GUIDE TO GROWING SUCCULENTS
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If you love plants and gardening like I do, you will probably have some succulents in your collection. Succulents are one of the easiest plants to grow, and are great for budding (ahem) gardeners.
TOP TIPS FOR LOOKING AFTER SUCCULENTS
SUNLIGHT
Succulents are desert babies. They thrive in full sun, and love warmth. Succulents are perfect for a west facing window, where the sun is harsher than say, an east facing window.
Make sure that your succulents get at least six hours of sunlight a day.
Keep in mind that the more sun your plant gets, the more water it will need. The less sun, the less water.
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WATER
Again, because succulents are traditionally desert plants, they can survive on very little water - which is another reason they are great plants for beginners - they are very forgiving if you perhaps forget to water your plant babies (bad plant mom!)
You will need to adjust your watering schedule to the season - plants grow in summer and spring, and coupled with the higher temperatures, your plant will be more thirsty in these months.
Succulents have thick, fleshy leaves, which hold water very well. They keep water in their leaves as a reserve, so you don't need to worry too much if the soil dries out completely - in fact, you should allow the soil to dry out completely before watering again. You can test this by inserting a stick or even your finger into the soil, and checking the moisture level in the soil.
There are some super cool tools you can use to measure the moisture levels in your pot - something I have been wanting to get is a "Soil Sleuth", which can tell you how wet or dry your soil is at different points in the pot. Some plants (especially succulents) will need the soil to dry out completely, and so it is important to make sure that the bottom level of your soil is dry before you water again
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SOIL
Succulents like well draining soil, so normal garden soil is not ideal. Cactus mix, or a potting soil with lots of perlite and stones, like pumice, are ideal.
PROPAGATION
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One of the best things about plants is that they keep on giving. Succulents are such hardy little guys, and perfect for a beginner propagation project.
When taking cuttings for propagating, ensure that you break or cut away a leaf with a clean break. Then, leave the cutting for a few days for the break to scab over, and then slowly mist your cutting every few days. It is a slow, but rewarding procedure, and is an easy way to create multiples of a plant. Also called cloning in the marijuana world.
I hope you've enjoyed my tips for growing succulents - please go ahead and ask anything you may want to ask.
Thank you so much! This was a welcome post as so many misguided information is out there on succulents.
The when to water question is probably the most frequently asked, right? You laid it all out nicely and made it easy to understand and be able to follow.
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!tip
ah thanks so much! Succulents are super easy though, so the "when to water" doesn't always apply - i hardly water mine in winter, because of the rain, and they are just fine. x
I lived in the desert or a bit and had cactus there but, the succulents, I have a little trouble with! Thank you, lovely! xo
Oh no! I wonder why? Maybe it was too dry out there? We went recently on a trip to our mountains here (the Cedarberg - maybe you know them?) and there it is extremely dry and hot, and the succulents were thriving there !
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I think I may have ignored them for too long! :)
Well done on your succulent propagation, they are prolific here in South Africa, I see them all over the south Cape coast as indigenous species.
Yes, I’m in Gardens! When we went to the cederberg recently they were everywhere! Thriving in the winter and summer
Love the aesthetics of the plant and rock arrangements you have shown here! Did you take the pictures of the ones that aren't marked with a source?
Thank you! I did take the pics, at my favorite nursery. I took them for inspiration as I want to do the same with my succulents Ina bowl like this.
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Definitely a species of plant that keep giving, find the ideal spot with right amount of water as mentioned, in no time at all you will starting moving them into the garden.
Absolutely! My propagation area is full of baby succulents growing from cuttings. Can’t wait to see them grow into beautiful big plants
Some take so quickly, others require a little more attention, good luck and enjoy watching them sprout off.
Definitely they are of my favorites, I have some in my small garden, I need to organize them to look more beautiful, but certainly are the best for beginners, because if you forget to put water one day nothing happens, I love to decorate them with a small ribbon to give them away because they look beautiful.
I love having plants in my tiny apartment so I have two of these!! I never really knew how much to water them though. If I do let the soil go dry, is there an easy way to tell when they need water?
Amazing guide. Thank you so much for posting. I was reading a post on the internet: https://succulentcity.com/7-succulent-care-tips/
It says we should use fertilizer to take care of succulents. Can you suggest what type of fertilizer should I use? Thanks
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Thank you. We were just talking about succulents earlier today, and wanted to learn more about them.
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Awesome! Let me know if you have any questions
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