be used.
Types of soil: There are many types of soil, including garden soil, river sand, decomposed leaf soil, perlite, coal slag, brick chips, cactus soil, vermiculite, meadow soil, peat, rice husk ash, charcoal, bamboo charcoal, old wall skin slag, ceramic pellets, coconut bran, orchid stone, lightweight stone, bark, wheat stone, red jade soil, planting stone, Deerskin soil, Nikko stone, Kusumi sand, rainbow stone, basically all types of soil can be used to grow cacti and succulent plants, but not in excess of a certain proportion, and not just one type of soil. No single type of soil can grow cacti and succulent plants alone; they all need to be mixed in proportion.
Air circulation: This condition is very necessary for growing cacti and succulent plants. They prefer a well-ventilated environment. If the air is not circulating, it greatly increases the multiplication of bacteria and fungi, as most bacteria and fungi are anaerobic and prefer humid environments, especially in hot and humid summer conditions. Pay attention to ventilation, otherwise, you may fail in an instant. Especially for plants in the genus 12-卷, which are relatively expensive, a small fan can be added in the summer if necessary to make the air circulation smoother.
(2) Pots:
From the material point of view, there are clay pots, plastic pots, purple sand pots, ceramic pots, and wooden pots. From a practical standpoint, for slightly smaller plants with a diameter not exceeding 15CM (if the plant is too large, the plastic pot may deform, which is not good for the roots), I personally feel that using a plastic pot is better. It is recommended to use a thicker and darker one for better insulation and non-deformation. Plastic pots have good water retention, are lightweight, and can be used to determine whether it's time to water by lifting the pot. They also have a good cost-performance.
Clay pots are suitable for larger plants, but not for smaller ones, as they have good breathability and many gaps on the pot walls, so they generally have poor water retention. In strong sunlight in summer, the water poured in the morning may dry up before evening, which is not good for the plant's roots. In winter, the insulation performance of clay pots is also general. Their advantages are that they are cheap, strong, and durable. Before plastic pots were widely used, clay pots were the most commonly used pots.
Purple sand pots are a very traditional type of pot, with the best ones coming from Yixing, which has a long history and exquisite craftsmanship. Purple sand pots combine water retention and breathability, with fine sand texture and good hand feel. If conditions allow, purple sand pots are certainly the best choice. Of course, there are also some cultural aspects to using purple sand pots, such as the fineness of the sand, the potter, and the inscriber, which determine the value of the pot. Some good purple sand pots are already priced at a premium, and there is also the issue of maintaining purple sand pots, which I don't understand well, so I won't go into detail.
Ceramic pots have very good water retention and are not breathable, making them unsuitable for growing succulent plants. However, because of their nice appearance and cleanliness, they are still popular among beginners. But they don't last long, and issues of maintenance and collection won't be discussed.
Wooden pots are a type of pot that is rarely used. I've seen them, but never used them.
The depth and diameter of the pot are very important for planting plants. For cacti, seedlings can use deeper pots since they have thick main roots, especially plants in the genus Lophophora and some plants in the genus Astrophytum and Hylocereus with large root systems, while strong spined plants can use slightly shallower pots. For ground plants, shallow pots are still used, but it's not impossible for plants like Lophophora and Rock牡丹 to develop thick turnip roots.
For succulent plants, there are many genera to consider. It's important to note that for plants in the genus 12-卷, deep pots must be used to give the roots enough growing space, and for plants in the genus Lithops, deep pots are also needed, although the plants are not large, they have a very straight main root. For other genera, as long as the soil mix is good, deeper pots are also better. For the diameter of the pot, for mature plants, it is better to be 1CM-2CM larger than the diameter of the plant (including spines), and for seedlings, it's best to plant densely. Succulent plants should be determined based on the diameter of the canopy, plant shape, and other comprehensive factors.
Nowadays, not much attention is paid to the type of pot. Many pots are left over from previously planted plants, so they are used as makeshift solutions. As long as the performance of various pots is understood to serve the soil and watering, it's fine.
Fertilizer:
I personally think that organic fertilizers are much better than inorganic ones, as they can make the plants grow fuller and more glossy. Commonly used organic fertilizers include cake fertilizer, pigeon manure, cow manure, sheep manure, and bone meal, but they must be decomposed and sterilized. If used properly, they can have unexpected results. Inorganic fertilizers usually use slow-release fertilizers like Ogreen. I'm not very interested in fertilizers, so I won't say more.
These conditions are all very important for growing flowers. When growing succulents doesn't go well, you should think about which link has a problem and find a solution, not ignore it or make do with it, after all, plants are also living beings!
The full content of how to properly choose soil and pots for succulent plants is shared above, hoping it helps green plant enthusiasts!