How to grow Crassulaceae succulents? A detailed guide to cultivation methods
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Most succulents on the market today are Crassulaceae succulents, so do you understand how to grow Crassulaceae succulents? Today we will learn how an experienced flower enthusiast grows Crassulaceae succulents!
Cultivation methods for Crassulaceae succulents:
1. Sunlight is the best fertilizer; all Crassulaceae succulents in good condition are brought out by sun exposure. But succulents that have not been grown outdoors long-term must not suddenly be exposed to strong sunlight, otherwise they are easily damaged; succulents need to gradually adapt to the environment.
2. In summer, it is best not to buy succulents online, especially rootless succulents, because many succulents in dormancy are slow to produce roots. Newly potted succulents must not receive strong sunlight; place them in a cool, ventilated spot with little water until they have rooted well, then gradually move them to normal care.
3. During the seedling stage, it is best not to grow them outdoors, because the root system is not developed enough; outdoors, the soil dries out and loses moisture too quickly, causing slow growth, and harsh weather such as intense sun and heavy rain can lead to death.
4. If the price difference is not too great, it is still best to buy succulents from local greenhouses or markets, reducing the risk of difficulty settling into the pot and rooting and the process of re-rooting. Succulents brought home from a greenhouse or market still in their pots are best repotted with fresh soil or soaked in insecticide, because they may contain insects or eggs.
5. A summary of summer-survival experience from veteran growers: high temperature but not high humidity, high humidity but not high temperature. This can be called golden advice; many of my succulents' black rot have confirmed this saying. The best time to water in summer is at sunset in the evening; choose to water when the next day is cloudy and the temperature is not high, preferably by soaking the pot and never soaking it through. After drying overnight, the risk can be reduced to a minimum.
6. Do not choose volcanic rock, zeolite and other sharp-edged materials as top dressing stones; after heavy watering, the leaves plump up and get scratched, turn to mush and even develop black rot, which is seen time and again.
7. For pots, it is recommended to choose one larger than the spread of the succulent's leaves. The benefits are: first, a larger pot gives the roots ample room to grow; second, a larger pot surface helps with airflow and reduces the chance of black rot; third, there is no need to repot frequently and damage the roots.
8. Greenhouses have high humidity, so succulent leaf pores open and can absorb water to stay alive, and the demands on soil quality are not high. But for home growing, especially outdoor growing, choosing soil mixed with a certain proportion of granular soil to retain water and nourish roots is not wrong. Pure peat or coconut coir soil dries out too easily and is not very suitable for outdoor growing, but I do not particularly recommend pure granular soil, because the gaps are too large and new roots do not easily cling to it. Of course, the hot and humid environment of the south and summer is another matter.
9. Do not be too infatuated with the succulents' stress colors and bun-shaped rosettes, because closing up is due to long-term water cut-off and dormancy, and the color is very likely forced out or achieved with chemicals; after settling into the pot, fading and opening up is a normal phenomenon.
10. You need to understand the habits of succulents. Many succulents are summer-dormant types; during dormancy, just place them in a cool, ventilated spot with little water. Bringing them indoors in winter and shading them in summer, stretching and opening up is not scary; by spring and autumn, after normal outdoor growing resumes, they still recover quickly. In summer and winter, if you want to avoid stretching under weak light, the only way is to cut off water and let them go dormant; after dormancy they stop growing.
11. Do not be fooled by the dazzling variety of Korean names; many varieties are common domestic mass-market goods.
12. Do not blindly chase and buy expensive goods and expensive leaves; after round after round of hype, varieties that drop in price can be found everywhere. Leaf propagation especially is like walking a tightrope for inexperienced beginners, because there are too many factors that cause leaf cuttings to turn to mush. Moreover, whether successful or not, determining from a single leaf whether it is the correct variety is not easy to do.
13. Do not blindly buy large old stems; in fact, after being battered by express delivery, old stems are far less sturdy than you imagine, and problems easily arise during the process of settling into the pot.
14. Accept succulents with black rot with a calm mind; there is no need to be overly upset and blame yourself. You should know that we all walk forward stepping over one blackened succulent after another. Even veterans inevitably sometimes fail and kill expensive succulents. When you find leaves turning to mush, pull them off promptly to avoid spread; if the stem blackens, decisively cut it off, preserving as much of the intact head and leaves as possible to continue its life. At the same time, sum up experience and lessons, make amends after the fact, and just avoid similar situations happening again.
15. This is also a very important point: never conduct direct Alipay transactions with unfamiliar sellers or flower enthusiasts. You must go through Taobao or trade in the forum's sale section, otherwise it is better not to buy at all.
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