Succulent plants: care, watering and other tips

Beautiful and ornamental, succulents are great for their versatility to show off both indoors and outdoors. Grab some tips to have them look divine.

They are beautiful and varied, have colorful flowers, require little watering and have become an increasingly popular decoration element both inside homes and offices and on balconies and gardens. We tell you everything you need to know about succulent plants: care and tips to take advantage of their benefits. 

 These little plants have the characteristics of storing water in their leaves, their roots and / or their stem, with which they can survive and stay well in conditions that other plants would not survive.

Succulent plants: care

Besides being very varied plants in terms of their shapes, colors and sizes, what makes them very popular is that they do not require much dedication. You just have to know a few secrets on how to care for succulents so they can develop to their full potential.

Basically, the care is very similar to that of cacti. But let's get to the details.

How to care for succulents indoors

While succulents can survive in harsh climates, they are very good for growth if you place them indoors. They need a lot of natural light but it is important that they receive it indirectly. For example, through a window or a room that is very naturally lit or in a gallery.

How to care for succulents in summer

If you have your plants outdoors, just take the precaution of protecting them from direct sun during the summer months. Although they have a lot of water reserves, if the sun is very strong it can dehydrate them.

How to tell if they are dehydrating? When you notice that the plant begins to change its color. If it stops being green and starts to turn reddish, it is drying out. If you notice that it begins to occur, it is time to put it in the shade, in a place where it receives a lot of natural light but indirectly. Also, check the frequency of watering, which in summer should be once a week.

Note: they are never watered in hours where the sun is at full (noon, afternoon), but you must water them very early morning or at night. This clarification is valid for all plants.

How to care for succulents in winter

Succulents don't handle cold air or frost very well. So, during the winter months, it is important to put them indoors or in an enclosed gallery. Always remember to place them where they receive a lot of natural light through a glass, door or window.

So the advice is simple: in winter, put them to dormant state. And don't forget that the watering at this time should be only once a month or even a little more spaced.

Irrigation, soil, substrate: care of succulents

We share some practical tips on caring for succulents:

Succulent plants: watering

As we told you, these little plants store a lot of water in their leaves, stems and roots. That is why the word "moderation" is key when we ask ourselves how to water succulents.

Remember that their ability to absorb water allows them to grow and survive in hostile climates or places. That is why they have a different irrigation routine than other varieties.

How often the succulents are watered

Irrigation varies by season:

• In winter: once a month.
• In summer: once a week.

I moistened the soil where they are planted but without flooding it or forming puddles. If you overdo the amount of water, they rot and die.

Do not wet the leaves either: irrigation should go directly to the ground. Nor should it have a container plate because they continue to absorb water from there. If you want to put a decorative plate on it, remember to empty it so that it is always dry.

For a perfect growth and balance between humidity and light, it is important that you place them in a place where they receive a lot of natural light.

Substrate for succulents

Although succulents can grow in any type of soil, if we nurture them with a suitable substrate they will grow much healthier.

In nurseries, supermarkets and online stores you can find fertile soil and the right substrates. The other option is to prepare it yourself.

There are many types of mixtures that can be prepared but we tell you the most recommended by expert gardeners:

• Mix 1 part of soil from your garden, 1 part of sand, and 1 part of moss.
• Another option that works well and is very easy to prepare is to mix equal parts of garden soil and sand.

Note: when we say sand we mean garden sand, which is available in nurseries, and never sand for construction. This clarification applies to all plants.

Succulent soil

Succulent soil is the soil you have in your garden. All you have to do is condition it before assembling the pot in which you are going to plant it so that it has all the necessary substrates to nourish them.

As for the soil, it must be free of roots of other plants, free of weeds and it must be of loose or loose consistency. A caked soil does not work because the important thing, when preparing the substrate with this soil, is to ensure that the pot is well drained so that the irrigation drains perfectly and does not get flooded.

Succulent pots

In addition to the correct lighting and watering, the other important issue is the choice of pots. We tell you all the options you have to choose from:

• Clay pots are the best for planting succulents. As the material of this type of pots breathes, it makes the humidity in the substrate dry faster. You just have to make sure that the drainage hole is large or, if they are small, that it has several.
• This does not mean that you cannot opt ​​for another type of pots since there are different materials, designs and sizes. In the case that you opt for pots in which you cannot make holes, you only have to regulate the amount of irrigation water so that the earth does not get flooded.
• Other options are: ceramic, cement plastic and tin pots. As for the shapes, you have many options high, low, round, square, rectangular or shapes of watering cans, animals, cups etc.

Note: the pots where succulents shine the most are those in the shape of a deep plate because, due to their large circumference, you can create a crop of different types and it will look beautiful.

• Posted on: 2/16/2021 11:35:00 AM | Posted by:
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• Tags: caring for succulents indoors, gardening, lifestyle, succulent how to care, succulent soil, succulent tips for beginners, succulent watering guide
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