How to grow many succulents well
Today, the editor will explain how to grow many succulents and the explanation of six basic常识 (knowledge) about caring for succulents in the aspect of green plants and flowers, and the editor will introduce to everyone next.
There are also some basic常识 in the process of caring for succulents. If you are a beginner in growing succulents, you must read more about it.
1. Don't water immediately after planting
Most plants need to be watered slowly and thoroughly after planting to ensure the soil is fully soaked. However, it is completely opposite for planting succulents. After planting succulents, you should not water them immediately. Wait for three to five days, and water them when the soil is quite dry.
Whether it's repotting succulents, propagating leaves and branches, or using lateral buds to propagate, after planting, they should be placed in a well-ventilated and well-lit area. The soil should be slightly damp, and you should wait for the soil to completely dry out before watering. When watering succulents, also try to avoid the leaves and water directly into the potting soil.
If the soil where you plant succulents is particularly dry, you can use a spray bottle to spray a little water, making the soil slightly damp but not too wet, and then you can plant the succulents.
After that, move them to a slightly shaded or well-lit position. If the weather is still relatively hot, don't rush to water. Continue to spray a little water on the potting soil to avoid issues like leaf and stem rot and reduce the risk of infection.
2. Pay attention to leaf propagation
Many enthusiasts like to grow succulents because they can be propagated through leaf cutting, with each leaf capable of growing one or two small buds.
One thing to remind everyone is to choose healthy and plump leaves that are not damaged. It's best to choose leaves from the middle and lower parts of the plant, which should be free of pests and diseases. Remove the healthy leaves completely (you can hold the leaf with your hand and slightly twist at the bottom to remove it).
After removing the leaves of succulents, don't rush to propagate. Place them in a well-ventilated and well-lit area for 3 to 5 days. Once the leaf wounds heal, prepare some loose and well-draining soil, preferably in a smaller seedling tray. The soil is usually a mix of peat, perlite, and vermiculite in a 1:1:1 ratio; you can also use a mix of peat and perlite in a 1:1 ratio. The soil can be sprayed with a little mist, slightly damp but not fully soaked. Place the leaves face-up (underside down) flat on the soil surface.
How to grow many succulents well
You can draw a few grooves on the soil with your finger and place the leaves in the grooves. You can also cover them with a little soil, but not too deep.
There is also something to remind everyone that succulents from the Echeveria and Sempervivum genera are not very suitable for propagation by leaf cutting, while those from the Crassula and Graptopetalum genera are particularly suitable, such as common species like Echeveria and Sempervivum.
3. Don't transplant seedlings too early
Succulents propagated by leaf cutting will gradually grow roots and seedlings after three to four weeks.
When these seedlings grow to about one centimeter, don't move them immediately because they need a long time to grow and develop. Let them continue to grow in a relatively small seedling tray until the seedlings on the leaves gradually absorb the nutrients from the parent leaf (the leaf used for propagation), and the parent leaf turns yellow and withers, and the seedlings grow to one or two centimeters tall, then you can directly transplant them with soil.
Whether it's propagating through branches, leaves, seedling division, or bare-root planting, or transplanting small pots, pay attention to drying the wounds and allowing the succulent plants to form callous tissue. If repotting succulents, also do it when the soil is slightly dry to ensure that the roots can heal faster and avoid increasing fungal infections.
Although it is possible to propagate cuttings directly into the soil, there is a risk of fungal infection, which only increases the risk of propagation.
4. Pay attention to propagating succulents
Whether propagating through branches or leaves, provide a little soft lighting, and don't keep them in a too dark place. Provide more scattered light in the morning and evening, ensure a warm and cool environment with some humidity, and keep the temperature between 18 to 25 degrees Celsius. The success rate is very low when propagating at temperatures that are too high or too low.
5. Don't use too fertile soil
Whether planting or propagating succulents, don't use soil with too much fertility. Don't think that mixing more fertilizer into the soil will make the succulents grow faster; it will only backfire.