How To Take Care Of Succulents

Succulents are all the rage right now, and not just with gardeners and green thumbs.

Novice planters love succulents too, because not only do the plants look lively, they are also hardy and easy to care for if you know how. You can also care for them indoors, and can get really crafty with the containers, even adding rocks, shells, or colored glass around the plants as decoration. Ready to learn how to take care of succulents?

Here are three important things you need to know about taking care of succulents:

1.  How to plant succulents

First, you need to pick your container. You need to make sure the soil can drain, so if your container does not have a hole to let excess water escape, put pebbles on the bottom of the pot, or mix find sand into the soil to help with drainage. Fill the container halfway with your soil mixture, to where the roots will sit. Place your plant over the pot with the roots inside, and fill the rest of the pot with soil, burying the roots and making sure your plant sits close to the top of the container (so it gets enough light). You want the soil to be loose for easy drainage, but not so loose that your plant will fall over.

2.  How to water succulents

Throughout my research on the subject of succulents, it seems like the experts where often asked the question: “how often should you water succulents?” Too much water and the roots of the plant will rot, but too little water will make the roots dry up. It’s best to water your succulent when the soil is completely dry, giving your plant enough to drink so that the soil is damp and excess water drains out of the bottom of the container.

Try to avoid getting water on the plant itself as this can rot the leaves or scorch them if they’re in direct sunlight. Instead aim the water directly as the soil, and avoid “misting” the plant.

3.  How to repot succulents

Although succulents always look small (they will never become trees, for instance), they do in fact grow, and thus can outgrow their container. How will you know when to repot succulents? Often the roots will start to grow out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the container, or the plant just looks too big for its pot. Repotting a succulent will also give it fresh, fertile soil, ensuring its continued health and growth.

Start by removing the succulent from the old pot. Gently dislodge the soil from the roots, being careful not to damage them. Fill the new, slightly larger container with soil and place succulent inside, filling in the rest of the pot around the plant. Let the succulent become accustomed to its new home for at least a week before watering.

Which succulents do you grow? What’s your favorite container for growing succulents? Let us know in the comments below!