Can't keep succulents alive? Using any random soil and a pot without drainage holes is the main reason
Many people think succulents can survive in just any random soil, so why buy soil at all? Buying soil is a waste of money. Actually, bought soil has an advantage: you spread it down layer by layer, it has good aeration, and the roots are less likely to rot. There is also an even lazier type of person who does not even buy a pot, and just grabs any random container to plant the succulents in. A flower pot with no holes plus your non-breathable soil, and it is a wonder the succulents do not die!
Since most succulents grow in tropical desert regions, where the soil is poor, mostly gravel and coarse sand with only a little soil and organic matter, such soil is extremely breathable and has very strong water permeability. If there is too much air and water, the roots rot easily. Succulents do not need much water to survive for a long time, so when planting we should try our best to use a growing medium as close as possible to their original wild growing conditions.
Echeveria can grow very well in ordinary garden soil, and if the soil is breathable, loose and fertile, that is even better. Peat has good water retention and breathability and is the most commonly used potting material for succulents. This material retains soil moisture and fertility well, can promote the reproduction of microorganisms, and has a relatively low density, so the mixing ratio can be appropriately larger. Succulent soil is mainly divided into organic growing medium and inorganic growing medium. The organic growing medium mainly provides nutrients, while the inorganic growing medium mainly provides aeration and drainage. Mix the two in a certain ratio to make a potting soil suitable for growing and keeping succulents.
No matter what container is used to grow succulents, in principle holes should be made in the bottom of the container, for the purpose of aeration and preventing water accumulation and root rot. Glass pots and iron pots have relatively poor breathability, so they are used less often. Stone pots have average breathability, are expensive and quite heavy, but the natural texture of stone pots combined with succulents looks very natural and harmonious. The advantage of red clay pots is that water evaporates quickly, making them especially suitable for winter and spring, and for flower lovers who love to water, red clay is also an excellent choice. They are especially suitable for flower lovers who grow succulents outdoors, with no worries even after rain.
Although porcelain pots are beautiful, they are basically not breathable, so porcelain pots are generally not recommended. But if the soil structure is relatively good, porcelain pots can also be used perfectly well. However, when using porcelain pots, pay attention to solving the aeration problem; the center of the pot can be left empty, for example when multiple plants are mixed together, it is best to use a straight-through ventilation tube. The choice of flower pot is quite closely related to the preparation of the growing medium and to the environmental and climatic conditions. In the north, for instance, where the soil is sandy and the climate is dry, as long as you have some cultivation experience, it actually does not matter what kind of pot you use.
Regarding watering succulents, if the temperature is high, watering them easily kills them. On cloudy days, do not water even if the soil is dry; wait until it clears up to water. Be careful once the temperature reaches above thirty degrees; in summer, gradually cut off water and place them in a ventilated spot with scattered light. Just keep them behind double-layer glass or a bit away from the glass. When the sun is harsh, it is best to keep them away from the glass. Never water during summer dormancy. If you do not have many succulents, in summer you can put all your succulents in one big pot, bury them in soil in the big pot, and when watering, just water the big pot. During summer dormancy, do not put them indoors day or night; it is best to set up a shade canopy outdoors. Stop watering at 33°C, remember this well.
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