In our fun facts blog, you got to know your HortyGirl Succulents indoor potted plant and read about some great living decor ideas for your plant. Now it’s time to learn how to take care of your Succulent potted plant to keep it thriving all year long in your home or office decor.
Succulents can retain water and are resilient making them very hardy and low maintenance. Whether you received your Succulent as a gift or bought it for yourself, it is important to know how to care for your plant.
We went to our HortyGirl potted plant expert for top care tips for the Succulent potted plant. Keep reading to find out more.
Lighting Care Tips
Succulents thrive in high light areas. Be sure to place your succulent potted plant in a location that offers plenty of light during the day such as near a south- or east- facing window. Some succulents may burn if placed directly in a South facing window during Summer. The window glass can intensify the sun’s rays and cause tender leaf plants to burn. Succulents require about six hours of high light per day depending on the type of Succulent.
If your Succulent sits in the exact same spot every day, it is only getting enough light on one side. To ensure the plant gets light on all sides, rotate your plant often. Since Succulents tend to lean towards the sun, rotating your plant can also help it stand up straighter. If your Succulent has lots of spaces in between the leaves, and starts to grow a long stem, it is likely not receiving enough light as it is stretching and trying to reach for the sun.
Watering Care Tips
How and When to Water Your Succulent Potted Plant
It is best to water your Succulent potted plant only when the soil is dry and in the mornings so it has time to absorb.
If your container has drainage, water the soil directly and soak the soil thoroughly until the water comes out of the drainage holes of your container. If your container has no drainage holes, use much less water.
Avoid using a spray bottle to water your succulents as misting can cause brittle roots and moldy leaves. If the plant leaves begin to shrivel, you are likely not watering often or thoroughly enough. If they do shrivel, you may have to remove those leaves.
The best way to check if your Succulent potted plant needs water is to stick a bamboo or wood skewer into the soil, wait a second and pull it out. If it comes out clean and feels dry then it’s time to water your plant. To learn more, read our article ‘How do I Know When to Water my Plants?’
Water Your Succulent Potted Plant According to the Season
When watering your Succulent, also consider the season as well. During the spring and summer months, the plant thrives and drinks up more water. Water your Succulent thoroughly and deeply once the soil is dry between waterings. While in the winter months of December and January, your Succulent is resting and drinks up less water. This is when over watering tends to happen and can cause real damage.
Fertilizing Care Tips
It is best to fertilize your Succulent in the spring time when the days get longer and new growth starts, and again in the late summer. In the winter, fertilizing is not needed as the plant is resting and not actively growing.
Try to use a balanced, all purpose, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half strength as recommended on the package instructions. If you over fertilize your Succulent, it can grow too fast and become too weak.
Types of Succulents
Succulents are a plant category with many different types that come in all shapes, colours and sizes. Some of the common, more popular HortyGirl Succulents are the following:
- Zebra (Haworthia species)
- Jade (Crassula species)
- Echeveria species
- Gasteria species
- Aloe species
- Sansevieria species
- Calandiva (Kalanchoe species)
The care can vary for each type of succulent. Depending on what type of succulent is in your living decor, take a look at the features of your plant or the name on the HortyGirl product tag and read the plant care blog for each type above.
Finishing Up
Succulents are easy to care for, and also adds some natural beauty to the home or office decor making them the perfect gift for yourself, friend or family member.
By following the above care tips, your HortyGirl Succulent potted plant will be healthy, happy and thriving all year long. If you like more care tips or have any questions about your Succulent potted plant, please contact us.