Succulents are such amazing plants to have in your home. There are thousands of different types to choose from, all varying in color, texture and size. Succulents are so vibrant and symmetrical; their leaves are often arranged like blossoming flower. In addition to this beauty, one of the more appealing attributes is how easy they are to take care of. If you follow a few rules regarding soil, potting, watering schedule and sunlight your succulents will live for years to come. This blog post focuses on small indoor potted succulents; outlining the most important succulent care information I've collected via research and my personal experiences.
The Soil: You can find a pre-mixed bag of succulent and cactus soil at most nurseries or plant stores. If you want to make your own: mix together sphagnum peat moss, reed sedge peat, perlite, sand and limestone. I'd say its easier to buy the mix. :)
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| Fafard is what I've been using and I love it! |
The Pot: Succulents have shallow root systems that require little room so you don't need or want a deep pot. This is because the more soil you have the more likely the soil will stay damp after watering, which can lead to root rot. My succulents are in dozens of different pots, ranging in size from 3 to 7 inches deep. (This is a good range for smaller sized succulents). This next bit of advice is one of the most important rules when working with succulents: Make sure your pot has a hole in the bottom! That way when you water, the water will drain out. When there is no drainage hole the water will just sit in the pot, keeping the soil and roots wet... succulents don't like this! It is a perfect recipe for root rot. If you absolutely must use a pot with no hole and you are unable to drill a hole the next best thing is to place a layer of rocks, gravel, broken sea shells, or of mix of these in the bottom of the pot before you fill it with soil..
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| Like so... ;) |
However, I have found even when I do this my plants don't do as well as the one's with holes in their pots. I actually put rocks in the bottom of all my pots even the one's with the holes in the bottom. This not only helps with drainage, but also keeps the soil from leaking out the bottom of my pot when I water.
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| This is standard sized pot (6") and should be super easy to find. |
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| This adorable pot became my new favorite after my husband drilled a hole in the bottom with an electric drill. |
Watering: Succulents do not need as much water as your other house plants. The #1 way to kill your succulents is to overwater. In the winter months water once every 2 weeks. In the summer water about once a week. These are general rules and each plant / pot is different. The larger the pot and or plant, the less frequent it needs to be watered. I've found it helpful to put make note on my calendar when I water.
Clues that its time to water:
* Stick your finger in the soil, it should be very dry.
* The leaves are looking slightly shriveled and less plump.
* Lift pot... It should feel quite light. Compare this to the weight of a pot you just watered.
Sunlight: Succulents do best when they receive 3-4 hours of early morning or late afternoon direct sunlight and are shaded during the hottest part of the day when the sun is strongest. If left in the hot sun all day they will more than likely burn, resulting in ugly brown spots. That being said, I live in NYC with Northern exposure and there are only a few precious areas that receive direct morning sun in my apartment. I move my plants around every couple of days giving each of them a turn to bask in the sun. This isn't ideal, but my succulents are doing just fine.
Where to Buy Succulents: You can buy succulents at most plants stores, they are usually with the cactus. Home Depot and Lowe's often have a great selection. If you live in NYC the flower district can provide everything you're looking for and more in terms of plants, flowers, soil, pots... EVERYTHING! It's located on 28th street between 6th and 7th avenues. If you can get there before 11am you can catch the flower shops before they close. Some of them sell wholesale only, but most shops will sell to the public and you are guaranteed to get the freshest flowers in the city, they get shipments daily from all over the world... it's pretty awesome!
Allright... There you have it! Now go buy some succulents and make your windowsill happy!! :)
