Can't get your succulents to look as good as everyone else's? That's because you don't know how to control their shape.
Most of Little Exquisite Life's previous articles covered some beginner knowledge about succulents -- basically, how to keep them alive first. So today, building on keeping them alive, let's explore together how to grow them well. As for what counts as growing them well, everyone has a different view, but for most people it means thick, sturdy stems with small, tightly packed leaves in crystal-clear, vivid colors -- what we often call "fairy-like."
So how do you make a succulent "fairy-like"? It's about controlling the plant's unruly leggy growth so that its nutrients are stored as fully as possible, making it plump -- this is what's called "shape control."
Many people think shape control is just about controlling water, but that's only half right. The first step in shape control is growing the roots. Here's what happens with the roots and watering under the same conditions:
When the roots are poor and water is scarce, the succulent will look shriveled, and the leaves will dry up gradually from the bottom layer upward (during normal growth the bottom leaves also slowly dry up), because the succulent is consuming its own nutrients to sustain growth;
When the roots are poor and water is plentiful, the succulent will quickly send out roots and grow;
When the roots are good and water is plentiful, the succulent will grow like crazy (close to leggy growth);
When the roots are good and water is scarce, the succulent will protect itself, shrinking its leaves and drawing them toward the center, gradually forming a shape with a thick, sturdy stem and small, plump leaves.
From the above you can see that shape control means growing the roots first, then controlling water. Once the roots are well grown, the succulent has a healthy foundation and can withstand being "toughened up"; if it doesn't even have basic health and is half-dead, of course it won't survive being toughened up.
So how do you grow a succulent's roots? Root trimming, root washing, root drying and potting before it settles in -- I won't repeat those here; Little Exquisite Life's previous articles cover them in detail. Let's start from when it settles in.
I've always said to water thoroughly once the soil is completely dry, but here I need to mention some exceptions. On the 3rd-5th day after potting the plant in moist soil, you can water a small circle along the edge of the pot. This works on the same principle as still water inducing root growth, luring the succulent to send roots out in all directions searching for water. Then a week later, water thoroughly once. Combined with good ventilation, its roots will grow like crazy in the potting soil, while what shows on the outside is the leaf center turning green -- leaves opening up -- leaves growing. At this point the plant may show slight leggy growth, but don't worry.
After that, you need to water based on its condition -- what we often call "water control." As mentioned in the earlier beginner's article, when the second-to-last layer of leaves softens, it means the succulent is starting to lack water, and you can water it then. But note: watering at this point is fine, but if you want your plant to reach the "fairy-like" state we talked about at the start of this article, you can hold off a bit longer, waiting until the whole succulent has shrunk slightly and looks listless before watering thoroughly. Once this becomes a habit, the goal of shape control is achieved.
Between watering cycles, you can occasionally work in the water-induced root growth method -- that is, watering a circle along the edge of the pot. Doing this occasionally will make the succulent's roots spread outward and become stronger.
Then, combined with plenty of light, good ventilation and a large temperature difference, the plump, fresh succulent you've been dreaming of will appear!
Oh, and one more biggest prerequisite: you need enough patience.
Compiled and published by Little Exquisite Life. Hope it's helpful to you.