How to care for succulents
Let me tell you how to care for succulents and share some related experience and key points of succulent plant care. If there are any mistakes, please feel free to correct them!
Every succulent enthusiast is sure to check on their beloved plants every morning. When it rains☔️, they worry about them getting wet, and when the sun is too strong, they worry about sunburn. When kept outside, they worry about ants, mice, and birds eating the leaves. It really takes a lot of effort!
We always carefully nurture each succulent as if it were our child, but sometimes they are not as fragile as we imagine, it's just that we love them too much!
Below, I will share my experience in caring for succulents, hoping it helps you!
1. Ventilation. Good air circulation is important for succulents, so it's best to keep them outdoors. If kept in a confined space for too long, they will become wilted and lackluster, just like humans. When keeping succulents indoors, open windows more often, and use a small fan during the hot summer.
2. Temperature. The most suitable temperature for succulent growth is between 15~25℃. If it's above 35℃ in summer or below 5℃ in winter, most succulents will enter a dormant or semi-dormant state. During this period, try not to disturb them. The higher the temperature difference, the better the succulents look.
3. Light. Succulents enjoy sunny weather, and receiving 8~10 hours of sunlight per day is ideal, making the plants very beautiful. If not possible, 3~5 hours is also fine. However, be careful that stronger light is not always better; the midday sun in summer can be harmful, and proper shading is needed. Also, for newly purchased succulents, there should be a gradual process after bringing them home, and they should not be exposed to strong sunlight immediately.
How to care for succulents
4. Watering. At the beginning, you may not have a good grasp, so water regularly: every 5~7 days in spring and autumn, every 15~20 days in summer, and every 20~30 days in winter. Later on, you can gradually figure out the habits of your succulents and change the watering method accordingly. For example, if the leaves become soft, wrinkled, or the lower leaves start to wilt, these are signals of insufficient water, and it's time to water. Make sure to ventilate after watering.
Additionally, you need to understand the dormancy habits of different succulents. Do not water too much during the dormancy period, or the plant may easily rot.
5. Soil. Succulents prefer dry soil, so loose and breathable sandy soil is best for their growth. After buying a succulent, the first thing you should do is check the soil. If it's clay soil or soil with a very strong black, organic texture, you must change it.
The simplest soil mixing method: 1 part peat soil and 1 part coarse sand. If there is no coarse sand, you can use crushed and washed coal cinder as a substitute.
6. Pots. Succulents can be grown in black square pots, ceramic pots, tile pots, or purple sand pots. Black square pots are cheap and light but not wear-resistant; tile and ceramic pots are breathable and water-resistant, but they become very heavy after watering, requiring a sturdy shelf; purple sand pots are also breathable but expensive, and the pot walls should not be too thick, or the breathability will be similar to that of porcelain pots.