For beginners raising succulents for the first time, what should they pay attention to in summer so the plants do not rot at the roots or develop black rot?

A flower enthusiast said that they had always especially liked green plants, but were afraid that without experience they would not raise them well and would ruin such good succulents. Today they finally mustered the courage to buy a pot of Sempervivum tectorum, thinking they would try it first, but after bringing it home, they were already stumped just by repotting it. What kind of soil should be used to grow it? I got some soil from the community flowerbed, watered it, and planted it just like that. Is that right? More and more people like succulents, and some even keep them in the office. Although succulents are cute, getting them to grow plump and chubby is not an easy thing. That is because many succulent growers say their succulents simply do not grow, and even keep withering, turning to mush, or even turning black. When succulents have problems, do not panic. As long as you use the right methods, you can gain experience.

Actually, personally I still do not recommend buying succulents in summer. If you must buy them, consider getting only a few. That is because at this time most succulents go dormant. Even if they do not die after you bring them home, their growth will still be very slow, and some may even stop growing altogether. Once care is improper, the succulents will be killed. Summer succulent care is not as difficult as everyone thinks. Do not keep them in a hot, stuffy, humid environment, and be sure to provide good ventilation. Even if you water too much, as long as ventilation is good, succulents will not easily die. If you can place them outdoors for care, that is even better, but you must do a good job of sun protection and rain protection. If indoor ventilation is poor, consider using a fan to help with air circulation.

For newly purchased succulents, it is best to repot them first. When repotting, we should first remove the soil from the succulents, and then trim off the dead roots. The reason for root trimming is actually to prevent dead roots from affecting the growth speed of new roots. Dry roots and dead roots should all be trimmed off, so that the succulents will also settle into the pot faster. When trimming the roots, pay attention to the dry, dead leaves at the bottom and pull them off along the way. After handling them, soak them in diluted carbendazim or potassium permanganate solution for a few minutes to sterilize and disinfect, reducing the probability of the succulents being infected by pathogens and pests later on.

You can decide the choice of succulent medium according to your growing environment, the succulent variety, and your watering habits. However, I can recommend a "lazy person's soil mix" for everyone, namely using large-particle coal cinder as a bottom layer in the pot (or large ceramic pellets, tile pieces, etc.), using medium-particle akadama mixed with medium-fine coal cinder in the middle, and using akadama as a top dressing on the surface. You can also buy some ready-made prepared peat granule mixed soil medium as the middle layer. The bottom layer must use some super hydrophobic medium to prevent itchy hands from watering the succulents too much and causing root rot.

In summer, succulents should not be exposed to strong sunlight. When growing succulents on a windowsill, it is best to keep them some distance from the glass. At noon in summer, the temperature is the highest, which may scorch or bake the succulents. Even during dormancy, succulents should not be cut off from water. You can choose cool weather or the evening for appropriate watering. In summer, they should also be kept in a ventilated environment. In summer, even under normal shading, flower pots will still be heated by the sun. Sufficient ventilation and appropriate sprinkling of water can carry away the summer heat and lower the ambient temperature. During rainy weather, it can also carry away excess moisture and prevent the occurrence of summer diseases and pests.

In ordinary care, the reason there are so many examples of succulents being killed in summer is actually that most are beginner flower enthusiasts. In the final analysis, it is still a lack of care experience and an inability to control their own hands. It is suggested that everyone pay more attention to succulent-growing friends in the same city and learn from their successful cases to enrich their own experience. Because of the high temperature and humidity in summer, if succulents do not need to be moved, do not move them. As long as you grasp a few of the most basic points, you can keep succulents alive. Generally, aside from summer, succulents are relatively beautiful in other seasons, and you will clearly feel the changes in leaf color.

This is a gathering place for succulent lovers, sharing succulent care tips. You are welcome to follow and exchange ideas.