Fundamentals for Growing Succulents
About Placement and Sunlight
• Placement
In places that get too much rain, succulents kept outside can retain too much moisture and develop root rot. This is a danger particularly when temperatures rise from late spring to early fall. Therefore, I recommend that you grow your plant in a place sheltered from the rain, like under the eaves or on a covered veranda.
During your plant’s growth period, exposure to sunlight from morning to evening is ideal, but you can aim for three hours of sun at the least. From late spring to summer, there are succulents that grow more slowly and ones that go dormant, so during the daytime you should either block direct sunlight from your plant with cheesecloth or move it to a place in partial shade.
1 Sun: A place exposed to direct sunlight.
2 Partial shade: A bright place out of direct sunlight, like under the eaves. You can also weaken direct sunlight by 50% to 80% with cheesecloth (shade netting).
3 Shade: A place completely out of the sun, like the north side of your home.
• Recommendations for Cultivating in a Mini Greenhouse
It is also effective to use one of the small, portable greenhouses wrapped in clear plastic film that are sold in home and gardening stores.
<Benefits>
1 The covering can keep out water, preventing the root rot that would develop during long spells of rain.
2 You can cover the frame with cheesecloth to adjust the amount of sunlight coming inside.
3 The covering makes it difficult for airborne contaminants to reach the plants.
4 You can raise the temperature inside during winter days. However, the temperature inside at night will be the same as the temperature outside, so this will not prevent plants from freezing.
<Caution>
If you leave the plastic film of the greenhouse closed in the daytime during spring to fall, the inside temperature will rise, and the plants inside may sustain injuries like sunburn from the heat. Make sure to always open the film to let a breeze flow through during the day.
About Watering
No plant can survive without water. Even though succulents store water inside themselves, they still require a certain amount of help from the outside. To grow a healthy succulent, it’s important to learn its specific needs and the best techniques for watering it.
The basic rule for watering is to give lots of water about 3–4 days after the surface of the soil has dried during the plant’s growth period. Pour water into the top of the pot until it flows out the hole in the bottom. When the plant begins growing more slowly, water it less frequently, and when it goes dormant, stop watering altogether.
The “immersion method” is one way of watering. If you pour water on varieties covered in white powder from above their leaves, the powder will wash away and ruin the plant’s pristine appearance. Instead, fill a container with water and immerse the whole lower part of the flowerpot, allowing the soil to absorb water through the hole in the bottom.
<Tips>
• Judge the amount of moisture in the soil from its color. (top photo)
• Even if the surface of the soil is dry, you won’t know how wet the soil is deeper down, so insert a skewer into the soil and occasionally pull it out to check the level of moisture. (middle photo)
• If sunlight hits places where water is gathered between the leaves, the drops of water can act like a lens and cause sunburn. If water droplets form, blow them away with a dust blower designed for cameras. (bottom photo)
Immersion method
The soil on the left is dry, and the soil on the right is wet.
Check the wetness of the soil inside the pot with a skewer.
Blow away drops of water with a dust blower.
About Planting Soil
People often tell me that they are unsure of which soil is best for planting succulents. Keep the following points in mind when choosing the soil most suitable for your plant.
1 Drainage: The soil will quickly drain away excess water. If water is left to accumulate inside the pot indefinitely, it can lead to root rot.
2 Water retention: Retaining an appropriate amount of water in the soil will stimulate growth of the roots.
3 Breathability: Roots need to breathe too, so it is essential that they can always access fresh air.
As long as you satisfy these three requirements, it won’t matter what soil you use. A variety of soils are sold at home and gardening stores, so if you buy several types and combine them, you can anticipate good results from the plants you grow.
For example, one option is to use Akadama as the main component, then mix in ingredients like Kanuma soil, mulch, and carbonized rice hull to make a soil mixture. If you further sift this mixture and remove the finely powdered particles of soil, your plants will grow even better.
※ You can use Hyuga soil instead of Akadama.
Cultivation Tools
Lasting through Summer and Winter
Watch Out for Sunburns and Root Rot
Succulents that are sensitive to heat and high humidity are liable to sunburn when the sun’s rays grow strong during early to midsummer. Dampen the sunlight with cheesecloth or move your plant into partial shade where a breeze can pass through. Additionally, because your succulent’s growth slows down during the summer, overwatering will lead to root rot, so give it water less frequently during this period.
Sunburned Conophytum
Handling the Cold and Preventing Freezing
It is safer to move succulents like Kalanchoe that freeze easily to a sunny area indoors. Even plants that are comparatively strong against the cold should still be taken indoors for days there is a risk of freezing and for the low temperatures in the morning and evening. If you water less frequently during midwinter, the plant will store less water inside itself and be less likely to freeze.
Frozen Kalanchoe