Beginner Succulent Care Tips: How to Choose Soil Mix and Planters

Soil and pots have always been a very important part of succulent plant care. Never think that you can just casually dig up some soil by the roadside and keep succulents alive. In fact, this kind of soil not only tends to compact, but also makes it very difficult to bring out the best in succulents, so I still recommend spending a bit of money on good soil and good pots. After all, quality materials really do matter.

For beginners, I recommend using peat soil : perlite : rice husk ash = 2:1:1; on the top layer of the soil mix, you can add some diatomite or akadama as a top dressing to make it look attractive. Of course, for beginners, it is best to properly maintain an alternating dry and moist state in the potting soil. Right after planting, it is also best not to water, since standing water is fatal for new succulents.

As for the material of the planter, we can choose according to our own preferences, and the size can be determined by the size of the succulent plant. Generally speaking, it is enough for a succulent to be just 2-3 cm smaller than the diameter of the pot. After all, a pot that is too large is not only prone to holding water, but also makes it harder to keep succulents alive.

Here I recommend two types of planter materials. One is the ceramic pot, which is more suitable for those who like to water. The other is plastic planters, which are relatively uniform in color and shape, and can be used for growing new succulents or leaf cuttings. Of course, no matter which type of planter it is, the bottom of the pot needs to have holes.

The holes in a flower pot determine the planter's breathability, so even if the planter has no holes, you need to make them yourself.