What is a Succulent Plant?
Succulent (Latin: succos
= juice, sap) plants from more than 60 families and 300 genera have evolved
special water-storage tissues in thickened or swollen leaves, stems or roots as
an adaptation to arid environments. They are native to places like South
Africa, South America and the arid Southwest. By making the most of scarce
available moisture, succulents can survive in habitats that are far too dry for
most other plants.
Succulents are
equipped to store water in their leafs and stalks so that they can survive long
periods of drought. They love heat and sun, need very little water and always
look green and lovely. Small succulent plants are nice for container gardens
indoors, on the patio or as ground cover.
Soil:
The preferred soil
for succulents is light and fast draining. Succulents potting soil can be found
in some home and gardening retailers like Lowe’s or Home Depot. Or you can
simply just create your own special mixture for your plants.
There are
some basic characteristics that a potting mix for succulents should possess: The most important thing is that the soil
should drain very well. The best way to achieve this is by adding horticultural-grade
sand and grit/pearlite/porous gravel or lava fines to the compost component of
the soil
(Do not use the potting soil with added fertilizer as it can be too 'rich' for
succulents.) Many
believe that a good starting ratio for the mix's components are 1/3 compost, 1/3
horticultural-grade sand, and 1/3 grit. But there are no hard and fast rules
for potting mixes, so you'll need to experiment with ratios. The above ratio of
components represents a good starting point.
Watering and Fertilizing:
Most cactus and succulents have an active period about 1/3 of the year.
During this active period watering can be frequent and fertilizer applied. The
most active time for most cacti is during the spring and early parts of summer.
As this period passes, it is best to reduce the frequency of watering as winter
approaches. They require very little water during the cold months.
Watering: During growing period, succulents
should be watered at least once a week. Allow soil to dry between thorough watering. Do not mist spray plants as this practice encourages shallow roots and
weak plants. When the
weather cools and day-length shortens, plants enter a rest period. During that
time, increase the interval between watering, and let the potting mixture dry
out between watering.
**About water…Tap water contains high concentrations of dissolved minerals. Such
minerals can build up in the plant's 'soil' over time, causing harm. Rain water
is preferable to tap water, if you can manage to collect and store it. Some
people added a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for
lowering the pH of the water (Acetic acid is in low conc. in vinegar) and
increase soil acidity. Just remember,
you do need to significantly water down the vinegar, because
vinegar used straight or in too high of a concentration will kill plants very
quickly.
Fertilizing: During the growing season, a balanced fertilizer,
which has been diluted to 1/4 strength, can be added to the water for each
watering. (A balanced fertilizer is one that has roughly equal proportions of
Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. A 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted to 1/4
strength is ideal.) Do not fertilize your plants during dormancy.
**Tips for homemade fertilizing…
I use egg sheels, used coffee
grounds or rice water
as my “secret recipe” for watering my succulents
and indoor plants once a month. It’s organic and natural, my plants seem happy
with it :)
Light:
Most succulents like bright light, but
not all can tolerate intense, direct sunlight.
They are already accustomed to a warm, dry environment, but they do need bright light. Indoors, most succulent plants can take sun near a window, or bright light. As a general rule of thumb, if there is enough sunlight for you to read, there is probably enough sun to make your plant happy. For best result, 5 hours of direct morning sun
daily, or place it at southern window. Avoid direct sun from midday sun.If new growth on your plant is pale green and
elongated, it needs more light. If the side of your plant facing the light
source is yellow, tan, red or indented, it is getting too much light.
Succulents do not like stagnant air. Provide good air circulation for your
plants.
