How to Take the Best Care of Your Succulents
While people keep finding newer ways to decorate their homes, the trend of having a few succulents in your home is evergreen. This not only offers the space a trendy appearance but also offers health benefits.
However, while people are fond of getting succulents, most of them do not know how to take care of them. As a result, these small plants die quickly and leads to a waste of your money. If you too are looking for ways to take care of your succulents, here I have brought some very interesting tips that can help you in the matter:
Are They Getting Enough Sunlight?
Almost every plant needs some sunlight to grow and most of these succulents are no different. You need to place them at a point in your home which gets at least a few hours of direct sunlight. However, make sure not to keep them in sunlight for too long as some of them get dried up pretty quickly. You need to take care when adopting this aspect, especially for the newer succulents.
Do You Water Them Right?
No matter what geographical location you are situated in, there would always be changes in the climatic conditions. And you need to water your succulents according to the climatic conditions. During the spring and summer, the plants are thriving and drinking up much more water than when they’re resting in the fall and winter. So always make sure to offer them just the right amount of water because while they would die in lack of water, overwatering them in non-required seasons would kill them as well.
Are You Spraying Water?
This is another trend that the ladies have picked up from soaps and movies. While the succulents need water, they fill the water in a spray can and spray it directly on the leaves. Well, this may not be good for your succulents because misting can cause brittle roots and moldy leaves. Instead, add water directly to the soil of the plant and make sure the pot has a home underneath to let the excess water escape.
Are You Cleaning Your Succulents?
This might sound a bit absurd, but you need to keep your succulents clean enough. These plants pick up dust on their leaves and other parts, and this can retard their growth. To prevent this, you need to use a damp cloth to clean the leaves of the water and you can also use a soft brush to reach the unreachable spots through the cloth. However, spraying water is still not advised because it may not clean the dust at all and would sit with the dust to offer a bad appearance.
Have You Used the Right Soil?
Whether or not you believe this but using appropriate soil is very important for your succulents to survive and this is one of the major factors why these plants die in many homes. It is important to note that these plants would not survive in simple soil from your backyard, even when you fertilize it right. Choose cactus soil or mix potting soil with sand, pumice, or perlite. Succulent roots are very fragile so be gentle when repotting.
Are You Staying Away from Bugs?
This is a no-brainer. Wherever there are plants, you would see a few bugs and insects, even inside your home. And the real trouble begins when these bugs start dwelling in the leaves or the soil and start eating up the plant. Most often, these issues are seen in succulents that are overwatered or have overfertilized soil. So, to take care of the bugs, identify the pots that have bugs and keep them separated from the free ones. To get rid of them, spray the soil with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol.
These are some important tips that would help you take the best care of your succulents in your home and keep them away from troubles. Remember, this takes a bit extra effort but when they do their part to beautify your home, you need to perform your part as well.
