How to Care for Succulents
Updated: May 24, 2021
Just a couple of months ago, I thought having succulents is an easy tasks that everyone can do it. So I brought few little succulent plants myself for 10 pesos each and for as low as 200 pesos I got few little succulents in my living room apartment. Little did I know most of these plants dried and withered. I got sad and realize that caring succulents is not an easy tasks.
Then a couple of weeks ago, me and my sister decide to hire someone with a great skill of doing a succulent decoration. I contacted Miss Axille Pinero Facebook page and her expertise in succulents to help me decorate a plant that is design for indoor spacing with minimal supervision since I’m not all the time in my Airbnb Dumaguete House Rental.
So for a low cost of 600 pesos she decorated this wonderful succulent plants with stunning design. She give me as well tips and guide on how to care for succulents even if I’m not always in the house to supervise it, so it’s important to learn how to care for succulents.
Find out how to care for Succulent plants making them healthy and happy
1. Make Sure Your Succulents Get Enough Light
Succulents love light and need about six hours of sun per day, depending on the type of succulent. Newly planted succulents can scorch in direct sunlight, so you may need to gradually introduce them to full sun exposure or provide shade with a sheer curtain.
2. Rotate Succulents Frequently
Succulents love direct sun, but if yours is sitting in the same exact spot day after day, it's likely that only one side is getting enough light. A guide book called House of Plants: Living with Succulents, Air Plants, and Cacti suggest rotating the plant often. Succulents will lean towards the sun, so rotating them will help them stand up straight. (Leaning may also be a sign that they need to be in a sunnier spot.)
3. Water According to the Season
Just like us, succulents need more energy when they're in a period of growth. Miss Axille recommend testing the soil with a finger—when the top 1.25 inches are dry, grab your watering can. Over watering can kill your succulent, so make sure you let the soil dry between watering. Perhaps twice or thrice a month you will do watering.
4. Water the Soil Directly
When you water your succulents, soak the soil until water runs out of the drainage holes. (If your container doesn’t have drainage holes, use less water.) Don’t use a spray bottle to water your succulents—misting can cause brittle roots and moldy leaves . You can also place pots in a pan of water and allow the water to absorb through the drainage hole. Once the top of the soil is moist, remove from the pan.
5. Keep Succulents Clean
"Inevitably, your indoor plants will gradually pick up dust on their surface, which can inhibit their growth," write Langton and Ray. Wipe off the leaves and spines gently with a damp cloth (use a soft paintbrush to get at hard-to-reach spots).
6. Choose a Container with Drainage
Succulents don’t like to sit in waterlogged soil, so drainage is important to prevent rot. Your container should have a drainage hole to allow excess water to escape. Terra-cotta pots are ideal for beginners.
7. Plant Succulents in the Right Soil
Succulents need soil that drains, so regular potting soil—or dirt from your yard—won’t do. Choose cactus soil or mix potting soil with sand, pumice, or perlite. Succulent roots are very fragile so be gentle when repotting.
8. Get Rid of Bugs
Pests shouldn’t be a problem for indoor succulents, but occasionally you may have to deal with bugs. Gnats are attracted to succulents that are planted in soil that is too wet and doesn’t have proper drainage. To get rid of eggs and larvae, spray the soil with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Mealybugs are another pest succulent owners have to deal with. Overwatering and overfertilizing are the common causes of mealybugs. Move infected plants away from other succulents and spray with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol.
Tips on Setting up Succulent
Always sterilize your pruning shears or scissors with rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes to prevent spreading disease from one plant to another.
Plant succulents in the soil mix, spacing them several inches apart to allow for airflow and growth.
Add a thin layer of gravel on top of the soil and around your succulents to help reduce humidity in the terrarium.
Leave the lid off of the container and place it in a location that gets plenty of airflow and indirect sunlight. Water only when the soil becomes almost dry but not bone-dry.
Things You Will Need For Setting up Succulent
· Clear glass or plastic container
· Gravel
· Activated charcoal
· Spagos
· Potting soil
· Succulent plants