Succulents do poorly? Turns out the pot and soil were unsuitable

BGM:Xeuphoria - One Of Those Days

Editor's note:

Sometimes you've figured out watering, and the light is sufficient too, so why are your succulents still skinny and green (except in summer)? Then, through slow trial and error, it turns out that once you pick the right pot and soil, the succulents color up so fast! Unbelievable.

Today, succulent grower Ai Ya He will explain how to choose pots.

Thanks to the author [Ai Ya He] for the original share

Edited and compiled by: Duo Rou Kong

Location: Beijing

- Pick a more comfortable pot for your succulents -

Succulents fear waterlogging and poor ventilation the most, so if you want colorful succulents with tight rosettes,you must choose pots with holes。

Ranked by pot breathability:

, terracotta pot

The pot wall is very thin and especially breathable, so the soil can dry out completely in a very short time

, black coarse ceramic pot

The pot wall is thick, but that doesn't affect breathability at all, because after watering the pot wall stays moist

, zisha (purple clay) pot

The favorite of orchid growers is equally suitable for succulents; small glazed ones are fine too, because after watering some water seeps out at the bottom of the pot, helping the succulent drain excess water

Image from Taobao

, unglazed bisque pot

Slightly less breathable than the three above, but drainage is very good, because hand-thrown pots have a spiral recess at the bottom, so excess water drains out easily

Leaf-propagated Echeveria 'Allen' and Sedum 'Angel's Tears' grown in unglazed bisque pots

, coarse ceramic glazed pot

Also hand-thrown, so drainage is very good; importantly, glazed pots insulate very well, protecting the succulent roots from being cooked to death in the high-temperature scorching summer, and another point is that they're beautiful

An unusual pairing of Sempervivum 'Red' and Aeonium 'Mountain Rose'

, white porcelain pot

Water retention is too good, so it's suitable for growing seedlings

The always-green Haworthia cooperi in a white porcelain pot bloomed and then fell off the balcony and passed away

, plastic pot

A pot that will definitely be used in succulent greenhouses; although not breathable, the bottom of the pot has many holes to help the succulent drain water, and the uniform shape is very suitable for friends with OCD, as you can line up the succulents very neatly

So everyone, just look at the pot and then the succulent, and go by your own location.

In the south, choosing the first five is better; in the north, it depends on your own needs.

After pots, it's soil's turn. Is there a secret recipe for soil?

- Mix a more suitable soil for your succulents -

Common ones for growing succulents include: peat soil, grass peat soil, coconut coir, sphagnum moss, rice husk charcoal, leaf mold (water retention is very good)

Granules include: akadama, diatomite, kanuma, kiryu sand, vermiculite, green zeolite, akadama-like pumice (shokulite), pumice, maifan stone, volcanic rock, weathered rock, perlite, pine bark, etc...

So how should so many kinds of materials be reasonably combined, and what mix is suitable for succulents?

It's not that using them all is good; I also slowly crawled out of this misconception.

If you're new to growing succulents, you need to analyze what kind of substrate to use based on the ventilation level, orientation, and pot material in your home。

The ordinary growth soil I mixed recently can be slightly adjusted according to the age of newly bought succulents.

, very poor ventilation

You can choose granular charcoal + akadama + some kind of granule you like; don't use more than 5 kinds of granules, too complicated is unnecessary.

Akadama

, poor light

You can use kiryu sand + pumice + river sand + volcanic rock; if ventilation is good and the pot is also very breathable, it's best to add some peat or granular charcoal, because these two are organic media; soil that is too barren is also bad for succulents, since after all this isn't a wild environment~ And these two media are soft in texture, so roots grip more firmly.

Porous volcanic rock

, if you have conditions for outdoor growing

Be sure to include grass peat soil/peat soil, because granules like volcanic rock and maifan stone absorb heat very strongly and conduct heat well, easily cooking the roots to death; adding 30%~50% peat soil can also control the succulents well, protect the roots, and prevent you from having to water every 2 or 3 days.

For outdoor growing, peat is a must! Otherwise watering will wear you out

, match according to the age of the succulent

Seedlings and leaf propagations: a grass peat soil ratio of 60%~80% is more suitable for growth, then just pair it with some other granules.

One-year-old Dudleya seedlings from sowing

Mature plants: a ratio of 30%~60% is suitable for growth; the higher the granule ratio, the slower the growth, which helps control shape and color.

For old clumps, below 40% is fine.

PS: I don't really like perlite and coconut coir; indeed I'm a bit biased.

Because perlite powder, once inhaled into the lungs, can never be metabolized and is very easily inhaled, and its texture is light and crumbly.

Coconut coir, because it has to be soaked in water and also cut, retains water too well and isn't suitable for me as a balcony grower, and a strand often pops out on the top dressing, which drives my OCD crazy.

Let me add a few comparison photos with different peat ratios for reference~

Echeveria 'Lovely Moon' grown in pure granules

And Echeveria 'Lovely Moon' potted at the same time,

only with 50% more peat added.

Echeveria 'Old Red Robe'~

Echeveria 'Old Red Robe' with 50% peat.

Writing from sunset to night, won't you give a like?

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