How to Care for Succulents

Succulents are plants with parts that are thickened and fleshy to retain water. Usually, they store water in their leaves and stems, and sometimes in roots.

5-Minute Crafts prepared instructions for how to take care of these easy-to-care-for plants.

Which plants are succulents

These succulents are popular to grow at home:

• Cactus
• Aloe Vera
• Crassula
• Kalanchoe
• Crown-of-thorns
• Schlumbergera
• Sansevieria
• Fasciated haworthia
• Curio radicans
• String-of-pearls
• Common houseleek
• Burro’s-tail

How to choose a pot and soil for succulents

• Ordinary soil won’t work. It’s better to buy special soil for cacti and other succulents from a plant shop.
• You can make this soil yourself by mixing ordinary soil with sand or perlite.
• Succulents don’t like to be exposed to moisture for a long period of time. Make sure that the pot has a drainage hole to remove excess water, and that there is a layer of the expanded clay drainage at the bottom.
• The glass florarium that many people choose to plant their succulents in is not the best solution. There is no drainage, thus water stays there and destroys the roots of the plant. A clay or ceramic pot is the optimal choice.

How often do you need to water succulents?

• The fastest way to kill a succulent is to water it every day. These plants came from the desert and have gotten used to rare but abundant watering.
• The best option is to water the soil with a big amount of water and leave it until it fully dries.
• Water your succulents every 10-14 days.
• You can use a regular watering pot. It’s better to not use a spray bottle: it only wets the leaves and doesn’t supply the soil with enough water.

When succulents need to be fertilized

• Fertilize succulents at the end of the summer and in the spring when the plants are in a stage of active growth.
• Use a balanced, all-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half of the strength recommended on the package instructions.
• There is no need to fertilize succulents in fall and winter. They don’t need the nutrient boost, because they are not actively growing.

When to repot succulents

• Succulents should be repotted at the beginning of the spring, before the period of active growth. Never do it when the plant is flowering. Wait until the end of the flowering period and then repot the plant.
• Don’t repot a succulent every year. You need to repot the plant if the roots are too tight, and stick out of the holes of the pot, looking for more space. Repotting is also recommended if the plant looks unhealthy or topples over the pot.
• For repotting, get new soil, drainage, and a bigger pot, and carefully wash and dry the root system.

How to create a comfortable environment in your home

• Succulents like bright sunlight. Place your plant at the windows that are facing south or in the sunniest place in your home.
• Turn your plant so that it can look at the sun with its different sides throughout the day. It will help the leaves and stems to receive an equal amount of sunlight.
• Like any other plant, a succulent accumulates dust and dirt on its leaves. Wipe them off gently with a damp cloth or use a soft paintbrush to get to the hard-to-reach spots.