Main points for caring for succulent plants in April

Which succulents start growing in April?

Summer type

Succulent plants in the Agave family: Huishan, Princess Leishen, Lai Guangjin, and Jixiangtian; Succulent plants in the Cactaceae family: Golden Barrel, Rock Peony, and Silver Hair Ball; Succulent plants in the Euphorbiaceae family: Noble Green Jade, Nine-headed Dragon, and Beixin Kirin; Succulent plants in the Oleander family: Guangtang, Desert Rose, and Mexican Tortoiseshell Dragon, etc. The above succulents are beginning to enter a rapid growth period and can be gradually moved outdoors to receive sunlight and spring breeze. Plants that have not been repotted can have their soil changed and can be divided in conjunction with repotting.

Growing season

The following succulents are already one step ahead of others when others start to grow: epiphytic cactus plants such as Christmas cactus and monkey love reed, less succulent varieties of Aizoaceae such as Zhaobo and Gramineus, most species of Crassulaceae such as Sunset Goose and Echeveria, succulents represented by loach palm and green bell of Asteraceae, and aloe vera such as Snow Queen Aloe and Snail.

Winter species growth slows down

Succulent plants of the Aizoaceae family: Lithops, Conodontia, Jade Plant, and Major General; Succulent plants of the Crassulaceae family: Xindongni, Moonlight, Chiva Lotus, Jade Toon, Flower Toon, Drifting Island, Spring Grass, Hairy-leaved Spring Grass, etc. The growth rate of these succulents gradually slows down or even stops.

April maintenance

Watering

For faster-growing succulent varieties, you can water them more often; for slower-growing varieties, you should water them less often. In short, the principle of watering is to meet the water needs of plant growth while preventing water accumulation. The best option for growing plants is to keep the soil moist without stagnating water.

The best time for watering is in the morning or evening when the weather is clear. If you use tap water, let it dry for 2 to 3 days before use to allow the chlorine in the water to evaporate, which will be more conducive to the growth of succulents.

Fertilization

Do not apply fertilizer to newly planted plants within one month, and do not apply fertilizer to plants with weak growth. For most succulents, fertilizer can be applied once every half a month. Slow-growing varieties can also be fertilized once a month. Some extremely slow-growing varieties do not even need fertilizer.

Do not water a few days before fertilizing. Wait until the soil in the pot is basically dry, loosen the soil the day before, and then apply fertilizer on the second day to facilitate absorption by the plant roots. No matter what kind of fertilizer it is, it must be fully decomposed and diluted with water before use. Urea, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, superphosphate and other inorganic fertilizers and various compound fertilizers and special fertilizers for home gardening sold on the market can also be used when the plants are growing vigorously, but the concentration should be low and the frequency should be small, otherwise it will cause the soil to become compacted, affecting the growth of the plants, which will be counterproductive.

pollination

April is also the flowering season for many succulents. You can try pollinating, collecting and planting them, and enjoy the fun of sowing them in the future. The key to pollination is to have two unrelated plants bloom at the same time so that seeds can be obtained.