Three Fears of Succulents in Spring: Neglect Can Be Worse Than Surviving Summer
How succulents get through summer is something plant lovers care about more, but when it comes to how succulents get through spring, many people do not pay enough attention. Many plant lovers' succulents were fine in winter, yet ran into trouble in spring, some even faring worse than those kept through summer. So, how do you help succulents get through spring well? There are 3 lessons from experience.
1. Succulents in spring fear cold wind the most
In bitter cold, plant lovers will not open doors and windows for long periods, so indoor temperature changes little, generally staying at 4-5°C. At this time, succulents are basically in a dormant state, and they have adapted to this environment. However, once spring arrives, especially on clear days, people often open doors and windows to let the house ventilate and exchange air fully, yet overlook that cold wind at this time most easily strikes succulents directly, making them unable to adapt to the sudden change in the external environment, often dying from the sudden cold.
Therefore, when caring for succulents in spring, you need to wait until the temperature is stable before moving succulents out of the house on a large scale to be cared for in the sunlight. At first, when the temperature is not yet stable, plant lovers can first move them to a sunny windowsill to adapt.
2. Succulents in spring fear too much fertilizer the most
In spring, all things revive, and the nutrients succulents need increase relatively, but generally you should first let them grow naturally, and only fertilize after the leaves have grown fairly sturdy and thick and have a certain tolerance for fertilizer.
Some plant lovers think of seizing the vigorous spring season and hurry to fatten up their succulents, eager for quick results, fertilizing before spring has even arrived, and often applying concentrated fertilizer that has not been fermented. For succulents that have just sprouted, this is harmful and not beneficial, and some will be burned to death.
Therefore, when caring for succulents in spring, when fertilizing them, you must apply thin fertilizer frequently, gradually increasing it. Generally, use a dilute water-soluble fertilizer, diluted 1000 times with water, to water the succulents; this is the correct way to fertilize succulents in spring.
When fertilizing, pay attention the next day to promptly give the succulents a follow-up watering. Use a spray bottle specially for succulents to water, first going around the succulent in a circle, then slowly watering beside the succulent.
3. Succulents in spring fear sudden temperature changes the most
Some plant lovers think that since spring has arrived and the weather is warm, they should let succulents get more sun, so they hurry to move the succulents outdoors. Due to a longer period of sunlight, the temperature around the succulent pots reaches about 15-20°C, while when they come back indoors in the afternoon, the indoor temperature is at most about 10°C, a difference of 5-10°C from the temperature where they were sunned indoors. This neglect of sudden heat and cold easily causes succulents to catch a "bad cold" and die.
Therefore, in this situation, plant lovers should not rush to put succulents in the sun to sunbathe. If they really need sun, they can move them out at 10 in the morning, and move them back indoors at 4 in the afternoon, so the succulents will not catch a "cold."