Are succulents really plants for lazy people? Why is the balcony full of empty pots this summer
When buying succulents at the flower shop, the owner always smiles and tells us that succulents are lazy-person plants, very easy to grow, requiring no care at all, and they will grow plump and chubby. So, having listened to the owner, we toss the succulents onto the balcony. Spring is fine, with plenty of rain and high air humidity, but by summer the pots are empty.
Reasons why succulent pots easily end up empty in summer
High summer temperatures, pests and diseases breeding
Sometimes gardening friends feel very wronged; clearly they did nothing, yet in summer the succulents drop leaves day by day, develop black stems day by day, and then die day by day. So in summer, removing and preventing pests and diseases for succulents is a step that cannot be skipped.
Kill insects and sterilize, and also keep them out of the rain
Not only sterilize, but also kill insects. Usually, you can keep some carbendazim at home to sterilize, mixed with water at 1000 times dilution, then also prepare some specialized pesticide for killing red spider mites. At the same time, succulents should be sheltered from rain, because with plenty of rain and the succulent root system not yet developed enough, water accumulating in the pot easily breeds bacteria, causing roses to get sooty mold, scale insect infestation, or black spot disease, and so on.
Nutrient supplementation
Daily root care for succulents is also very important. Only when the root system is well developed can the plant better resist pests and diseases in a high-temperature season like summer. In daily care, you can use a succulent-specific organic nutrient solution diluted about 1000 times with water to nourish the roots, using it about once every 10 days or so, which can well ensure the nutrient supply for succulents and improve the plant's resistance.
Water control
If the temperature exceeds 38 degrees, it is recommended not to fertilize or water, because succulents are basically dormant and simply cannot absorb water. If you must water, you can pour a small amount along the edge of the pot to keep the potting soil moist and not let the pot dry out, or spray water around the pot to lower the potting soil temperature.
Actually, to grow succulents well is not like what the owner said, a lazy-person growing method. Especially in summer, you need to do a good job of sun protection, rain protection, and pest and disease prevention measures for roses, ensuring that succulents can grow in a safe environment. By autumn, care becomes much more casual.