Succulent Care-Tips

                    SUCCULENT CARE-TIPS

Succulents are drought tolerant plants that are easy to care for and require very little attention. The three most important things when caring for succulents are as followed:

WATER: The most important part of succulent care is when and how to water. Only water when the soil is COMPLETELY dry! That might be every 3 days or every two weeks depending on where they are kept. Generally every 7 to 14 days inside and every 3 to 7 Days outside during the Spring and Summer. During the winter succulents need to be watered only about once a month as most are dormant. Only water in the evening as water can act as a magnifier and burn the plants if watered during the hottest part of the day! Over-watering is the easiest way to kill a succulent!! An under-watered succulent will show signs of stress with drooping or withered leaves. If this happens give them a good drink and they will perk right up. When watering do not mist!!! Succulents need to be watered thoroughly when the soil is dry so that the water reaches the entire root system. Let soil completely dry before watering again. Succulents need excellent drainage so make sure to use a cactus soil and that there are drainage holes in the containers they are kept in. If there are not drainage holes you will have to water sparingly in order to not over water and kill the plant.

SUNLIGHT: This can be tricky at first. Most succulents are grown in a greenhouse which means they will need to be acclimated to the sun gradually once received, especially in the hot months. When you first receive them keep them in soft sun or indirect light only and then slowly introduce them to direct sunlight. If put immediately in direct sun the plants may burn which will either kill the leaves or make them unsightly. Conversely succulents and cacti need ample sunlight to look their best. When your plants are not getting enough sunlight they will stretch out which is called getting “leggy”. It may take some time to figure out the optimum solution to where your plants live but you can do it!  The vibrant colors of succulents are maintained with proper lights and water. Succulents can boast some beautiful and vibrant colors! Most succulents will get more vibrant with more sun but some will want diffused sun to offer their best color. Watch your plants and try different lights to maintain the perfect look!

TEMPERATURE: Succulent plants are very tough plants but they are not indestructible. A good rule of thumb is to not allow your plants to be in temps below 40 degrees without protection. They will need to either be brought inside or put into a greenhouse or else they will die! Succulents truly thrive in temps between 50 to 85 degrees. It is okay if the temperature gets higher than 85 degrees but you will need to take extra precautions to ensure your plants do not burn. Keep the plants out of the direct sunlight once temps reach over 85 degrees.