Worried about keeping succulents alive through summer? These practical tips will help you solve it easily

This

summer

seems to get hotter every year. Never mind the succulents, even their owners can't stand it! Summer is a disaster period for succulents, with all kinds of diseases caused by the hot weather and succulents looking poor,

such as

black rot, turning to mush, water shortage, shriveling

and other very common problems. Especially for Sedum-type succulents, losses are unavoidable. Never mind beginners, even many succulent masters end up with a few empty pots every summer.

The Succulent Rescue Plan

Who says succulents are bound to die or get damaged in summer?

01

Good ventilation

is like the water cycle in an ecosystem.

Fish in a stagnant pond with no flow

are certainly not as healthy as fish in flowing water.

Good ventilation can

inhibit the growth of pathogens

，

make moisture evaporate faster (avoiding a

stuffy, humid environment

），

lower the surface temperature

and so on.

Tip

??

Get your succulents

an ultra-mini small fan

!

02

Proper shading

Every region in the country not only has a different climate,

but also different UV intensity.

For shade netting,

just choose ordinary black.

For ordinary households, it is recommended to use

30% shading effect

's

(that is, the weakest shading effect).

As for

cities with particularly intense sunlight

,

it is recommended to use

50% at most

.

Tip

??

"Full sun"

actually means sunlight all day,

and refers only to

the duration of sunlight

, not leaving them outdoors in the blazing sun all day (sunlight intensity); there is no need to worry that

succulents will grow leggy because shade netting blocks UV rays

. As long as the ventilation is good and the sunlight duration is long enough, just reduce the amount of watering; if you expose

succulents to the blazing sun for more vivid colors

, once the leaves are sunburned they cannot recover, especially the leaves at the very center. Once damaged, you can only quietly wait for new leaves to grow and replace them.

03

Water skillfully

Try to water at night,

and never water at noon

(except on cloudy days).

When

there is a continuous heatwave, stop watering

，

Once

it turns cloudy and cools down

, seize the opportunity to water.

"Cutting off water" is only suitable for a small number of succulents.

Most do not need their water cut off in summer,

including the ones most

prone to rot in summer, Lithops and Sempervivum

。

Especially for some

succulents in poor condition

's succulents

（

such as those that have become wrinkled

），

they still need

rehydration to recover

.

Tip

??

The amount of watering has

a lot to do with the pot,

for example, terracotta, rattan-woven, and sphagnum moss materials have super strong breathability, so you can water heavily. But

ceramic pots

release moisture very slowly, and in summer it is easy to create a stuffy, humid space inside the pot, so the amount of water should be small and the watering interval should be longer.

In summer, generally every 10-15 days

, a tiny amount of water once is enough. Succulents in good condition can be watered once a month.

04

Soil ratio

If your succulents are not doing well in summer, check the soil first!

For seedlings or less healthy succulents

，

you can use

50% peat soil and 50% coarse sand

，

and mix in a small amount of akadama (to help rooting),

and it is best to keep the soil somewhat moist.

For some

old stumps or mature plants,

you can use

70% granules and 30% peat soil

，

The granules can be coarse sand,

or weathered rock, volcanic rock, and the like.

Tip

??

Different varieties of succulents have different soil requirements.

Most Crassulaceae and Aizoaceae

prefer soil with a higher proportion of sand.

05

Other notes

?? The ground temperature will be at least 3-5 degrees lower than the temperature 1 meter above the ground.

?? Misting on summer nights helps lower the temperature. Spray when ventilation is good enough, and at the same time it can also wash the dust off the leaves. Clean leaves are also very helpful for plant respiration.

?? Some varieties that are sensitive to moisture and high temperatures in summer: Lithops, Haworthia cooperi, Haworthia 12-volume types, Mountain Rose, Sempervivum, Dudleya, Echeveria 'Jingye', Echeveria 'Canlan', cristate forms (mutant varieties), variegated forms (mutant varieties), etc. For these, try to choose shallower pots with larger diameters and good drainage, and be sure to give them the best-ventilated spot, while also providing shade.

?? Summer is the growing season for cacti and cactus balls, so this type of succulent can be watered in summer, but do not water too much.

?? Summer is also the season when mealybugs break out. After discovering bugs, there is no need to panic. A small number of bugs can be removed directly with tweezers, then spray and wash the leaf surface with clean water; when there are many bugs and you need to use pesticide, strictly follow the mixing ratio in the instructions, spray the infested spots, then place them in a location with weaker sunlight to avoid sunburn.

As long as you pay more attention to your succulents,

summer is not

a raging monster

！

Not only can they survive, they can also

develop color and good form

～ 

Although succulents' colors will fade in summer,

they will come back once autumn arrives.

So don't worry, everyone, and enjoy the process!

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