Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 12:23 pm
Have you been searching for how to grow succulents perfectly? Welcome here, you are in the best place to find out how to grow succulents from any part of the world where you live!
You’re here due to the fact that you like succulents, but maybe you are not exactly sure if you know how to grow succulents or you can grow them in your local environment.
I completely understand how you feel! And I have actually got excellent news for you …
Succulents can be grown anywhere, no matter where you live, and I’m going to give you the structure you need to do exactly that.
Lots of people wish to grow succulents, however, they do not have the ideal growing conditions for them. I was once part of that group of individuals, too!
For some individuals, growing succulents is a breeze. For others, it’s a day-to-day battle. In either case, this guide will teach you the vital elements to find success on how to grow succulent in less than perfect situations.
Succulents are incredibly popular plants. They have actually got beautiful shapes and colors, plus they are very tolerant to drought. Not everywhere is the perfect location for succulents to grow. These tips will assist you to keep your succulents alive no matter where you live!
Succulents are plants that are efficient in holding up against extended periods of drought by saving moisture in their leaves and stems.
These flexible plants can be grown in garden beds, pots, inside your home, and outdoors – and they’re extremely low-maintenance. This novice’s guide to succulents will teach you the fundamentals of propagating, caring, and growing for your succulents.
How To Grow Succulents – What are Succulents?
Succulents are plants with fleshy, thickened leaves and/or swollen stems that store water. The word “succulent” originates from the Latin word sucus, which means juice or sap. Succulents have the ability to endure on restricted water resources, such as dew and mist, making them tolerant of drought. There are several types and cultivars of succulents covering a number of plant families, and the majority of people associate succulents with Cactaceae, the cactus family.
Always remember, that while all cacti are succulents, not all succulents are cacti).
Best succulents to grow indoors
1. Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
2. Christmas kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
3. Mother-in-law tongue or snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
4. Crown of thorns (Eurphorbia milii)
5. Medication plant (Aloe vera)
6. Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi)
7. Zebra cactus (Haworthia fasciata)
8. Panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)
9. String of bananas (Senecio radicans)
10. String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
11. Hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum tectorum or Echeveria elegans)
12. Pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli)
13. Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum)
14. Pebble plant or living stone (Lithops)
How to grow succulents indoors
Succulents tend to prosper in warm, dry environments and do not mind a little neglect due to their unique capability to retain water. This makes them well adapted to indoor growing and suitable for individuals wanting low-maintenance houseplants.
Follow these actions for effective care of your brand-new plants if you’re choosing succulents for the very first time.
1. Pick a suitable succulent for your indoor conditions
A lot of succulents like direct sunshine, however, if all you have is a shaded corner in your home, opt for low light-tolerant plants like mother-in-law’s tongue. A tracking range like a string of bananas is an excellent option if you want to grow your succulent in a hanging planter. Constantly check out the plant labels to figure out the sunshine needs, size, and spread of your succulents.
2. Offer a really well-draining potting medium
Nurseries constantly plant their succulents in soil that’s too abundant and maintains excessive wetness, so you’ll wish to repot your succulent as quickly as you bring it home. Start with a coarse potting mix with excellent drain and aeration.
You can find unique cactus and succulent mix at the nursery or perhaps use an African violet mix. To, even more, enhance drain and avoid compaction, include perlite or pumice to the cactus or African violet mix (approximately 50% of the overall potting mix, depending upon your specific succulent’s moisture requirements). Constantly damp the mix prior to using it to guarantee it is equally wet.
3. Pick your container
When repotting, make use of a container that has a drain hole and is at least 1 to 2 inches bigger than the nursery container. Avoid glass containers (such as mason containers or terrariums) as a long-lasting potting option, as they do not permit roots to breathe and can trigger root rot in time. Fill the bottom one-third of the container with a pre-moistened potting mix, then place your plant inside and backfill with more pre-moistened potting mix.
4. Place the potted succulent in a sunny area
Many succulents love a minimum of 6 hours of sun daily, so attempt to position them near a south- or east-facing window. If they do not get enough sun, you might observe your succulents ending up being spindly or extending towards the light.
5. Enable the potting mix to dry in between waterings
The number-one error many individuals make with succulents is overwatering them. It’s best to water more, however less often. Fill the potting mix completely (while making sure water drains of the drain hole perfectly) however, permit the mix to dry a little before watering again. The plant might ultimately die if the potting mix remains regularly damp every day.
6. At least, fertilize your succulents once per year
The plants benefit most from fertilizer in the spring (when the days get longer and brand-new development starts), and once again in late summertime.
Use a well-balanced, versatile, water-soluble fertilizer (such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10) watered down to half the strength advised on the package guidelines. There is no requirement to fertilize succulents in the winter season when they’re semi-dormant. They do not need the nutrient increase since they are not actively growing.
Extra succulent care tips on how to grow succulent
Can you use sand to plant succulents?
Although it may appear as succulents grow in sand, out in the wild, they in fact choose loose, rocky soil and require nutrients to grow well. When used by itself, and tends to compact gradually, triggering excessive water retention in a container. The very best potting medium for a succulent is one specifically created for succulents and cacti, or a well-draining soil mix of potting soil, coarse sand, and perlite or pumice.
Can you grow succulents from seeds?
Yes. Succulent seeds can be grown inside in light, damp soil (similar to other plant seeds), however, grow more gradually and normally do not reach transplant size until 6 months to a year after sprouting or germinating.
Why are my succulent leaves falling off?
Like numerous plants, the most affordable leaves on the stem (closest to the potting mix) will ultimately shrivel up and drop. This is very normal and absolutely nothing to fret about. It might show overwatering, pests, or disease if the upper leaves are dying.
How to grow succulents from cuttings
The most convenient (and most inexpensive) method to propagate your succulent collection is by propagating them from cuttings. Our detailed guide to propagating succulents will take you through the whole procedure from collection to planting.
Suitable soil conditions for how to grow succulents
In your garden beds, you will attain the best result from your succulents when they’re planted in free-draining soil.
For containers, purchase a specifically ready potting mix, frequently offered as succulent and cacti mix.
The addition of gritty sand in the potting mix or garden beds is vital, as succulents will not endure damp feet and will rot rapidly without it.
How to fertilise succulents
A great feed of nutrients throughout the growing and flowering seasons will be valued! You can purchase this in granular type, or as a soluble powder to be contributed to your watering can.
General-purpose fertilizers including nitrogen and potash, along with micronutrients such as iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, and boron, are appropriate.
How to grow succulents in pots
If planting your choice of succulents in containers, practically any pot, tub.
No matter which container you choose, make sure to enable adequate space to cater to the roots of the plants and examine that the container has an adequate drain.
When the roots begin to break out the base of the pot or end up being apparent on the surface of the soil, repotting is just ever needed. This is a task best performed in spring.
How to grow succulents indoors
Succulents can make outstanding indoor plants, however, it is very important to remember that succulents need a lot of sunshine to prosper.
Place indoor succulents in an area that gets direct sunshine for the majority of the day. You’ll know if the succulent is not getting enough sunshine as it will grow ‘leggy’ and extend out of the pot.
How to grow succulents outdoors
As long as succulents are planted in well-draining soil and get a lot of direct sunshine, they make sure to be low-maintenance, drought-tolerant outdoor plants.
Practically all succulents will flourish in the full-sun area or in intense light, although it pays to examine the plant label for best-growing conditions or goal to duplicate the location from where the healthy-looking cutting was taken.
Bigger succulent ranges like agave (Agave americana) and Foxtail agave (Agave attenuata) make wonderful function plants, while smaller-sized succulent ranges can be organized together to change a blank wall completely sun into a luscious vertical succulent garden or merely be planted together in a pot outdoors.
How to care for succulents
When it concerns caring for succulents long-term, it’s an excellent concept to fertilize them at least once a year using a controlled-release fertilizer.
The very best time to fertilize succulents is throughout their growing season which lasts from spring to summertime.
How much water do succulents need?
Succulents are resistant to the majority of disease and pests, however, something they will not endure is damp feet! If you’re questioning how to water succulents, the very best method to do it is to deeply water the succulent and after that permit the soil to dry entirely before you water them again.
The exact same thing chooses potted indoor succulents. Just check the soil with your finger, and if it feels dry, put enough water into the pot that water gets away from the drain holes. Let any excess water to drain. And just let the water dry completely before you water again.
Is misting helpful in how to grow succulents?
There’s no damage in periodically misting your succulents with water (as long as they’re not getting excessive wetness as a whole), however, it’s certainly an unneeded additional action.
Misting is terrific for plants like ferns and orchids that normally flourish in damp environments, however, succulents merely choose a hot, dry environment and for that reason will not benefit much from being misted with water.