How to care for succulents in summer - Southern Edition
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The following article is most suitable for Crassulaceae and other common succulents. I believe there are no absolutely correct answers on how to care for succulents in summer. How to put it, it's just a personal experience for reference.
One: The state of succulents in summer
Many people think that succulents are always in a beautiful state, which I think is not very scientific, at least not in most places in China.
In summer, the red leaf phenomenon of succulents generally disappears, and at this time, most succulents are their original color, which is simply due to the reduction of pigments such as anthocyanins caused by the decrease in day-night temperature differences. Moreover, when the temperature reaches 35 degrees Celsius or higher, many succulents will completely stop growing, which we call the "dormancy period."
When the dormancy period arrives, the growth rate of succulents will become extremely slow, the roots' requirement for water will also decrease relatively, and combined with the high humidity environment in summer, it is very easy to rot the roots, or even cause the entire plant to die.
So how do we determine if a succulent has entered a dormancy period?
In most places in China, the temperature will exceed 35 degrees Celsius in summer, which is undoubtedly a test for succulents at home. I think too complicated methods of distinguishing dormancy may not be suitable for everyone, so I roughly define a boundary: when the temperature stabilizes above 35, most succulents will start to enter dormancy.
Two, how to protect succulents after they enter dormancy?
I think doing the following three points is enough: sun protection, ventilation, and water control.
Let's first talk about sun protection:
Many meat friends will ask, didn't you say that powder and other things can protect succulents from sunburn, and don't succulents like stronger sunlight?
The reality is indeed as everyone thinks, but I believe that everything should have its limits. When succulents enter dormancy in summer, their photosynthesis is relatively slower compared to the growing season, while their respiration does not decrease much. The higher temperature brought by sunlight can easily "cook" the succulents, so constant strong sunlight is not very sensible. Moreover, sunlight also causes rapid evaporation of water, and summer is a time for water control (which will be mentioned later), so it is not a solution.
So what do I think is the correct approach?
Let me share my method:
Only let succulents receive sunlight in the morning and evening, and from 11:00 to 17:00, my succulents are all in places with sufficient scattered light. As for how to achieve this, I think everyone can find their own way to solve it. I think sunshade net is a good choice.
About ventilation:
The root is the foundation of the plant, and I don't think anyone would disagree. Especially in summer, the roots of succulents are easily the lifeline because they are prone to rot. The high temperature and humidity in summer create conditions for the rotting of succulent roots, so ventilation is particularly important. So how do you achieve ventilation?
First is the choice of pot:
The breathability of pots is approximately: purple sand pot ≈ red pottery pot > plastic pot > porcelain pot > glazed porcelain pot. Of course, not the more breathable, the better. Taking red pottery pots as an example, with the same amount of water, the watering frequency of red pottery pots is much higher than that of plastic and porcelain pots, which is more troublesome (well, I admit I'm lazy- -!~). Of course, everyone's habits are different, and I think the most important thing is to choose a pot that suits your own habits, such as the common plastic round pot and black square that I use.
About soil mixture:
The choice and configuration of soil are also important (you can refer to the article I wrote about soil mixture).
Everyone knows that an important component of succulent soil is "grains," and these breathable and water-retaining materials are the heroes for the roots of succulents to breathe. Therefore, I put more grains in my soil mixture (now studying in Tianjin, my mom waters less, so I reduced the proportion of grains appropriately), which makes summer easier to bear.
Also, the location:
Just place it in a well-ventilated place at home, no need to be too particular, such as a shaded balcony, and I've even seen a very powerful meat friend use a fan all summer and claim it's useful- -!~, I think it's a bit troublesome, and everyone can refer to it.
About water control in summer:
Succulents are very drought-resistant, which I'm sure everyone knows, so I directly stop watering in the peak summer season.
Reduce the amount of watering when the temperature reaches about 30 degrees Celsius, give only a small amount of water each time, completely different from the thorough watering in the growing season. When the temperature exceeds 35 degrees, stop watering directly, and start watering again when the temperature stabilizes below 35 degrees. This will inevitably cause a few leaves to wither, but I think it is convenient and relatively safe (actually, I don't advocate completely stopping watering in summer, but it is undoubtedly a good method for beginners to safely spend the summer).
The above is a little bit of my personal experience, written here for everyone's reference. If there are any unreasonable places, please point them out. Thank you very much!
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