How to Grow a Bulb Succulent? Care Methods and Precautions

The bulb is a very cute succulent, round and plump and very similar to a light bulb. The bulb's unique shape also gives the bulb succulent a very fragile body, so in terms of watering, light and temperature, you must figure out its needs. Below is a reference for everyone.

How to Grow a Bulb Succulent

1. Temperature and light

The small bulb likes a sunny, cool and dry environment, but it is not tolerant of strong sun. Although it is in its dormant period in summer, it still needs appropriate shading.

In autumn, when the temperature drops, the bulb wakes up, watering resumes, and it needs sufficient light. In winter, warmth should be increased appropriately, and the plant should be kept indoors, ensuring the temperature stays above 0°C to avoid frost damage. The bulb grows slowly, and the nutrients it needs can be drawn from light. Only with sufficient sunlight can the bulb grow strong and healthy. However, the environmental differences between north and south are quite large, so growers should cultivate according to their own environment.

2. Water and fertilizer management

The bulb succulent is relatively drought-tolerant and afraid of waterlogging. Bulb seedlings are in the early stage of growth, and their center of gravity is unstable, so they may lean in all directions. You can appropriately use a toothpick to prop them upright and water a small amount, to avoid the plant being knocked over by heavy watering. In summer, the plant is in its dormant period, so water a small amount once every half month; too much watering will cause rot. When watering, take care to water close to the soil and do not splash water onto the leaves.

The bulb grows slowly and has low nutrient requirements, so it generally does not need extra fertilizing. During care, take care to avoid rain and prevent exposure to scorching sun, and water appropriately according to the weather.

3. Growing medium

The bulb is not tolerant of waterlogging, so the chosen soil should have good water permeability and air permeability. The bulb's medium usually uses coal cinders mixed with a small amount of peat, with a small amount of akadama and orchid stone added to the surface of the potting soil, then covered with granular river sand. When watering, try not to water too much; there is no need to soak the pot, just keep the medium dry.

Care Methods and Precautions for the Bulb Succulent Plant

1. Sufficient light

Although the bulb likes a sunny environment, it must also have sufficient sunlight even during the dormant period. But the sunlight intensity in summer is high, and the bulb's growth is limited during its dormant period, so it should be shaded throughout the summer.

2. Appropriate watering

The surface of the bulb has a layer of old leaves that can absorb water, so there is no need to water too much in summer, avoiding the potting soil becoming too dry or too wet. For watering, usually use the pot-soaking method, or drip watering, and do not spray directly onto the plant with a shower head, so as not to affect the plant's normal respiration.

3. Choose the right potting soil

The potting soil should be selected at planting time. Usually use coal cinders mixed with a small amount of peat, add a small amount of akadama and orchid stone, and cover the surface with a layer of river sand. If the succulent has been growing for a long time, the surface river sand can be replaced in summer to enhance its water permeability.

4. Timely propagation

Usually, sowing propagation is carried out in autumn, around mid-September. Of course, if the bulb is growing well, division can be done in late summer.

5. Precautions

After the beginning of summer, a layer of wrinkled old leaves will appear on the surface of the bulb. Although it is not attractive, it can help the bulb resist the damage of the scorching sun and can absorb water from the air, keeping the young plant tender. Remember not to cut it off at will.

The bulb's seeds are relatively small. After sowing, cover them lightly with a small piece of glass. When watering, take care to moisten the soil and water gently, and do not wash the seeds out of the soil.

Why Does the Bulb Succulent Change Color

1. Light

One of the main reasons the bulb succulent turns red is light. Using light to make the bulb succulent change color is the most common and most obviously effective method. Put it in a place with sufficient sunlight, and its color begins to deepen, then slowly turns red. Every autumn, the atmospheric density in the air becomes thinner, visibility in the air becomes stronger and stronger, the intensity of sunlight also increases, and the intensity of ultraviolet rays reaches its highest value of the year, so autumn is the best time for the bulb succulent to change color. The shade of red after the bulb succulent turns red is inextricably related to the length and intensity of sunlight.

2. Temperature

In winter, when the temperature drops, the color of the bulb succulent deepens in a low-temperature environment. At the beginning, part of the bulb succulent turns red, the color slowly deepens, and finally the entire leaf turns red. This phenomenon is caused by the bulb succulent's self-protection function; the anthocyanins in the bulb succulent's body have a cold-proof and warmth-preserving effect. In winter, the relatively high daytime temperature can satisfy the bulb succulent's slow growth, so that it does not go dormant, and at night the temperature drops rapidly. The cold environment can promote the synthesis of anthocyanins; the lower the temperature, the higher and faster the anthocyanins are produced. As the anthocyanins in the bulb succulent's body increase, it also becomes redder and redder.

Morphological Characteristics of the Bulb

The bulb's epidermis is bright green and semi-transparent. During the summer dormant period, in an environment with sufficient light, the epidermis appears red. The flowers are large, pale purplish-red, with a white center, and bloom in spring or autumn. The flowers open during the day and close at night. If the cultivation environment has insufficient light or it is cloudy and rainy, it is difficult for them to bloom.

Although the bulb is just a round, semi-transparent green ball, a well-grown bulb can also bloom, and the bulb can also change color, showing different colors under different temperatures and light, so friends who grow bulbs can observe the bulb's growing environment according to its color.