How to care for the succulent plant Bear's Paw
Let's talk about the experience of caring for the succulent plant Bear's Paw. How to care for Bear's Paw, the details are as follows:
Some say that Bear's Paw has difficulty surviving the summer, is not suitable for leaf propagation, and drops leaves actively, but many plant enthusiasts still love its cute bear paws. This article covers how to care for Bear's Paw, including watering, fertilizing, surviving the summer, and propagation, providing a comprehensive reference for plant enthusiasts.
About the soil mixture for planting Bear's Paw:
I like to mix various soils with various particles, usually mixing whatever I have on hand. The particles are not many, about one-fifth, and I also mix in a little insecticide (very little, as Bear's Paw hardly gets pests).
1. Is Bear's Paw easy to care for?
Answer: Personally, I think it's very easy to care for! I keep my Bear's Paw mostly outdoors (with a canopy to protect from heavy rain), with some shade in the summer and kept outside in the winter (except when it rains continuously for several days, otherwise it gets direct rain).
2. How to water Bear's Paw?
Answer: It depends on the weather. I used to check the humidity forecast every day!
Separately for the seasons, I take care of it similarly in spring, autumn, and winter. Each time I water, I remember to check the weather for the next few days, ensuring at least two days of sunny or cloudy weather, and the potting soil should be dry before watering! Keeping it outside for two to three days will dry the surface of the soil, which I think is ideal. It's about once a week, or extend to one and a half to two weeks if it's rainy and humid. As soon as the weather is good for a few days, I water happily!
In the summer. My Bear's Paw is also kept outside, shaded or semi-shaded, and watered lightly every three to four weeks, not fully soaked... (I'm cautious, I'd rather have the Bear absorb some leaves to ensure it survives the summer)
By the way, about summer recovery, my yellow Bear used to be thin after surviving the summer. I thought it was the roots, but it turned out it was because the pot was too big and the water散ed too quickly. So I watered it heavily every one or two days (it was mostly sunny) for more than a week, and it became fat. So after surviving the summer, you can give more water to help the Bear gain weight quickly.
3. How to propagate Bear's Paw?
Answer: Cutting. My luck is average, I've never succeeded in leaf propagation. Cuttings always work. Therefore, I recommend propagation by cuttings.
After cutting Bear's Paw, let it lie flat for a few days to dry the wound, then insert it into slightly moist soil, and don't need to water it. After two weeks, you can sprinkle a little water on the edge of the pot, not in the middle. After two weeks, give it a lot of water, and when the soil dries, give it more water, and the roots will grow quickly... then just put it outside, and the Bear will grow robustly. (If choosing leaf propagation, keeping a little stem on the leaf can significantly increase the germination rate, which is actually a modified version of leaf propagation.)
4. Does Bear's Paw smell?
Answer: It smells! At first, like many others, I didn't think Bear's Paw smelled, I couldn't detect it. At that time, I kept my Bear in a well-ventilated area or outdoors, so the smell easily散ed. Later, when the weather was humid, I brought the Bear indoors and after a day, the smell came out. (The smell is lighter when the Bear is small and stronger when it's bigger)
Actually, this smell can't be called bad, just a strange smell. I think this smell should repel insects, so Bear's Paw doesn't attract pests! The insects dislike it!
5. Why does Bear's Paw drop leaves?
Answer: It might not be well-rooted, or the environment might be too stuffy. Replant or check if the soil and pot are not breathable enough.
I've seen many people ask this question, but my own Bear has never dropped leaves randomly, only in the summer when it absorbs leaves due to less water. Sometimes when it gets hit, its leaves are firmly attached. This is my conclusion from observing other people's Bear's Paws, and if anyone has other ideas, they can share them.
The appearance of Bear's Paw indicates that they are very afraid of heat and humidity, mainly the word "stuffy." Many people keep their Bear's Paw indoors and use ceramic pots (I really don't like ceramic pots, even those with very small openings, they are not breathable). Such an airtight environment, with the soil damp, Bear's Paw won't fatten up, it will only "shrink"...
6. How to clean a dusty Bear's Paw?
This is a question I also want to ask. The air in my city is not good, and I keep my Bear's Paw outside, always getting dusty... You can use a brush to remove the dust... (The most convenient and effective way is to use a spray bottle to spray the dust off, but be careful to hold the plant steady, and the Bear's Paw itself should be healthy, otherwise, the leaves might fall off!)
7. How to deal with锦褪 in Bear's Paw?
Try pinching off the new leaves without锦, or pruning to stimulate more new side shoots, which should have a high probability of growing leaves with锦. Or cut the branches with more锦 and plant them separately...反正就是想办法维持住有锦的叶子，把没锦的新芽淘汰掉.
8. How to fatten Bear's Paw?
Everyone should know that Bear's Paw loves water. When the following conditions are better, the watering frequency can be higher: the pot is breathable, the environment is ventilated, there is sufficient sunlight, and the climate is dry. It can be watered thoroughly every three to four days. Bear's Paw will quickly become fat.
PS: About using ceramic pots for Bear's Paw, I personally think that ceramic pots can be too dry, unless more water is given, otherwise Bear's Paw can easily become thin.
9. About Bear's Paw root growth
I recently cut some Bear's Paw for root growth, and at the same time, I got some other succulents to propagate together. Now they have all rooted!!!
Root growth time: Other succulents root faster than Bear's Paw. White Bear is the slowest. It took a month from cutting to rooting. (In Shanghai, cut around March 20th, and all rooted by April 22nd)
Bear's Paw root growth steps:
Cut the top: After cutting, the stem must be dried! Dried! I let my Bear's Paw lie flat to dry the wound for 3-5 days, then put it on slightly moist or even dry soil. If the stem is long, insert it into the soil (the soil will slightly散 when you blow on it, I think it's better to be drier than too moist to avoid stem rot)
Watering: Initially, do not water! Wait for 3-5 days, then you can water a little around the pot edge, not touching the plant stem! This way, sprinkle a little water every 3-5 days. Continue for two weeks. After two weeks, you can give more water, fully or semi-transparent. Remember to put it in a well-ventilated area to let the soil dry quickly. Water thoroughly every 3-5 days (3 days if the soil dries quickly, 5 days or longer if it dries slowly). This way, Bear's Paw will root in about two weeks.
Bear's Paw roots slowly, and in this month, other cuttings have rooted... So please be patient and don't rush to pull it out to check. Believe it will root!
PS: Green Bear roots faster. White Bear is the slowest, definitely a month. Everyone's planting environment is different, I hope my method can give you some reference.
That's all for how to care for Bear's Paw (including watering, fertilizing, and surviving the summer). I hope it helps you, and I also hope everyone comes to see more green plant and flower experience and knowledge!