HOW TO CARE FOR POTTED SUCCULENTS
Caring for your succulents sounds easy. We purchase these low-maintenance plants because we struggle to keep anything else alive. Yet, we still manage to mistreat them! What are we doing wrong? Let’s take a look into some ways that we tend to unintentionally kill our succulents.
Over-watering. This is the most common mistake. By nature, succulents thrive with little water. After all, they are desert plants! They function and flourish off of minimal water portions such as mist and dew. Therefore, they don’t need to be watered much. If you think you’re neglecting your succulent, you’re probably doing something right. *Note: It’s key to allow the soil to dry before you attempt to water it again. This may take a couple of days, but that’s okay! Your succulent is happy with a heavier watering in between longer fragments of time.
Lack of sun. Most succulents need about 5-6 hours of sun per day. There are some that can make-do in shaded areas, but for the most part, they desire direct sunlight. A good tip is to carefully examine what plant labels state regarding your succulent’s sun exposure and container size needs. Just keep in mind that light is essential to the health of your succulent, so if you are living in a basement or a space with little access to light, pass on the succulent purchase for now.
Skipping repotting after purchase. Many people do not consider repotting their succulents after they purchase them. Our guess is because it’s too much work and who has succulent-friendly soil lying around anyway? We understand that! We don’t have it either. However, repotting your succulent with succulent mixes (which can be found at any nursery) is important because most succulents are sold in a soil that tends to be too moist for their own good. Spend the money. You won’t regret it.
Choosing a suffocating container. Knowing the succulent’s air needs are important when deciding on a long-term potting plan. Glass, for example, is a poor choice for a container because the roots need air in order to grow and to prevent from rotting. We would suggest purchasing a container with a drainage hole and a container that is the size about a couple inches larger than the nursery one you purchased it in. The drainage hole is vital to the soil evenly drying. If the soil maintains perpetually moist, your succulent will most likely begin to die out.