Caring for succulent plant leaves after propagation
Core introduction to this article: Knowledge about succulent plants, post-propagation care for succulent leaves, let's take a look together!
It's quite simple at the beginning of propagating succulent leaves, with no special requirements. Just remember two points: 1. Do not expose them to direct sunlight. 2. Do not wash them in water. This is a transition period where there are no changes in the leaves, and after about 10-20 days, roots and buds will start to grow.
The time for roots or buds to appear may vary depending on the species, and leaf quality and temperature will also affect the time and success rate of root/bud growth. The transition period does not require much water, so it's best to place the leaves on dry soil. If the air circulation is poor, moist soil can easily develop mold, which can spread to the leaves. After the transition period, when the leaves have grown roots and buds, you can move the seedlings to loose soil or simply cover the roots with a thin layer of loose soil in the original position.
During this period, the soil should be kept loose to facilitate root growth, and the roots should be carefully buried in the soil, leaving the buds exposed. Do not expose them to direct sunlight, but place them in a well-lit area. Use a spray bottle to water the soil to keep it moist. Check daily and spray water when the soil surface becomes dry. These little guys love water very much, but remember, never soak them in water.
Leaves usually grow roots first, but there's a high chance they will grow buds first. Either way, both are essential. Starting from the time the leaves are plucked, if only roots or buds grow after two months, it's basically considered a failure. There are many other cases of propagation failure, such as leaves becoming transparent (liquefying), turning black, developing mold, or drying up directly. In these situations, prioritize dealing with moldy or mold-infected leaves by discarding them immediately to prevent spreading to other leaves. Here's a case of roots growing but no buds. (This leaf has been more than two months old and is still waiting for a miracle)
Transparent leaves (liquefying) are quite common, with my own propagation failure rate being about 20-30%. The main reasons are the health of the leaves and whether they have been soaked in water. Therefore, remember never to wash dirty leaves in water. If this happens, it's considered a failure!
Roots growing but no buds: This leaf has been more than a month since it was plucked and has not grown any buds. You can bury the roots in the soil and wait, but if it's still the same after another month, it's considered a failure. There's still a small chance that these leaves can grow buds, so it's worth a try.
After the leaves have grown roots and buds, immediately bury the roots in the soil. As soon as roots appear, they should be buried to prevent them from drying out in the open air. Once the leaf roots dry out, it's difficult for them to grow back, which is a failure! So, don't幻想 that succulent plant roots will find soil on their own, they're not earthworms. I've lost many leaves because of this. A failure within a failure!
After the roots are buried in the soil, the young succulent plants will grow very robustly. Just spray water when the soil surface dries, and check regularly to see if any leaves have been infected with mold. You can add some "Multi-jinling" to the water when spraying. If any leaves turn black or are infected with mold, isolate them immediately.
Leaves turning black should be isolated immediately and placed in a single room.
In the end, the young succulent plants will eat the leaves, leaving behind a pile of withered leaves. Don't worry, this is a sign of growth. Congratulations! They're weaned! For later care, they can be given 1 hour of sunlight daily, but it's best to add some sun protection measures if the sun is harsh, or simply plant them under larger succulents for shade.
I also found that mixing different young succulent plants can yield unexpected results. The plants will grow fatter and larger than others, and their growth rate will also be relatively faster. It might be due to competition, mutual support, or growing together. It's very interesting. You can try it out.
The above () introduces the complete content of post-propagation care for succulent leaves. Green plant enthusiasts may find it useful for reference.