How to fatten up succulents
Article summary: An introduction to the 6 techniques for fattening succulents and making them bloom, follow the editor to take a look! Recently, we discussed some tips on how to make succulents look good, but some meat friends left comments saying that they don't particularly like overly controlled growth and want the feeling of a full pot. Full of joy and harvest, it is also a kind of beauty! Spring is the growing season for succulents, and it is also the most likely season to bloom. By doing a good job of caring for succulents in spring, a few simple techniques can make the plants grow rapidly and become denser.
1. Repotting. To make succulents bloom, the plants must first grow well, and this starts with nurturing healthy roots. "First, take care of the roots of the meat" is the most common saying. Because most of the roots of succulents are capillary roots, they can cause some roots to die during controlled growth, dormancy, or excessive watering, and new roots cannot grow well due to the obstruction of dead roots, leading to insufficient nutrition for succulents and even causing the phenomenon of僵 seedlings.
Therefore, if succulents have not been repotted for a long time, it is necessary to prune the roots and repot the plants in spring, and choose a slightly larger pot according to the size of the plant. Pruning the roots can stimulate the rapid growth of the succulent's root system, and a slightly larger pot provides enough space for root growth. Once the roots are well cared for, it's no longer difficult to achieve a full pot!
2. Watering. Watering succulents has always been a difficult problem. Too much watering can lead to etiolation or black rot, while too little watering can affect the growth of the plants. Therefore, mastering the rhythm of watering is very important. To make succulents bloom, watering should be slightly more than controlled growth. Only by eating and drinking well can they quickly burst lateral buds and achieve the effect of a full pot! Specific watering methods have been introduced in previous articles by Lao Xian Rou, so I won't elaborate here!
How to fatten up succulents
3. Fertilizing. To make succulents bloom, fertilizing is also crucial. Various trace elements needed for the growth of succulents need to be supplemented through fertilizing. Spring is also the best time to fertilize succulents, and you can combine repotting and watering to supplement base fertilizer and slow-release fertilizer. Specific fertilizing methods have also been introduced in previous articles by Lao Xian Rou, so I won't repeat them here!
4. Cutting off the top. After ensuring the growth state of succulents, if they still don't burst lateral buds, you need to consider whether it's due to the variety or use some techniques! Cutting off the top of the plant is one method. By removing the apical dominance of the succulent, this technique promotes the rapid growth of lateral buds to achieve a full pot.
Compared to cutting, the scar from cutting will be larger, but the top that is cut off can be used to propagate a new succulent. The scar from pinching will be much smaller and more natural. As for which method to choose, it depends on your own situation!
5. Plucking leaves. Compared to the above techniques, this one is much gentler. After removing the bottom leaves, the stem part is still tender, and there is a chance to produce bud points, thus achieving the effect of a full pot. Especially for some etiolated succulents, after removing the leaves, the shape becomes more beautiful and it's easier to produce lateral buds. Even if no lateral buds are produced, it will gradually form the feeling of an old stem.