The secret to keeping succulents alive

Succulent plants are very beautiful and popular. Although they are lazy plants, you still need to pay attention to the methods of maintenance and management. Here are some tips on how to keep succulents alive.

1. Soil ventilation

Most succulents have fleshy roots, and due to the climatic environment (their native habitat is dry and rainy), they usually store water in their leaves or stems. Therefore, they are drought-resistant, but afraid of stuffiness and waterlogging. When caring for them, you must prepare a loose, breathable and well-drained potting soil to prevent problems and help them live longer.

2. Choose a purple clay pot

Generally, purple clay pots are used to grow succulents. When choosing a purple clay pot, you need to pay special attention to the thickness of the pot wall. The thinner the wall of the purple clay pot, the more breathable it is. The breathability of a purple clay pot with very thick walls is similar to that of a porcelain pot.

3. Adequate lighting

Succulent plants should be kept in an open-air environment with very good ventilation. In addition, they must be given sufficient light. Although most succulents can grow in a semi-shady environment, they will be in a sub-healthy state over time. Not only will they be prone to insects, but they will also be prone to disease, so they will definitely not live long.

4. Water appropriately

The best time to water succulents is early morning in summer, in the morning on sunny days in winter, and in the morning and evening in spring and autumn. For growing winter-type and intermediate-type plants, the potting soil should be kept moist but not waterlogged, and watered thoroughly when the soil is dry. It should neither be waterlogged nor too dry. Summer types can be watered appropriately, but not excessively. If it is rainy or the temperature drops suddenly, stop watering. When watering, try to pour along the edge of the pot. If you can't do that, don't pour water directly into the center of the succulent.

5. Supplement nutrients

Winter-type and intermediate-type succulent plants should be fertilized with decomposed thin liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer every 20 days or so. Fertilization can be done in the morning when the weather is clear, and be careful not to splash the fertilizer onto the plants. Summer types do not require fertilizer. The most suitable temperature is 15~28℃, and the maximum temperature that the plant can tolerate is 5~35℃.

6. Keep warm

Succulent plants are afraid of cold, so they need to be kept warm when the temperature is low. They can be kept in a sunny place in a greenhouse, keeping the temperature above 0 to 5 degrees, and get more sun to avoid freezing to death. When the temperature in summer is above 30 degrees, start shading (winter-type succulents go dormant early) and increase ventilation. Succulents are afraid of exposure to the sun, especially when the temperature is above 35 degrees. If they are not shaded, they will melt in the sun.

7. Ventilation environment

During the high temperature period in summer, it is necessary to provide shelter from rain and create a ventilated and cool environment to avoid sunburn. Especially after watering, the environment is humid and hot with poor ventilation, which will cause black rot in succulents. Proper ventilation for succulents and proper exposure to sunlight can reduce diseases and pests of succulents and avoid root rot and black rot.

That’s it