What to do with succulents in the summer
Do you know these? The following are some contents about succulents, specifically on how to care for them in the summer:
Many succulent enthusiasts have not experienced the summer season with their plants. So, what to do with succulents in the summer? This article mainly discusses Crassulaceae succulents. Talking about Crassulaceae surviving the summer, many beginners find it overwhelming. My location is Chengdu (with extreme summer temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius), and I have been growing succulents for 4 years, summarizing some essential tips for Crassulaceae to survive the summer. Whether you are a beginner or not, as long as you master the following tips, it's not a difficult task to get through the summer.
When it comes to Crassulaceae surviving the summer, please remember the most important point: Crassulaceae are not afraid of high temperatures or high humidity; what they fear is the combination of high temperature and high humidity. Based on this, I have listed the following key points, which are ranked in decreasing order of importance. I believe that with these key points, everyone can successfully modify their environment to help their beloved Crassulaceae survive the summer.
1. Ventilation
I believe this is the most important point for Crassulaceae to survive the summer. I can even say that if your environment has excellent ventilation, you can completely stop watering throughout the summer! Because even if you accidentally overwater, the circulating air will quickly carry away the excess moisture. Most succulent enthusiasts grow their plants on outdoor balconies, and the ventilation conditions on these balconies usually meet the basic requirements for Crassulaceae to survive the summer, so there's no need to worry too much. However, for friends growing succulents indoors, ventilation is usually a luxury. In such an environment, please try to lower the indoor temperature and reduce watering to ensure that the soil and environment have low humidity.
2. Red陶 Pot
I consider the red pottery pot a神器 for surviving the summer, and I doubt any succulent grower with over a year of experience would disagree. The reason is that red pottery pots are extremely breathable; after watering, the moisture can even slowly seep out from the pot walls, eliminating the worry of root rot due to excessive watering. In contrast, ceramic and plastic pots have poor breathability, so beginners who can't master watering should try to use them less in the summer. All my expensive succulents are planted in red pottery pots, without stopping watering or shading, and none have died after several summers.
3. Watering
If the environment has good ventilation, the planting material is breathable, and the pot is breathable, you can completely stop watering throughout the summer, watering thoroughly when dry. However, you must master the timing of watering. Never water during the hot noon sun, as the temperature is already high at noon, and watering will quickly increase soil humidity. Crassulaceae fear high temperature and high humidity the most. If you do this, even the toughest Crassulaceae will not be able to withstand it. It's best to water in the cool, breezy evening. After watering, you will find that by the next morning, most of the soil moisture has evaporated.
4. Soil mixture
There is no fixed formula for this, but the general requirement is breathability. If you use red pottery pots, you can add more peat, and if you use ceramic pots, you need to add more particles. My soil mixture formula is as follows for reference: peat: perlite: particles (akadama, deer dung, niwa, etc.) = 2:1:1, and add a small amount of wood ash and bone meal as base fertilizer.
5. Shading
If your plants have fully adapted and the environment has good ventilation, you can completely avoid shading, at least that's what I do. Moreover, because of the abundant sunshine and appropriate watering in the summer, the colors of Crassulaceae are very vibrant. Who says Crassulaceae can only shine in autumn and winter? However, not shading is only suitable for Crassulaceae that have fully adapted. For Crassulaceae that have not adapted, it's still necessary to shade appropriately for safety.
The above points are some of my personal experiences after growing succulents for a few years. Everyone can make appropriate modifications to their growing environment based on their actual situation. I believe that with effort, everyone can help their beloved succulents successfully survive the summer!
Sedum species after two years of cultivation
Mixed planting after two years
The comprehensive explanation of how to care for succulents in the summer provided above is hoped to help you.