Succulents are a uniquely beautiful plant that has grown in popularity over the last few years. These plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are often very sturdy.
Succulents are some of the easiest plants to keep alive. No need to have a green thumb for these guys! With a lot of sunlight and a little water, you can keep your succulents going with very little effort.
These desert plants are a great addition to any garden, window sill, or room. Whether potted or not, succulents can brighten up your space—and they won’t take much of your time.
Succulents need a lot of light.
Because succulents are a desert plant, they need a lot of sunlight. They generally need at least six hours of sunlight daily. Newly planted succulents can be scorched when exposed to too much sunlight—ease them into the light, giving them a little more every day while they adjust and take root. After they have adjusted, let the light shine on your succulents.
Rotate your succulents regularly.
Direct sunlight is great for succulents! Unless your plants are planted in the ground, it will greatly benefit from some rotating. If it’s a potted plant, just turn it once in a while. Rotate the plant to evenly expose all sides to sunlight. Plants tend to grow towards the sun—rotating it will help your succulent grow straight up. If your plant is left unrotated, it’ll likely grow to one side.
Water the soil and use the right soil.
When watering succulents, place the water directly into the soil. Some plant will benefit from being watered through the petals or at its root, but succulents will take nutrients from its soil. So, when you water, but sure to go directly to the soil. The most common mistake made with succulent is over watering—they don’t need much. It will differ based on the plant and its size, but generally, they just need a little water about once a week or so. Because they don’t like too much water, it’s also important that they are in soil that drains. Regular potting soil is not ideal. Cactus soil or mix potting soil will help your succulent to grow stronger.
Remove bugs from your plant.
Gnats love succulents, particularly over watered succulents. To keep the bugs at bay, you can spray your plant with isopropyl alcohol or other pest control spray. Avoiding over-watering will also help you avoid a pest problem.
Change your watering habits based on the season.
Like most plants, succulents need more sunlight during times of growth—aka the spring and summer. During warm weather succulents thrive, growing strong. Give them plenty of sunlight and a little more water during this time. However, during the cold seasons, plants are resting. The nutrients will go to the roots to strengthen them and growth will slow. During the fall and winter, they will need less water and be in more danger of overwatering.
