Eight Tips You Need To Know About Succulents

Don’t ask me about any other plants, but if you want to know about succulents… Let’s talk! There are all sorts of articles and entire blogs devoted to these darlings. To get you started I came up with my top Eight Tips You Need To Know About Succulents! 

Here’s the skinny from a girl who’s learned through research, trial + error and the hard way.

Eight Tips You Need To Know About Succulents

1. What is a succulent anyways?:
   There are lots of different types of succulents. The simplest definition of a succulent is a plant that stores water in it’s leaves. Depending on the succulent they also store water in their stems and roots. They do well in dry climates and, because of the way they store water, survive on minimal watering.
2. The Right Soil:
   Succulent success starts with the right soil. You want a well draining soil. I use a Cactus, Palm and Citrus potting mix. You can also mix pearlite into your soil to help soak excess water up. The important thing is that your soil doesn’t retain too much moisture.
3. What to Plant it in:
   Along with a well draining soil, you’ll want a pot with drainage holes. It doesn’t matter if you are using the right soil if the excess water can’t drain out of the pot. A few rocks in the bottom of the pot help too. 
4. How to Water it:
   How you water a succulent depends on what type of leaves it has. Succulents with thicker leaves actually need less water than other succulents. It’s important not to overwater your succulents. Only water when the soil is dry. Don’t oversaturate the soil just get it damp. Be careful to only water the soil and not let water sit on the plants leaves because it will rot them. This means using a water can and not a spray bottle! After a good rain if your soil remains too wet you may need to re-pot with fresh soil.
5. Care for the Roots:
   A succulents roots are very sensitive to water. If left sitting in water or overly damp/wet soil too long, the roots themselves can rot and die.
6. Give it Light:
   Succulents love the sun! Find them a spot where they get a mixed amount of direct and indirect sunlight. I have mine sitting out on my back patio where they get direct sunlight in the morning and indirect sunlight in the afternoon.
7. Propawhat?:
   Once you have happy thriving succulents you can start propagating! Look up each succulent individually to know if you need a leaf or a cutting. If you are propagating from a leaf, remove carefully from the stem without tearing the leaf. Let scab over for a couple of days before laying the leaves on top of well draining soil. Your leaves will start growing roots and new plants after three to four weeks.
8. Don’t mess with success:
   If your succulents are doing well. Leave them be! When I first bought succulents I was so determined to take good care of them I over cared for them and was killing them. The beauty of succulents is that they truly can be low maintenance provided the right conditions. 

These are my top Eight Tips You Need To Know About Succulents! Have your own great tips? Share them with me. Questions? Ask away! I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

xoxoNaomi

Love this post? Then you definitely love my painted pots + succulents in a seashell + succulent Saturday.