5 Steps to Succulent Succulents
Succulents and cacti have been riding the high trend wave for quite a bit now and I am sure we have all heard how simple they are to take care of and how they just seem to magically survive without any care.... well if you are anything like me you discovered the hard way that this is not quite an accurate statement. I have lost quite a few succulents that I was pretty fond of, I have sadly watched my cute dish garden slowly perish, and I have burned a few succulent rosettes out in the garden....and by burned, I don't mean I suddenly went pyromaniac and set my patio on fire but rather I placed my delicate lavender echeverias in full summer sun and they got quite a sunburn :)
Please don't let this deter you from surrounding yourself with these lovelies; they are indeed easy to care for with some basic knowledge of their needs.
1. WATER: Succulents are pretty picky about their moisture. I would say water your succulents once a week OR however long it takes for their soil to dry out. However, you do NOT want to soak the plants, or keep water on their leaves, because it will rot out the flower from the inside. Keep the plants dry, but the soil moist. The best way to do this is to use a spray bottle or a pipette and be careful with it. Bottom line: Spray or pipette the soil when it is dry and ready for watering (usually once a week), soak it, and let it dry out completely. Never water when the soil is wet to the touch.
2. SOIL: If you bought them from a nursery, repot them immediately! Plant your succulents in a nutrient-rich soil, and hopefully one made for succulents or cacti. Make sure your soil has good drainage! It's a good idea to plant your succulent with rocks or pebbles at the bottom of the pot. Some people like to mix pumice or granite in with the soil. Unglazed pots are good for drainage as well. Supplement with a fertilizer once a month.
3. LIGHT: Most succulents prefer at least a half day (6 hours) of full sunlight with some afternoon shade. Read up on your variety, but make sure it gets plenty of sun AND a break for shade. If indoors, plant by a window. If outdoors, make sure it is in sun for some of the day for proper sunlight, but in shade for the rest of the day, so that the leaves don't fall off from sunburn!
4. VARIETY: As a general rule, green succulents fare better inside, while purple and orange succulents fare better outdoors. Planting them together will please the eye as well. In lower light spaces, succulents grown together will need some room to breathe, so try not to crowd them out. In outdoor compositions, they can grow a little closer together.
5. EXPERIMENTATION AND PROPAGATION: Not all succulents are alike, and you will probably have to try to find the ones that work best for your space, sunlight, watering abilities, and tastes. Some even respond differently to the same care!
Furthermore, it's fun to try propagating them! Simply break off whole leaves and leave them partly submerged in damp soil. They will sprout whole new plants!
The biggest problems to watch out for are: no drainage, sunburns, overwatering, and lack of light.
Have fun!
