Follow The Ultimate Guide to Succulent Care: With 6 Proven Tips for long-lasting, healthy plants in your home.
Succulents are easy-to-care-for plants. If you struggle to keep them alive, follow these 6 simple Succulent Care tips to ensure your succulents thrive and last a long time.
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The Ultimate Guide to Succulent Care: Proven Care Tips
1. Use Well-Draining Soil
Grow succulents in well-draining soil, avoid using regular potting mix or garden soil. Also, be gentle while repotting a succulent as it has delicate roots. You can make a succulent mix by mixing parts potting soil, two parts coarse sand, and one part perlite in a pot.
2. Keep the Soil Dry
Too much water and watering too often are the main reasons that make succulents die. To help them stay healthy, let the soil dry out completely between waterings. It’s better to underwater succulents than to water them too much.
Here’s an easy way to check when to water: stick your finger into the soil, and if it feels dry, it’s time to water.
3. Fertilize Less Frequently
Succulents grow slowly and don’t need constant feeding like regular plants. They actually prefer not-so-rich soil, so it’s good to give them a balanced liquid fertilizer, like 20-20-20, diluted to one-fourth of the recommended strength on the packet. Do this once or twice a month during the growing season, but don’t feed them in late fall and winter, especially in cold climates (USDA Zones 8 and below).
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4. Avoid Growing Succulents in Dark
Remember, succulents and cacti are not like typical houseplants. They’re used to growing outdoors in full or partial sunlight.
Most succulents need filtered sunlight or bright indirect light to do well, except for some like snake plants and aloe vera. If you’re growing them inside, place them on a windowsill.
5. Do Not Use Large Containers
Succulents have a small and shallow root system. If you plant them in big pots, the soil might stay wet for a long time. It’s better to use small pots so that the roots grow faster, and the plant can concentrate on growing upward.
Another advantage of using small pots is that succulents will produce new shoots more quickly.
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6. Never Mist a Succulent
When it comes to succulent care, it’s crucial to note that, unlike indoor plants that benefit from regular misting and humidity, succulents thrive in dry air. Avoid misting them, as it can make the air too humid and the soil unnecessarily wet, potentially leading to root rot.
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