Growing succulents is also cultivating the heart. If you love, love deeply; only by staying true to your original intention can you see it through to the end.

Succulent Plant Encyclopedia

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Preface

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Thanks to the author [A Cup of Clear Tea] for theoriginal submissionsharing

Submission date: 2018-06-03

Edited and compiled by: Encyclopedia Jun

Location: Foshan City, Guangdong Province

Exchange Tenderness

 Tenderness

Sammi Cheng 

00:00/03:42

If I can live with you, let's not break up

How can we treat the world as if it has no end

I'd rather let the fine stream flow on

Only then do I miss the happiest times

If I can live for you, let's not break up

Please assume you and I have no afterwards

Standing and wandering in the storm

Why still be stingy with everything

Donating tenderness to you

I'm still afraid it's not enough...

Spring, summer, autumn and winter, may you all be well; may my tenderness always accompany you!

Before I knew it, it had been half a year since I fell into the pit. Last summer I bought a few dozen, but that doesn't count as falling into the pit, and they all went to heaven. I don't dwell on them, because back then I didn't put my heart into growing them. After coming back from Yunnan I bought more, because I saw every guesthouse growing all kinds of beautiful succulents, absolutely gorgeous. So I started again, from a few dozen pots to now more than three hundred pots. All three balconies at home are full, and now I often ponder how to add or build something on the balcony so I can fit more succulents.

I've also been following Succulent Plant Encyclopedia for more than half a year. There are all kinds of masters here, and I've benefited greatly. My care experience has deepened bit by bit from here too. Here I also see the authors' dedication and protection for their succulents, and see their bitterness and joy, like a trial in life, slowly walking through bitterness and joy.

Look at this String of Coins (Qianchuan). When I bought it, it was plump, but as I raised it, it dried into thin paper. Later someone said that for String of Coins the proportion of grit should be relatively lower, otherwise it won't stay plump. So I changed the soil, and oh my, still the same, it was almost dried to death, and I was at my wit's end. In May, the rainy season came. I heard rainwater is natural fertilizer, and that's really true, it revived! But later... I deeply realized you can't be greedy with rain. Too much rain backfires, and many strings rotted black. Fellow succulent lovers, although rainwater is good, remember to stop when things are going well.

During this period I've felt enormous pressure, and I truly understand the meaning of the saying "there are elders above and children below"! Every day passes in helplessness. Only by stepping out onto the balcony and chatting a few words with the succulents can I reduce my worries! It's so good to look at you every day!

Between late spring and early summer, the succulents had a full meal of rainwater, and basically all spread out into big flat pancakes, turned green like vegetables, water rot, black rot, alas! It doesn't matter. As long as they're alive, I'll wait for you to become beautiful again. Below are some comparison photos. In half a year, they've also grown quite a bit bigger.

Let me talk about my soil mix. Last year I bought "special succulent soil" on Taobao, and just planted the succulents in it. The result... death. Of course there were still surviving succulents (only one Graptopetalum paraguayense left). Later, I studied seriously. Haha, I'm a very serious student. Understanding Guangdong's climate, let's go with a 3:7 soil mix: river sand, maifan stone or volcanic stone, akadama, sometimes add a bit of vermiculite, a little coconut coir and garden soil. Anyway, with seventy percent grit, the succulents I plant don't seem to grow very fast, but they can be kept in shape, which is pretty good. My home is small, and if they grow too big there's nowhere to put them, haha.

Orange Monroe, it melted to water before even appearing on camera once. I hope you can pull through (???︿???) This is absolutely a disaster caused by my own itchy hands. Remember, don't water randomly.

Sasa, you're so cruel to me. After one rain, you just left without a word. Alas! But if you have no heart to stay, I won't force you. Go on. (Everyone, note that Sasa really black-rots very easily.)

The previous post ("To Succulents: In Ordinary Years, I Just Happened to Meet You!") - this one (Silk Veil) I'm very fond of. After one rain, it grew leggy like a dog. I don't know if it can return to its original form by autumn.

This Water Lily isn't red now, but it's big, haha. In autumn I'll change you to a luxury mansion, remember to wait for me, baby!

In autumn you have the bearing of a king, stunningly beautiful! When spring comes you take off the king's brocade robe, and even with light makeup you're still movingly beautiful. This summer, changed into this green robe, though not gorgeous, you appear especially elegant and refined.

Once summer begins, no more pink, green, but that's okay, the rain helps you grow.

Shaoxiu, one month's change, my favorite among the Aeoniums.

Domestic Purple Velvet has been at my home for seven months, and it's changed quite a lot too. Although not as stunning as the European Purple, it's still my beloved.

The Brilliant's color is really special.

Rose Lotus planted not long ago, the root system isn't well established yet. I hope it can safely pass the summer.

The beauty-standard bearer, Blood Luo.

The legendary Jingye that always dies in summer, this one's temporary condition is still pretty good.

Full outdoor growing is the way to go. Although it's small, compared to the pot of Big Egg on the southeast semi-outdoor balcony, its beauty is much higher.

Always pink, the best among common varieties.

Below are some "lush and verdant" pictures. That's just the word that fits best. What stunning, what beauty - you'll have to wait until autumn to see them again. Getting through this summer is what matters most.

Onslow, this succulent grows very neat and proper.

Cixi

Unknown name, feels like twins.

Xiuyan

My little elf has grown again, getting ready to change houses.

Original Green Claw, I really love these little claws.

A twenty-centimeter White Phoenix flower stalk. I don't really like cutting flower stalks, but I always tell my sisters to cut flower stalks.

A variegated Nicole Sana

Xiaomi Xing, very fond of water. During this period, it's the one I've watered the most. Here I'll also say that each variety's habits are really different. Don't uniformly remember to water once every so many days. Observation is the most important thing. Slowly you'll know when the succulents need water.

Grim, took a bite from a little bird.

Blue Heron, very pink. In summer this type has a different kind of beauty. Is this what they call condition?

Yangjin. Let me talk about bottom soaking. Before I joined the Encyclopedia group, I'd never heard of this watering method (very good). This Yangjin had been dry and shriveled for months after planting, and never established its roots. Later the masters all suggested bottom soaking, so I learned this method, and finally it established its roots. Before, whenever I saw this pot of Yangjin, I'd wonder why it was like this. Watering didn't work, rain didn't help either. If everyone has succulents like this, you might as well try this method. It's very effective.

Moonlight Goddess cristata. Personally I like semi-cristate succulents. If it's too dense I don't find it beautiful.

European Purple. Now I really want a small Aeonium garden. I've also been poisoned by Master Su Jun's Aeoniums. I hope to grow a few more pots of Aeoniums to stun this little house of mine. For soil mix I also use a relatively high proportion of grit, with more coarse river sand and coal. Fortunately, there are many Aeonium masters in the group who taught this beginner a lot of care knowledge. Aeoniums like sun, but in summer after rain they absolutely must not be exposed to blazing sun, otherwise the leaves will develop spots. I learned that from Liu Guofeng. The following are all my little treasures. Look at the pictures.

Lemon Shaoxiu

Mini Little Shaoxiu, like a little rose about to bloom.

Rose Aeonium. After spraying with carbendazim, the white spots left on the leaves really look ugly.

Gray Aeonium. Other Aeoniums slowly take on a rose-like state in high temperatures, but this Gray Aeonium just keeps baring its fangs and claws.

Halloween, an Aeonium with many states.

Lemon Shaoxiu and Halloween

Shaoxiu again, I really like this variety, I love its ever-changing nature, truly bewitching.

Black Aeonium, a free gift, grown for a year.

European Purple

Round Leaf. In such high temperatures I don't dare water directly anymore. The quick bottom-soaking method is also pretty good.

Shaoxiu in different states

Hand-painted flower pots drawn in my spare time

At 36 degrees high temperature, how uncomfortable the succulents must be. I bought a 6-pin shade net online, and sometimes add one more layer, because my two west-facing balconies get sun from after nine in the morning until about six forty-five in the afternoon every day. So I cover the shade net at noon every day and take it down in the afternoon. People ask me if I find it annoying? Actually what annoys me most is that when I cover the net I often get my hands all cut up... The rest is no problem, my patience is very good.

One day, I was indoors enjoying the cool air conditioning, looking at the succulents outside, and my heart ached terribly. But to survive, they must adapt to the environment. You can't keep moving them left and right. As long as you do a good job with rain protection, sun protection, and keep good ventilation, everything will be fine. Let's cheer together. I hope no more succulents leave me.

Someone asked me, are people who grow succulents really this obsessed? I said, yes, everyone who loves succulents is obsessed, hehe.

In the rainy May, only then did I realize I love them more than I love myself. At 36 degrees high temperature, the rain falls whenever it wants. Several times I ran from outside all the way up to the sixth floor in one breath - the sixth floor, the sixth floor - rushed to the balcony to cover the rain shelter, three balconies! Every time there was a rainstorm I became a drowned rat. Babies, as long as you're well, I'm willing to be a drowned rat.

If there's a next life, I also want to be with you forever, through spring, summer, autumn and winter, never leaving each other! At this moment, imagine my retirement life with a zither, succulents, my most beloved family, and close friends who understand me. Haha, that's enough! Growing succulents cultivates the heart. If you love, love deeply! Only by staying true to your original intention can you see it through to the end!

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