How to Care for Succulents in Summer? Practical Care Tips to Share
Succulents have always been a favorite plant among many succulent enthusiasts, and not just among enthusiasts - more and more people are now getting into growing succulents, because their super cute and adorable appearance is deeply loved by the public. However, growing them is quite labor-intensive and requires very careful attention. Moreover, for succulents, summer is a rather difficult season to get through. So for this issue, Shuaishuai has written an article addressing this problem. Summers nowadays seem to get hotter every year, almost hotter year after year - whether it's because of the greenhouse effect or something else, who knows. So below, Shuaishuai will introduce to everyone how to care for succulents in summer!
1. Ventilation
When growing them in summer, it basically comes down to the influence of the weather and some other indirect factors. First is ventilation. In summer, even if a person stays in a room and the room isn't ventilated, if the air doesn't circulate, they will definitely feel very stuffy and hot - I believe everyone has experienced this personally. So if even people feel uncomfortable, let alone plants. Maintaining indoor ventilation and air circulation is a very important factor. Air circulation can reduce the gathering of bacteria, and moisture can also be carried away by the circulating airflow, so it won't create a stuffy, humid environment. It can also lower the temperature at ground level, which is very effective for plant growth. You can place a small fan next to the succulents to increase the speed of air movement.
2. Shading
For those of you who have grown plants, shading may seem like an easy thing, but it actually isn't. Taking shading measures may look simple, but if you want to get it to just the right degree, that's hard to say - because different regions have different climates and different light intensities. Anyone who was good at geography can understand what the editor means. Therefore, the UV intensity is certainly different too. So making the shade net black is fine. If the place where you live is a city with a lot of summer rain, the editor thinks there's no need for it. If you're growing them at home, just choose one with a 30% effect. When you go to buy it, they'll ask you what kind you want using some technical terms - just say you want the one with the weakest shading effect. But for some cities with extremely strong light, it's recommended to buy one with about a 50% effect, but don't go beyond that.
3. Watering
Watering is also a point that needs attention. First, let's decide on the watering time. It's best to water at night. Many beginners growing succulents don't know the right time to water, and even water at noon, which is highly inadvisable. But if it's a cloudy noon, then there's not much of an impact. If you run into nasty weather - for example, a whole week or so of blazing sun, and then suddenly one day it turns cloudy and the temperature drops sharply - then you should seize this opportunity to water, because succulents are a type of plant that really needs water, as everyone knows. And the phrase "cutting off water" only applies to a small number of succulents. Basically, in summer, this season with such high evaporation, water supply must not be cut off. Especially for some succulents that were already not doing well or are unhealthy, they need even more water replenishment to recover their condition. For example, if some succulents have developed wrinkles, this requires watering to recover.
4. Soil
The soil mix ratio is also a very important factor for succulents getting through summer. For some succulents in poor, unhealthy condition, you can use 50% peat soil plus 50% coarse sand mixed with a little akadama soil, adjusting the soil to a semi-dry, semi-moist state, keeping it from being dry - only this way can it be more beneficial for the growth and recovery of succulents. For some older succulents, you can use 70% granules and 30% peat soil mixed together for planting, which can enhance water permeability and air permeability - otherwise it easily creates a stuffy, humid soil environment. So in summer, if you find a succulent in poor condition, first check whether the soil is good!
The above are the cultivation methods and some precautions for succulents in summer. Have you all learned them? It mainly comes down to these few points. The most difficult factors in summer are nothing more than the direct effects caused by hot high temperatures and ultraviolet rays. So you can try Shuaishuai's methods, and I hope they can help your succulents get through summer smoothly!