What are the knowledge points about succulents
Answering netizens' questions about the knowledge of succulents and the skills of caring for succulents, these are very good experience tips, recommended for collection!
Many friends' succulents have not survived this summer, and some of my succulents have also died due to the excessive heat of this summer. Some flower friends even moved them to air-conditioned rooms, which increased their survival rate.
There are also some basic common sense in caring for succulents, if you are a beginner in growing succulents, you must read more.
1. Don't water immediately after planting
For most plants, after planting, they need to water slowly and thoroughly once to ensure that the soil absorbs enough water. However, it is completely opposite for planting succulents. After planting succulents, do not water 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 place, and the soil should be slightly damp. Wait until the soil is completely dry before watering them. Watering succulents should also avoid the leaves and water directly into the potting soil.
If the soil for your planted 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 location with a little scattered light or bright light. If the weather is still quite hot, do not water in a hurry. Continue to spray a little water on the potting soil to avoid issues like leaf and stem rot, and reduce the risk of bacterial infection.
2. Leaf Propagation Precautions
Many flower friends like to grow succulents because they can be propagated by leaf cutting, and each leaf can grow one or two small buds.
One thing to remind everyone is to choose healthy and plump leaves that are not damaged. It is best to choose leaves from the middle and lower parts of the plant, which should be free from pests and diseases. Remove the healthy leaves completely (you can hold the leaf with your hand and rotate it slightly at the bottom to remove the leaf).
After the leaves of succulents are picked, do not insert them into the soil in a hurry. You can first place them in a well-ventilated and well-lit place for 3 to 5 days. After the leaf wounds heal, prepare some loose and well-drained soil. It is best to use a small seedling tray. The soil is usually a mix of peat soil, perlite, and vermiculite in a 1:1:1 ratio; you can also use peat soil and perlite in a 1:1 ratio. The soil can be sprayed with a little mist to make it slightly damp, but do not water thoroughly. Place the leaves face-up (underside down) flat on the soil surface.
About the knowledge of succulents
You can draw a few grooves on the soil with your finger and place the leaves on the grooves, slightly covering them with soil but not too deep.
Also, it is important to note that succulents from the Echeveria and Sempervivum genera are not very suitable for propagation by leaf cutting, while succulents from the Crassula and Rosularia genera are particularly suitable for propagation by leaf cutting, such as the common 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, do not move them away in a hurry because they need a long time to grow and develop. Let them continue to grow in a smaller seedling tray until the seedlings on the leaves gradually absorb the nutrients from the mother leaf (the leaf used for cutting), the mother leaf gradually turns yellow and withers, and the seedlings grow to one or two centimeters tall, then you can directly transplant them with soil.
Whether propagating through branches, leaves, seedling division, or bare-root planting, or transplanting small potted plants, it is important to let the wounds dry and allow the succulents to form callus tissue. If repotting succulents, it should also be done when the soil is slightly dry to ensure that the root damage can heal faster and avoid increasing fungal infection.
Although cutting the branches of succulents and directly inserting them into the soil can sometimes be successful, it may lead to fungal infection, which will increase the risk of propagation.
4. Precautions When Propagating Succulents
Whether propagating through branches or leaves, provide a little soft light, do not keep them in a very dark place, give more scattered light in the morning and evening, ensure a warm and cool environment with some air humidity, and keep the temperature between 18 to 25 degrees. Propagation success rates are very low when the temperature is too high or too low.
5. Don't Use Soil That Is Too Fertile
Whether planting or propagating succulents, do not use soil with too much fertility. Don't think that mixing more fertilizer into the soil can make succulents grow faster; it will only backfire.