They’re cute, they’re hardy and you can grow and enjoy them all year round. Succulents are the little black dress of gardening – something everyone needs, is always in style, and can be dressed up or dressed down to fit everything from serving as a fancy centerpiece to filling in forgotten corners of your gardens. If you’re new to succulents, or want to pick up some new tricks, we’ve gathered up a few of the basics for keeping them happy and healthy all year round.
TIP #1: Start with a healthy plant. If you’re new to succulents don’t try to propagate ones from your friends’ plants. (We’ll talk about more in a future article.) Instead choose a plant that looks healthy, has good color, and doesn’t have any foliage that looks like it’s dying. Also, don’t buy one that is sitting in muddy soil, it’s probably been overwatered, and the roots could be dying.
TIP #2: Succulents can be planted in almost anything for a container, but the most important thing is to use one that has good drainage (holes in the bottom). Without drainage, water can build up in the bottom of the container, causing root rot and harming the plant. Succulents like to stay dry, so make sure whatever container you choose has good drainage.
TIP #3: Use a planting mix that is labeled especially for succulents and cactus. Succulents prefer soil that’s lighter, allows for faster drainage and aerates the roots. Regular potting soil is too dense and holds too much moisture.
TIP #4: Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, succulents are choosy about their water – not too much, not too little, and just right. Water your plant. Pour out any extra water that accumulates in the saucer under the container. Then be patient. Let the soil dry out, watering on average about once every 1 to 3 weeks, depending on how hot and dry the climate is.
- Water MORE if the leaves of your succulent begin to pucker.
- Water LESS if the leaves turn translucent, lighten in color, or seem soggy.
TIP #5: Succulents like light, just not too much. Provide succulents with at least 4 to 6 hours of morning light. Keep them out of directly scorching heat in the afternoons. Cold winters aren’t good for succulents, so bring them inside at the first frost and keep them in a window where they will get plenty of indirect sunlight until Spring temps are warm enough for them to go back outside.
TIP #6: Fertilize succulents about once per month. Different kinds need different methods of fertilizing. Research online or buy an all-purpose cactus and succulent fertilizer and follow the directions on the bottle.
TIP #7: Keep them clean. Succulents have a simple, natural beauty all their own and are very easy to keep looking good. But once in a while they will have leaves that die off or shed foliage. Be sure to neatly clip and remove dead foliage to keep your plant happy and healthy.