How to care for the Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' succulent? The potting soil should be loose and fertile

For the care of the Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' succulent, the potting soil should be loose and fertile, with good drainage and aeration. You can add one-third humus soil to the potting soil, then add one-third river sand or coal cinder, and mix in a little bone meal. Since the soil is moist; newly planted specimens do not need too much water, keep them in a semi-dry state to help the root system recover. Ordinary soil will do for the potting soil; a better option is garden soil plus one-third humus soil, then one-third river sand or coal cinder, mixed with a little bone meal.

Do not water too much: about once every 15 days in spring and autumn, once every four or five days in summer, avoiding the hottest midday period. Try not to let water droplets touch the leaves. Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' likes a warm, moist, semi-shaded growing environment; the optimum growing temperature is 20-30°C, and the overwintering temperature is 15°C. In winter, if the nighttime temperature is not below 5°C and the daytime temperature is above 15°C, the plant can continue to grow, can be watered normally, and can be fertilized appropriately; if watering is controlled to make the plant go dormant, it can also tolerate low temperatures of 0°C.

Generally, a mixture of equal parts leaf mold, garden soil and river sand can be used as the substrate. April to September is its vigorous growth period; at this time it requires moist soil and relatively high air humidity, and should be given sufficient water; especially during the high-temperature period in summer, when leaf water evaporation is high and the water requirement is greater, lack of water can easily make the leaves wilt, so the leaves must be misted frequently while keeping the environment moist, but water accumulation in the pot must be avoided, otherwise it will cause root rot.

During the high temperatures of summer and the cold of winter, the plant is in a dormant state; the main growing season is in the cooler spring and autumn. During the growing season it needs plenty of sunlight; insufficient light will cause the plant shape to become loose and not compact, affecting its ornamental value, while Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' grown in a spot with sufficient light has thick, plump leaves, a compact plant shape and bright leaf color. Overall, Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' is a very easy-to-care-for succulent that is basically hard to kill, but improper care can easily cause the leaves to droop and form a leggy state. The best way to avoid legginess is to water less and give more sun.

The propagation methods for the Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' succulent include leaf cuttings, pulling off small offsets for stem cuttings, and division. Because Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' forms clusters so easily, leaf cuttings are generally not used; if you do take leaf cuttings, try to choose thick, plump leaves. A more common propagation method is to pull off a cluster of small offsets from under the rosette for stem cuttings; usually the stolons of the pulled-off Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' offsets are very long and can be shortened appropriately, left today until the wound heals, then inserted into the soil, and they root very easily. Division, meanwhile, is letting the small offsets of Sempervivum 'Guanyin Lotus' grow large enough to have their own root systems, then dividing and replanting them.

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