One of the many reasons we all love succulents is that they are so easy to grow, right? I often say they thrive on benign neglect. But you know that. You practically ignore most of your succulents and they do just great. But that one, special succulent, the one you really love… That one is a challenge, isn’t it? You do everything just right for it. You give it extra love and attention — but still, it struggles. I understand. I’ve been there. There is an answer. Read on for the succulent care secret especially for your favorite plant.
Succulent Care for Your Your Favorite Plants
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What Makes for a “Favorite” Succulent?
Meet my newest favorite succulent – Euphorbia lactea cristata variegata! Isn’t it cool? I am so excited to share it! While any variety of succulent is worthy of being someone’s favorite, often it is the unusual, strange and hard-to-find that becomes our “favorite succulent”. Another candidate is one with sentimental importance. Perhaps it was grown by your grandmother, or given to you by your Dad. Maybe it was from a bouquet at your wedding, or your corsage from prom. However a succulent has come to be your favorite, it is deeply meaningful to you and treasured. So — how to take care of it, when most people wind up killing the succulent they love most? This is the three-fold secret to succulent care for your favorite that keeps dying:
- Fast-draining succulent soil
- Water only when the soil is dry
- Lots of light
I know what you are thinking — this is what you do for your regular succulents! You want succulent care tips for your favorite, right? Just hang in there with me. I promise — I am coming to that.
Succulent Care Begins with the Soil
The very first step for succulent care begins with the soil. All succulents require a fast-draining soil, for several reasons. Proper succulent soil enables the plant’s roots to access enough water, without remaining too wet, which would risk rot. It also provides sufficient oxygen for the roots of the plant, which is necessary for photosynthesisPhotosynthesis (FO-to-SIN-thuh-sis) is the process plants us… More. Soil also anchors the succulent in place, so that its sun exposure remains consistent. It provides insulation from temperature fluctuations for the roots. And soil provides the right mix of nutrients your succulents need to promote healthy growth.
All succulents share these needs for these succulent soil qualities. Resist the urge to show your favorite succulent how special it is by giving it extra rich, nutritious soil. Experienced gardeners often provide specially enriched soils for a prized rose or heirloom plant, with excellent results. When it comes to succulents, this is a quick way to damage or even kill your favorite succulent. Rich soils retain too much moisture, risking rot. And all of that nutrition is likely to spur rapid and weak growth which results in its own problems. Just like your regular succulents, your favorite needs fast-draining, nutritionally lean soil.
The lovely Lithops lesliei above is an excellent example of a rare succulent that needs the same things from its soil as the rest. For a recipe to make your own succulent soil, click here.
Succulent Care is All About the Watering
Proper watering is the most critical element of succulent care. By definition, these are plants that have adapted to growing in conditions where water is scarce. These plants are so well adapted to dry conditions that overwatering is the fastest road to death for your succulents. The more closely you can mimic the conditions where they are native, the better they will do. So watering should follow a “drought and drench cycle”. Let the fast-draining soil your succulents are growing in dry out well. This is the drought their water storage enables them to survive. Then water thoroughly, so that the water runs from the drainage holes. This is how the rains occur where they are native — a quick, short burst of rain. When you water, your plants soak up all the moisture they can to store for future use.
This drought and drench method of watering keeps your succulents healthy and happy. It encourages the development of a robust and vigorous root system, and it plumps up their foliage full of the water they store. Daily watering in small amounts leads to stunted and weak root development. Consistently wet soil risks rot. Resist the urge to show your favorite succulent love by giving it extra water. Instead, let the soil dry well between waterings. Your succulent will tell you when to water. Read all about the signs succulents give to show they are under- or over-watered.
The fanciful Senecio rowleyanus ‘String of Pearls’ is a certain favorite. Its delicate appearance, cascading habit and whimsical, spherical leaves are so charming! Many people love this plant as their favorite. Sadly, many also kill it with “kindness” (read — too much water). I love using string of pearls in a mixed succulent planter. Not just for its incredible good looks, but because it is a great guide to watering the entire arrangement. When the plant is just fine, needing no more water, the pearls are plump and perfectly round. I leave the arrangement dry. As its soil dries, and the plant draws on its stored water, the leaves lose some of the plumpness as the water is used. They become a bit pointed. When most of the leaves are pointed, it is time to water the entire arrangement. Then, the string of pearls leaves are all fully rounded again. Easy-peasy!
This photo of senecio String of Pearls is provided courtesy of Maja Dumat via Flickr and Creative Commons Public License (Attribution 2.0 Generic).
Succulent Care and Sunshine
All succulents love sunshine. It is necessary for photosynthesis. Some succulents can tolerate more or less than other varieties, but they all need a good amount of light. The need for light is so fundamental, that if a succulent does not receive enough light, the plant will soon stretch and grow tall and thin, as the plant reaches for more light. This process is called etiolation. It is not just unsightly. In extreme cases, succulents can die from etiolation. Provide your succulent with ample light, and keep watch for signs that it needs more light.
Unfortunately, too much sunshine can also cause a problem if your succulents sunburn. So keep an eye on your plants as you determine the right sun exposure for each one. Once you have, continue to monitor them as the temperatures warm and the seasons turn. Partial shade can become full sun later in the year, and full sun can become far too hot.
Resist the urge to keep a full-sun favorite succulent indoors to keep it always nearby. It won’t get enough sunlight to keep it healthy. Also, don’t put a shade-happy succulent into too much sun, just because it would look nice in a focal point. Too much sunshine can be damaging. Instead, your favorite succulent should be placed in the right amount of light for it – just like your regular succulents.
The darkly handsome Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ is often a favorite, for its unusual color. Although listed as good in full sun or partial shade, it is important not to put it in full sun straight from the nursery. Most succulents are professionally grown under shade cloth, to yield the best color. And too much sun too soon will cause the plant to sunburn.
This photo of Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ is provided courtesy of salchuiwt via Flickr and Creative Commons Public License (Attribution 2.0 Generic).
The Secret to Succulent Care for Your Favorite Plant
Are you noticing a trend? So far, the succulent care tips for your favorite plant look a lot like the way you care for the rest of your collection. What gives? In fact, the only specifics so far for your favorites could be boiled down to “resist the urge to treat it differently from other succulents”.
Here is the big secret:
True love is giving not what you want to give, but what is needed. Surely, someone famous has said this before and far better than I. It is a hard lesson every parent learns. I know you love your favorite succulent. And you want to treat it as special because it is special. But clearly, that “special treatment” is the problem. The reason the succulents you neglect thrive, while the favorite you care for dies, is because succulents thrive on benign neglect!
We tend to show our love for plants by giving them extra special yummy soil. This can kill a succulent. We show our love with more generous water – this, too, can kill a succulent. Quickly. And we love to put our favorite plant in a special spot. But too much light, or too little, can cause problems for your succulents.
So — what can you do to experience the joy of actively loving your special succulent if you cannot do any of these? Sing to it! Write poetry about it and recite it to your plant every day. Read to it (mine love Dr. Seuss!) Do you think I am kidding? I’m not (very much). Believe me, not only do I know how it feels to want to show your favorite plant that it is special — I, too, have killed plants I love. I think we are trying to fully experience our feelings of love and specialness by taking action. But extra watering is a bad action for succulents. So, I suggest finding another action that won’t hurt your plants, but that can express your love. There is much evidence to suggest that plants do enjoy and respond positively to music and your voice. By all means — love your succulents! Just lay off the extra water, rich soil and changes in light.
I have written about how stress can bring out the best in your succulents. Turns out, the same is not true for us. When we stress over a favorite succulent, we often wind up hurting it. Instead, learn to love your succulents without going overboard in their care. They will love you for it!
So — what will it be? Will you sing to your succulents? Try poetry, or reading to them? Please take a moment to leave me a comment and let me know how you show your love for your favorite plants without hurting them!
Happy Gardening!
P.S. For a complete guide to succulent care, check out my FREE course, 7 Steps to Succulent Success, and subscribe! Thanks!
