April Is the Golden Period for Succulent Care: These Tips You Need to Know
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Original author: Yushan
Compiled by: Baike Jun
In April, the weather warms up, and succulents enter the golden season of growth for the year. Plants that have not been repotted can be repotted, given fresh soil, and propagated by division. Indoor plants can gradually be moved outdoors to receive sunlight and the spring breeze. If there is continuous rainy weather, be careful to prevent them from being exposed to rain for long periods, so that low temperatures and humidity do not cause the plants to rot.
TakeCrassulaceae: Echeveria 'Runyonii' (Yudie), Black Prince, Pachyphytum 'Moon Silver' (Xingmeiren), Orostachys (Wasong), Sinocrassula yunnanensis (Zichi Lianhua);Agavaceae:Agave 'Huishan', Agave potatorum 'Kichijokan' (Wangfei Leishen), Agave americana 'Marginata' (Laiguang Jin), Agave 'Kichijoten' (Jixiangtian);Cactaceae: Golden Barrel Cactus (Jinhu), Ariocarpus (Yan Mudan), Mammillaria (Yinmaoqiu);Euphorbiaceae: Euphorbia (Guiqingyu), Euphorbia (Jiutoulong), Euphorbia (Beixin Qilin);Orostachys and Apocynaceae:represented by Haworthia (Guangtang), Desert Rose, and Mexican Elephant's Foot (Dioscorea mexicana), and Portulacaria afra (Machesian tree),"summer-growing type" succulents begin to accelerate their growth, and these can gradually be moved outdoors to receive sunlight; plants that have not been repotted canbe repotted and given fresh soil, and combined with repotting, be propagated by division.
Aizoaceae species with a high degree of succulence, such as Lithops, Conophytum, Gibbaeum (Lingyaoyu), and Frithia (Shaojiang); Crassulaceae species such as Echeveria 'Set-Oliver' (Xindongni), Bear's Paw (Xiongtongzi), Crassula (Yuchun), Crassula (Huachun), and Crassula (Piaoliudao), as well as Albuca (spring grass), Albuca (hairy-leaved spring grass), Albuca (broad-leaved spring grass), and South African Elephant's Foot (Dioscorea elephantipes), represented by"winter-growing type" succulents, whose growth rate gradually slows, or even stops. Meanwhile, epiphytic cacti such as Christmas Cactus and Rhipsalis (Yuanlianwei); Aizoaceae species with a lower degree of succulence such as Oscularia (Zhaobo) and Lampranthus (Longxu Haitang); and most Crassulaceae species such as Kalanchoe (Luori Zhiyan) and Echeveria (Shilianhua); as well as Asteraceae species such as Kleinia (Niqiuzhang) and Senecio rowleyanus (Lü Zhi Ling), and Aloeaceae species such as Aloe (Snow Queen Aloe) and Gasteria (Woniu), represented by"intermediate type" succulents, are in their peak growing season。
The care of various succulents should be carried out according to the different types and the specific climate of each region.For example, in some regions, if there is prolonged continuous rain, be careful to control watering to prevent succulents from becoming leggy due to insufficient sunlight; in some regions, be careful about sudden rises in temperature and overly strong light, which can cause sunburn to succulents that have just recovered from transplanting or have just been moved outdoors.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that April is also the month when pests begin to emerge. If, after spraying pesticide, the light is too strong, it can easily cause pesticide burn; flower enthusiasts who have the conditions can, after spraying, first place the plants in a bright, ventilated spot without direct light for two or three days.Related article recommendations:Succulent Care [Pest and Disease Control Edition] Super Collection!
Watering: In April, fast-growing succulent varieties can be watered more, while slow-growing varieties should be watered less. In short, you must both meet the plants' water needs for growth and avoid waterlogging. For growing plants, "keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged" is the best choice. Watering is generally done in the morning or evening on clear days. If using tap water to water the flowers, let the water sit for 2 to 3 days before use, so that the chlorine in the water evaporates, which is beneficial to succulent growth. When watering, a small amount of fertilizer can be appropriately dissolved in the water to increase the nutrient sources for succulents and accelerate their growth; just a small amount is enough, and be sure not to use too much. (Related article recommendation:Succulent Care [Watering Edition]）
Fertilizing: In April, vigorous-growing succulents can be fertilized. Fertilizing succulents can be divided into two main categories: base fertilizer and top dressing.Base fertilizeris generally mixed directly into the soil when planting. Commonly used ones include plant ash, bone meal, shell powder, decomposed poultry and livestock manure, and cake fertilizer. In addition, there are some artificially synthesized slow-release granular fertilizers, which can be placed on the surface of the potting soil, slowly releasing nutrients for the plant to absorb. They are clean and hygienic, and the effect is relatively good. They can be used for mid-to-high-end succulent species such as Haworthia cooperi (Wanxiang), Haworthia truncata (Yushan), and Lithops;Top dressingshould be carried out according to different varieties and differences in growth stages. Newly planted plants should not be fertilized within one month, and plants with weaker growth should also not be fertilized. For most succulents, fertilizer can be applied once every half month; slow-growing varieties can also be fertilized once a month, and some extremely slow-growing varieties may not need fertilizing at all. Do not water for a few days before fertilizing. After the potting soil is basically dry, first loosen the soil on the previous day, then fertilize on the next day, to help the plant roots absorb it.
Except for a few varieties such as Pereskia (leaf cacti), the root osmotic pressure of most succulents is very low, so the concentration of the fertilizer solution must not be too high.The types of fertilizer should vary according to the plant variety and growth stage. Generally, for seedlings and leafy, fleshy green plants, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied can be slightly higher; while for varieties in the flower bud differentiation stage and the flowering and fruiting stage, as well as varieties with spherical or columnar plants and leaf colors of red, yellow, or other non-green colors, more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied; stem-like succulents should be given more potassium fertilizer。
For organic fertilizers, you can choose water-fermented soybean cake, sesame cake, as well as chicken manure, pigeon manure, bone meal, and so on. No matter what kind of fertilizer, it must be fully decomposed and diluted with water before use. Among inorganic fertilizers, urea, monopotassium phosphate, superphosphate, and various compound fertilizers sold on the market and special fertilizers for home flower growing can also be used when the plants are growing vigorously,but the concentration should be low and the frequency should be few; otherwise, it will cause soil compaction and affect plant growth, making things worse rather than better. However, undecomposed eggshells, soybean milk, fresh milk, and salty meat soups and bones must not be used. When fertilizing, be careful not to splash the fertilizer solution onto the plants.
In April, you can also, whenrepotting, make succulents that have propagated too much into bonsai or combined arrangements to increase their ornamental value. They have the characteristics of taking shape quickly, being easy to process, and being easy to maintain, making them very suitable for home creation and enjoyment.