What is the latest way to grow the Echeveria 'First Love' succulent?

The Echeveria 'First Love' succulent is one of the classic varieties of Crassulaceae succulents, a small to medium-sized perennial herb or subshrub, hybridized from Graptopetalum paraguayense and some Echeveria species, and because of its relatively easy care and propagation and the romantic pink tones of its leaves, it is widely favored by succulent enthusiasts, so let's take a look together at how to grow the Echeveria 'First Love' succulent!

Growth Habits of the Echeveria 'First Love' Succulent

The leaves of the Echeveria 'First Love' succulent are arranged loosely in a rosette, with a waxy white powdery bloom, spoon-shaped leaves that are flat and slightly concave, with upturned tips, and the appearance varies greatly under different lighting conditions: when grown outdoors (full sun) it is pink (possibly with a slight orange-yellow tone), when grown indoors it is blue-green, the flowers are pale yellow with red spots on the inside, and older plants will sprout lateral buds from the base, becoming clustering plants. It likes a sunny, warm and dry, well-ventilated environment, is drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant, and tolerant of partial shade, its main growing seasons are spring and autumn, and it has no obvious dormant period.

How to Propagate the Echeveria 'First Love' Succulent?

The propagation methods of the Echeveria 'First Love' succulent generally include division, cuttings and seed sowing; the beheading and cutting method is the easiest to survive, and it will grow small lateral buds. If you like multi-headed plants you can keep it as is, if you like single-headed plants you can cut off the head, and a healthier one can survive on its own. The Echeveria 'First Love' succulent sprouts best, at any time of the year; even a leaf the size of a grain of rice that falls off can grow into a large seedling. Do not water before the old leaves shrivel; just place them on the soil and avoid direct sunlight.

How to Grow the Echeveria 'First Love' Succulent?

1. Soil mix: For growing the Echeveria 'First Love' succulent, the soil mix can be cinder and river sand mixed with peat and granular soil (kanuma soil, akadama soil, etc.), with clean river sand or granules spread on the soil surface, focusing on breathability.

2. Sunlight: The Echeveria 'First Love' succulent needs to receive sufficient sunlight for its leaf color to be vivid, its rosette to be more compact and beautiful, and its leaves to be thick. Too little sunlight causes etiolation: pale leaf color, loosely arranged leaves, stretched-out and elongated spacing between leaves, and thinner leaves. Apart from paying attention to proper shading in summer, it can receive full sun in all other seasons.

3. Watering: The Echeveria 'First Love' succulent is generally watered only after the soil has dried out. Although the leaves do not easily get water on them and lose their powdery bloom, if water stays in the center of the rosette for too long it can easily cause rot.

4. Fertilizing: When growing the Echeveria 'First Love' succulent, a slow-release fertilizer can be applied once every quarter.

5. Repotting: The Echeveria 'First Love' succulent is a small to medium-sized plant, and depending on its growth state it must be repotted once every 1-2 years; the pot diameter can be 1-2 cun larger than the plant diameter, which can promote plant growth.

6. Summer: Once the temperature is higher than 35 degrees in summer, use a shade net for shading, then gradually stop watering; during the entire summer dormant period give little or no water, and by mid-September when the temperature drops you can resume watering. The Echeveria 'First Love' that has adapted to a sunroom can still grow normally in summer, with dormancy not very obvious.

7. Winter: In winter, if the temperature can stay above 0 degrees, water can be given; below 0 degrees you must stop watering, otherwise it is prone to frost damage. Although winter is cold, it is not that you give no water at all for the whole winter; you should also give a little water at the base of the plant at appropriate times, but never spray or give a lot of water. After the temperature rises in spring, you can gradually resume normal watering.