Appreciating Succulent Beauty Photos in the Endless Autumn Rain, Plus Care Tips for Beginners

Preface

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Thanks to the author [, Yali] for theoriginal submissionsharing

Edited and compiled by: Encyclopedia Jun

Location: Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province

Old Times

 Passing Years

Xia Xiaohu 

00:00/06:07

The crisp, bright autumn days did not last long before the continuous rainy, overcast weather set in again. Cool wind and evening rain, not really suitable for looking at succulents, too cold, too cold, still too cold. Holding a small umbrella in one hand while still having to take photos with the other, the autumn wind chilling, the autumn rain falling on my hands already had a bone-piercing feel. For the sake of one succulent friend's words, no matter how cold it is, I still have to look at the succulents. Because they said that lately they have had a lot on their plate, feeling depressed, and that occasionally seeing my succulents once made them feel much better, and afterward they would look at the succulents I posted every day, because of the rain I had not posted any succulents for several days.

As usual, first a few little cuties:

Ebony hybrid

Little Peach Egg

Chihuahua

Autumn has arrived and the succulents are in somewhat better condition. I post photos on some apps, and many succulent friends ask how to grow them, especially beginners. I do not have much skill in growing them, I can only share some of my own experience with everyone.

Marcus

1. Where to buy succulents.

Nowadays buying succulents basically means greenhouses, Taobao, WeChat, Xianyu, overseas shopping. Personally, when I started buying succulents it was Taobao, now most of them are from WeChat. Greenhouses are more intuitive, you can see whether the succulents are healthy and what condition they are in; Taobao prices vary widely, because of couriers and sellers, the succulents received sometimes are in poorer condition, and Taobao prices are also somewhat higher compared to WeChat; for buying succulents on WeChat I lean toward one-item-one-photo, or after getting familiar with the seller, having them specially find some for you, the appearance and price are suitable too, but buying succulents on WeChat has no guarantee, some unscrupulous sellers take the opportunity to cheat money, and this kind of thing is very common. To be safe, it is recommended that when buying succulents on WeChat, the seller is recommended by succulent friends or that you buy only after getting familiar; overseas-shopped succulents are in much better condition, but the price is also higher, plus the shipping time is long, I have not tried it.

Sasa Queen

2. How to grow succulents?

The basic conditions for growing succulents: temperature difference, light, ventilation, watering, soil mix. I am located in a small mountain city in Shanxi, on the Taihang Mountains, the temperature difference throughout the year is relatively large, in summer the high temperature does not exceed 35, the low temperature does not exceed 20, in spring and autumn it is around 20 degrees, with a temperature difference of more than ten degrees or even 20. In spring, summer and autumn I grow them outdoors so the temperature difference can be guaranteed; in winter indoors on the balcony, in the north there is underfloor heating, during the day the balcony sunlight is good and it may be around 30 degrees, at night not lower than 5 degrees. Such a temperature difference is quite suitable for succulents.

As for light, I grow them outdoors on someone else's roof, all-day light is unaffected, and ventilation is very good.

As for watering, when growing outdoors, except in summer I basically rely on rainwater, checking the weather forecast, if there is no rain for a week I water depending on the situation, pinching the bottom leaves with my hand, if they are soft I water a circle along the pot, watering is also simple and crude, spray bottle, hose directly on, choosing evening for watering, after a night some of the water drains off, even if the next day has strong sunlight there is no fear, remember to blow it clean with an air blower after watering. In winter indoors I basically use the soaking method, because direct watering is especially inconvenient, the balcony would get all wet. Take a few washbasins, fill with water, put the succulents inside, water more than half the height of the pot, soak for over ten minutes, take them out, drain a bit, then put them back.

Soil mix: when I first started growing succulents I bought special formula soil, later as I grew more succulents the formula soil was not cost-effective, and I did not find it had any effect on the succulents, so I started mixing my own soil, maifan stone, volcanic stone, green zeolite and these granules at fifty to sixty percent, the rest is vermiculite, pine bark, peat soil. When mixing the soil I add rooting powder, carbendazim, Osmocote fertilizer, I do not know if it is useful, it just feels better psychologically.

Iceberry

3. Flower pots

For material I choose rough ceramic pots, and I also like simple styles. I like beautiful hand-painted pots too, but I feel that paired with succulents they somewhat overshadow the main attraction. Simple pots better highlight the beauty of the succulents (truth be told, hand-painted pots are too expensive, I cannot afford them). Buying pots is also on Taobao and WeChat, communicate more with succulent friends to learn about the seller before buying.

Violet Queen

4. Repotting

First let me talk about the harm of not repotting.

(1) The soil becomes compacted and hard, making aeration poor.

(2) Not repotting for a long time causes root aging and leaves no space for new roots to grow, leaving the succulents in a sub-healthy state.

(3) Due to reduced aeration, in summer it is extremely prone to stuffy roots, black rot and so on.

(4) The soil nutrients are used up, the succulents show slow growth, thin small yellowish leaves, or stop growing. To avoid these problems you need to repot. -----(Weibo: Chuyin Jiu Xiaowei)

Whether newly bought succulents or repotting old succulents, I recommend autumn. As said before, succulents potted in spring, even if fully established, do not easily survive the summer. When repotting it is the same as potting newly bought succulents, trim the roots, dry the roots, pot them, let them recuperate in a cool place for about a week, then water a circle along the pot.

Sasa Queen

5. How to bring out their condition

Actually, growing them plump is very simple, after satisfying the above conditions for growing succulents, the rest is left to time. Time is a butcher's knife, and also a beauty knife. Newly potted succulents, after a few months of growing, wanting them to show their condition is unlikely, especially for beginners. Succulents may need a month or longer to fully establish, and only after establishing and adapting to the surrounding environment can they slowly show their condition. Dripping water wears through a stone is not the work of a single day, wait, and the succulents will become beautiful.

Olivia

6. Using medicine, using fertilizer.

To be honest, in these two or three years of growing succulents, I only encountered mealybugs once, picked them off with a toothpick, sprayed Huahuashen a few times and they were gone, other insects, fungi and the like I have never had. When succulent friends ask me, I can only find relevant posts and forward them. Fertilizer, generally just add some Osmocote to the soil mix, whether it has much effect I do not feel. Every year in spring and autumn I bury some small white medicine for the succulents, and when watering I add carbendazim and water the succulents a few times.

Robin

I forgot what other questions there are, these few are asked the most. Everyone's environment for growing succulents is different, others' can only be a reference, not blindly imitated. To grow succulents well, you have to understand your own growing environment, then figure out a suitable method. Many succulent friends come right away asking, my succulents are not pretty, how can I grow them well, sometimes I am quite speechless, I do not even know your growing environment, do not know how you usually care for them, telling you my method may not necessarily let you grow them well either. When you want to ask others questions, first explain your own succulent-growing situation clearly, so others can provide suitable advice. Otherwise it really is like a clever housewife who cannot cook a meal without rice.

I have not been growing succulents for very long either, if anything above is inappropriate, you are welcome to point it out, after all, everyone's original intention is to make the succulents more beautiful and healthier.

Original Green Claw

Ebony

Big Lump

Echeveria affinis cristata

Chihuahua

Furong Snow Lotus

Cream Yellow Peach

Pink Blue Bird

Bear's Paw

Lipstick

Millet Star

Peach Egg Egg, most of these Peach Eggs have been grown for over a year, some for a bit more than two years, small pots, lots of granules, controlled watering, ensuring light and ventilation, that is all. I did not deliberately control these conditions, when the climate is suitable it is easier to grow them. This summer because of some matters I did not have time to tend to them, many Peach Eggs got sunburned, and quite a few other succulents died too, learn the lesson and pay attention in the future.

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