There is no doubt that succulents are plants that attract millions of people around the world. Many of them are small, so they can be grown in pots. But even though we’ve been told for years that they’re extremely easy to care for, that’s only the case if we know their needs.
Because yes, in your area they may not need much attention, but in others, on the other hand, they can have a complicated maintenance. That is why I’m going to give you a series of tips for taking good care of your potted succulents..
Contents
Choose pots with holes in their bottom
Forget those without holes. Succulents (meaning cacti and succulents) are not aquatic plants because their roots cannot withstand waterlogging. If you plant them in a pot without drainage holes, sooner or later they will die. since the water will remain stagnant, unable to come out, next to the root system.
And if, the same will happen if you put a plate under them that you never drain. That is to say: it is not enough to choose a pot with holes, but it is also vital for the plant that unabsorbed water can escape and move away from the roots so that the soil can s dry up.
Transplant your succulents if necessary
It is common for succulents to be bought – I emphasize both cacti and succulents – one day and kept in the same pot for a long time (years). Even if It is true that there are many who do not need a transplant, and others who only need it once or twice in their life, there are others who it will be necessary to plant more frequently in larger pots.such as Aeonium, Echinocactus, Adenium, all columnar cacti such as Trichocereus and many more.
But how do you know if the plant needs a change? Good, the quickest way is to look at the drainage holes in the pot. And it is that if the roots come out, it is undoubtedly that there is a lack of space. But it’s not always so easy, especially when the substrate tends to compact when completely dry.
Afterwards, To get out of doubt, I recommend doing the following:
- With one hand, hold the pot by the bottom and with the other the plant by the base.
- Now, carefully, slightly extract the plant from the container. I repeat: a little, not quite.
- As you do this, see if the soil crumbles or not: if it does NOT, i.e. if it stays intact, then the succulent needs a bigger pot; on the other hand, if it starts to collapse, you will not have to transplant it yet.
the transplant It must be done as soon as the good weather has set in and the frosts are behind us.. This can be early, mid or late spring. It all depends on the area you are in.
And as for the pot, in addition to having holes in the base, it should have a diameter of about five centimeters (more or less) larger and higher than the one you are currently using.
Put them on a suitable substrate
No substrate is worth it. Succulents are not resistant to waterlogging and have difficulty growing in very heavy and compacted soils.. That’s why I advise putting soil for cacti and succulents, since it’s the only one that will allow them to be really good.
If this is not possible, a good alternative would be to mix black peat and perlite in equal parts. This way your plants will feel comfortable in this pot.
Make sure the soil is dry before watering again.
Irrigation should be carried out only when necessary, that is, only when the soil or substrate is dry. I like to point out that succulents, the vast majority of them, are more resistant to drought than to excess humidity; in fact, just watering them more than necessary on one occasion may be enough to start rotting.
For this reason, it is very important to see if they really need irrigation. And this is done by inserting a stick into the pot and seeing if it comes out clean when removed (in which case it would water), or not. But also, every time you water it, you have to pour water until all the soil is soaked. What I mean by this is that if the plant is large, it will not be enough to take half a glass of it. Always add the amount of water each succulent needs, depending on its size and the size of the pot.
That they don’t lack light
The last and no less important tip (in fact, I’d say it’s one of the most important) is this: place your succulents in a place where there is plenty of light. And be careful: I’m talking about natural light, the Sun. The vast majority must be in direct sunlight to grow well., such as Lithops, Aeonium, Echinocactus, and many others. Others tolerate some shade, such as Haworthia or Gasteria, but even they will struggle to grow well in partial shade.
Now well, It must be taken into account that if they have never been directly exposed to the sun before, if they are put without having used them before, they will burn.. This is why you have to be patient and expose them little by little.
With these tips, you can keep your succulents in pots for a long time.