Thinking of adopting a succulent, start gardening as a hobby or have just received one as a gift, but aren’t quite sure how to care of them? Here are 3 really simple ways to care for your succulents !
Sunlight: More The Merrier
First thing’s first, many think that just because succulents can be kept indoors, they do not bother to give them any sunlight. This cannot be more wrong! Succulents absolutely love and adore the sun. If your succulents are kept indoors, simply leave them by the window in the morning or later part of the afternoon (when the sun is less harsh) for a couple of hours at a time, 3 to 4 times a week. If your succulents are left outdoors, leave them at a shady area – succulents can suffer from sunburn too!
Water: Less Is More
Sounds ludicrous, but hear us out. Succulents aren’t like your typical plant which loves water in whatever amount you feed it. Think of succulents as your beloved pet dog or cat which loves drinking water, but also sees it as its mortal enemy on some days. What do we mean by this? Succulents originate from dry and arid areas like Africa and South America, and together with their plump leaves that store water, they do not require much watering. That being said, they also like to have their soil damp and only watered on when the soil dries out.
So the trick here is this, water them once every three weeks for those kept indoors and once every two weeks for those kept outdoors. But if you see that its soil is still relatively damp, skip the watering for another day. Simple as that.
Plant Food: A Little Boost
Similar to all other plants, succulents need a little boost every once in a while. Our advice would be to fertilize your succulents with a balanced fertilizer or succulent specific fertilizer every 3 to 6 months. When doing so, strictly follow the instructions on the package – too much of anything is never good. If you have opted for a water soluble fertilizer, dilute it by a quater (a quarter fertilizer, three quarters water) or half (half water, half fertilizer) before feeding it to your succulent.
Just remember that your succulent isn’t a game or program, and it will take a couple or days or weeks before you are able to see any visible results!
Here’s a fun fact before we go. You may have heard or think that succulents are a type of cactus, but that is scientifically incorrect. There are about 60 different types of plants which fall under the group of succulents, and cacti is one of its sub-groups. Cacti are claasified as cacti because they have distinct circular-like structures called areoles, which spines, branches, hair, leaves and even flowers grow from. So in short, all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. Get it?
Wondering what types of succulents fit best in your home or office? Head on over here for some succulent inspiration. But if you are looking for more interesting articles, click here – you won’t be disappointed.
