Cultivation Methods, Propagation Methods, and Common Names of Aloe aristata
Aloe aristata looks just like an aloe, extremely attractive, and at first glance you would really think it is an aloe. What are the cultivation methods and propagation methods of Aloe aristata? What are its common names? Cultivation methods of Aloe aristata: watering and fertilizing. Spring, autumn, and early summer are the vigorous growth periods of the plant
Aloe aristata looks just like an aloe, extremely attractive, and at first glance you would really think it is an aloe. What are the cultivation methods and propagation methods of Aloe aristata? What are its common names?
Cultivation methods of Aloe aristata:
1. Watering and fertilizing
Spring, autumn, and early summer are the vigorous growth periods of the plant. Keep the potting soil moist but not waterlogged, and apply a thin, well-rotted liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer about once every 10 days.
In winter, place it indoors in a spot with ample sunlight. Above 10°C, you can continue watering and apply some thin fertilizer as appropriate to keep the plant growing; if you restrict watering and let the plant go dormant, it can also tolerate low temperatures of 3-5°C.
2. Potting soil selection
Repot once every spring. The potting soil should be loose, fertile, with good drainage and aeration, and contain an appropriate amount of calcareous material. You can use 3 parts leaf mold or peat soil, 2 parts garden soil, 3 parts coarse sand or vermiculite, mixed with a small amount of bone meal and other calcareous materials, and mix well before use.
3. Precautions:
During cultivation, if the potting soil becomes waterlogged, it can easily cause root rot. You can remove the plant from the pot, remove the rotted roots, let it dry for 5-7 days, and then replant it. After planting, keep the potting soil slightly moist, and wait until new roots grow before returning to normal care.
After the flowers fade, if you do not intend to save seeds, promptly cut off the spent flowers to prevent the plant from setting seed, which would consume excessive nutrients and affect growth.
Propagation methods of Aloe aristata:
1. Division
Aloe aristata can be propagated by division in conjunction with spring repotting. You can also, during the growing season, dig out the young offsets sprouting around the old plant (look at those small offsets in the picture below, they are the ones used for division), let them dry for 1-2 days, and then plant them in sandy soil; they can survive with or without roots.
2. Cuttings
For large plants that have grown for many years, you can also cut off the upper part, let it dry for about 1 week, and use it as a cutting. The remaining part stays in the original soil, and many young offsets will grow from the remaining stump. Once they have grown a bit larger, remove them and use them as cuttings.
3. Sowing
If you can harvest seeds, you can also propagate by sowing. You can sow in pots indoors in April-May. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 22-24°C, and the seeds germinate about 2 weeks after sowing. The seedlings are tender, so care must be taken: neither too much water nor too little, otherwise they rot very easily.
As for pests and diseases, as long as you do not water frequently and pay attention to ventilation, there will basically be no pests or diseases. Of course, be sure to provide appropriate shade in summer. When it is too hot, basically no watering is needed; in summer it is semi-dormant!
What are the common names of Aloe aristata?
Chiyoda Nishiki, wood-file aloe, assorted aloe;
Aloe aristata, a perennial succulent plant, in the family Liliaceae, genus Aloe. Aloe aristata has variegated leaves and bright flowers. It is a small ornamental aloe that is both good for foliage and flowers.
That is all for the introduction to the cultivation methods, propagation methods, and common names of Aloe aristata. Hurry and add a bit of green to your home.
How to Grow Succulent Plants (Super Detailed)
Around us, there are many people who want to be lazy yet also fiddle with some plants and flowers. Those green plants bought on a whim often, before long, either have yellow leaves or have rotted away. If you want "a green plant that takes no time, no effort, and still thrives on its own," succulents, known as the "cutest plants in history," are the first choice. So how do you grow succulents? Let us take a look together below.According to statistics, there are more than 10,000 species of succulents in the world, and they originally all lived in arid places or places with high salt content. However, with the development of high-tech techniques, succulents that formerly could not be grown because of climate and geographical environment can now be seen everywhere. No matter what the variety, whether stem, leaf, or root, it always has one part that is plump, thick, and fleshy. The succulents commonly seen on the market also all have nice names, such as Haworthia cooperi, Mingyue, white peony, Lithops, rainbow jade, triangular glass lotus, and so on.How to grow succulent plants
1. Soil
Basic soil requirements for succulent plants
Loose and breathable, with good drainage and water retention, containing a certain amount of humus, with moderate particle size and no overly fine dust, weakly acidic or neutral (a few species can be slightly alkaline).
[Soil mixing] Coal cinders are a commonly used ingredient, but almost all furnace slag contains sulfur. Succulents are not sensitive to sulfur, and sulfur has bactericidal and insecticidal effects. From years of planting comparisons, plants grown with coal cinders are more resistant than those without, and are less prone to root rot and root mealybugs. The best coal cinders to use are fully burned granular raw coal cinders (whether they contain incompletely burned coal does not matter), with honeycomb coal cinders being second. Honeycomb coal cinders contain a large amount of soil, so if you want to use them you should crush them and sift them. Before use, rinse the coal cinders with water to remove dust and alkalinity. Using eggshells, with eggshells at a ratio of 1/4, works very well. Eggshells are a very good breathable, water-permeable planting material, very useful for increasing soil aeration, and of course they also increase calcium content. Eggshells should be crushed to 2-3 mm. In planting material, garden soil generally makes up about 1/4, and sand about 1/3. But garden soil and sand both contain fine dust, and brick granules, vermiculite, perlite, orchid stone, and furnace slag must all have their fine dust sifted out and be repeatedly washed before use. The ingredients of the planting material do not have to be exactly the things listed by experts, nor do they have to be a single ingredient; rather, the more ingredients and the more varied, the better. If you have brick granules, vermiculite, perlite, orchid stone, and furnace slag on hand, then use each of them, keeping the total amount controlled at about 1/3. Likewise, if you also have calcium-containing things such as eggshells, clam shells, bone meal, old lime, and carbonized rice husks, then use a little of each, keeping the total amount controlled at about 10-20%. Different planting materials have different physical functions and different nutrient components, and using a more varied mix is definitely better than a single ingredient. No matter which ingredient it is, before use it should at the very least be exposed to sunlight for several days before it can be used.[Soil mixing substrate]
For succulent plants, most of the culture soil sold on the market has certain limitations, so experienced enthusiasts mostly mix their own. What kind of culture soil counts as high quality? Simply put, it should be a sandy loam that is loose and breathable, well-draining, has a certain aggregate structure, and can provide the nutrients needed by the plant during its growth period. When mixing, pay attention to the reasonable combination of organic planting materials and inorganic planting materials, and avoid overly fine and tiny dust. Below are some commonly used substrates for succulent plants:
1. Organic planting materials
① Leaf mold: You can choose the Clivia soil sold on the market, or collect bald cypress or zelkova leaves yourself and compost and ferment them, then sterilize before use.
② Peat: It is lake and marsh plant matter buried underground for thousands of years. Currently, the peat produced in Jilin and Heilongjiang is relatively good. High-quality peat is brown, has high organic matter content, good fiber degree, a loose texture, does not feel sticky to the touch, has strong adsorption capacity, and a slightly acidic pH value.
③ Sawdust: Strong water permeability and water retention, but because it itself has high carbon content and low nitrogen content, it is generally not used alone. It can be mixed with some nitrogen-containing compounds such as soybean cake and composted and fermented.
④ Rice husk ash: Rich in potassium fertilizer, with a slightly alkaline pH value. Choose the dark black kind, not whitish, and with a uniform structure, not too fine.
⑤ Tree fern fiber: The treated stems of a kind of fern (Cyathea). Hard in texture and brown in color, not easy to rot. It has good drainage and a certain fertility, and is a popular cultivation substrate in recent years.
⑥ Mountain soil: Huangshan soil: low organic matter content, average drainage; red mountain soil: high organic matter content, the soil becomes heavy and sticky after watering, and easily hardens after drying; black mountain soil: high organic matter content, good drainage and not easy to harden after watering. Generally, black mountain soil is used.
⑦ Xiantu: A commonly used orchid cultivation substrate. But practice has proved that it is also quite good for succulents. Its characteristics are: complete nutrients, good drainage, no pollution, no weed seeds. After one year in a pot, the aggregate structure is still very good.
2. Inorganic planting materials
① Vermiculite: A golden lightweight material with a honeycomb-like structure, strong in water and heat retention, excellent in aeration, and free of pathogens. Used as a cutting substrate, it has a high survival rate, but it itself has no fertility, so it should be mixed with other substrates. After long-term cultivation it easily breaks down its structure. Used vermiculite should be sifted before reuse.
② Perlite: A volcanic stone containing aluminum silicate, expanded into a lightweight material after high-temperature heating. Good water permeability and good aeration. However, its effective water content is low, so it is often used as an additive supplementary material.
③ Coconut coir: Palm fiber, loose in texture, especially strong in water retention. Often used for cuttings. What is commonly seen on the market is coconut coir compressed into small blocks, also called "expanded soil." Soak it in water to loosen it before use.
④ Pond foundation stone: Made by high-temperature firing, often placed at the bottom of the pot or mixed with other substrates. If mixed with other planting materials, the granules should not be too large; about 0.2 cm is enough.
⑤ Zhijinshi: It is an orchid planting substrate, with more advantages than pond foundation stone, rich in various minerals, and has a remarkable effect when used to cultivate succulents. It can replace the former, but the price is slightly higher.
⑥: Choose the kind that does not contain salt, and the granules should not be too fine. Before use, first wash and sift it, and mix it with other substrates. It has good water permeability, high oxygen content, and a large temperature difference between day and night, suitable for the requirements of succulents. Other inorganic planting materials include volcanic stone, coal briquettes, and so on. In addition, when mixing culture soil, some auxiliary materials are also commonly used, such as calcium-containing materials like shell powder and calcium treasure. There are also some base fertilizers such as chicken manure and cow manure. When mixing, pay attention to the reasonable combination of organic planting materials and inorganic planting materials, and avoid overly fine and tiny dust.
[Soil formulation] No matter which planting material you choose or how you mix it, it must satisfy the basic requirements of the plant, and you must consider all aspects and handle it flexibly.
① Mix according to the cultivation site: For example, the soil for ground planting and pot planting is different. For ground planting, more consideration should be given to drainage, and materials with strong drainage such as gravel should be added. For pot planting, on the principle of ensuring looseness and breathability, appropriately supplement organic matter. If planting on a south-facing balcony, you should also consider the characteristics of relatively dry conditions and ample light, and appropriately add some substrates with strong water retention, such as vermiculite and coconut coir.
② Mix according to different species: Different species may be "worlds apart" in soil formulation. For example, epiphytic species need a certain amount of humus, while some terrestrial species whose place of origin has barren soil and whose root systems are not well developed have lower requirements for humus than the former. Not only do species of different families need different soils, even species of different genera within the same family have different soil requirements. Take the Liliaceae plants Chinese aloe and Gasteria for example. The former belongs to the genus Aloe, is robust in habit, and grows fast, so sufficient base fertilizer can be added at the bottom of the pot. The latter is a Gasteria plant, grows slowly, and basically does not need base fertilizer.
③ Mix according to different cultivation regions: The climate in the north is dry, so there are certain requirements for the soil's moisture retention capacity; the south has abundant rain and high air humidity, so there are higher requirements for the soil's drainage and aeration.
④ Mix according to different growth stages: In the seedling stage, the root system is not well developed, so the organic matter content should be slightly less, and the soil should mainly be lightweight materials combined with some fine sand; later, gradually increase the organic matter content.
Actually, soil formulation cannot be explained clearly with just a few simple principles. The following formulas can be used for reference:
1) 8 parts Zhijinshi + 2 parts Xiantu + a little shell powder (suitable for cultivating Lithops).
2) 10 parts coarse sand + 2 parts sawdust + 1 part base fertilizer + 1 part garden soil (suitable for ground planting).
3) 1 part leaf mold + 1 part peat + 2 parts coarse sand + 1 part lightweight material + a little base fertilizer (suitable for cultivating epiphytic types).
4) 3 parts pond foundation stone + 2 parts Xiantu + 1 part lightweight material + 1 part peat (suitable for cultivating Haworthia hard-leaved series varieties).
5) 2 parts garden soil + 1 part leaf mold + 4 parts coarse sand + 1 part lightweight material + half a part rice husk ash (suitable for cultivating ordinary terrestrial types).
For Crassulaceae soil mixing, I think the proportion of peat soil or grass peat soil can be slightly larger, supplemented with humus soil, river sand, perlite, vermiculite, etc. In order to facilitate rooting and robust growth, add an appropriate amount of rice husk charcoal, bone meal, fungicide, etc. to the soil; watering should be decided according to the weather and plant growth conditions, watering when dry and stopping when wet. Focus your care on those with good growth. Most of those with poor growth are actually in a dormant period, so of course it is better to care for them less.
Soil mixing: sifted honeycomb coal cinders + garden soil + Xiantu + sand + bone meal + shell powder + eggshells + ceramsite + orchid stone + activated carbon, sift out the fine dust and plant. Maintain under full sunlight, water when dry and stop when wet. Add decomposed chicken manure at the bottom of the pot. The pot should be small, and the soil should be little and loose. After the soil dries completely, wait a few days before watering, and give more sun. Water less in midsummer; most Crassulaceae succulents are dormant or semi-dormant in summer. [Source]
For strong-spined balls like golden barrel cactus, ordinary flower mud + coal ball ash + bone meal is enough. As for watering, once a month is fine.
Ball types: ordinary flower mud + coal ball ash (sifted into granular form) + vermiculite + an appropriate amount of bone meal
Succulents with thick fleshy roots (such as Yu Fan): orchid stone + Xiantu + an appropriate amount of bone meal
Other succulents: ordinary flower mud + leaf mold + tree fern + vermiculite + an appropriate amount of bone meal
Put the mixed planting material into a stainless steel container, pour in rainwater to moisten the soil, then seal the container and heat it over fire for a period of time to ensure the killing of insects, larvae, and eggs, but some beneficial soil microorganisms will survive, especially those that reproduce by spores.
[Pot selection] Clay pots have very good water absorption, so it is not a big problem if you water too much, and they can alleviate the negative effects caused by overwatering, but clay pots become heavy after absorbing water, requiring a sturdy flower stand. Purple clay pots have aeration between that of tile pots and porcelain pots, and generally purple clay pots are often used for growing cacti and succulents. With purple clay pots, special attention must be paid to the thickness of the pot wall; the thinner the wall of the purple clay pot, the stronger the aeration, while those with very thick walls have aeration similar to porcelain pots.
Generally speaking, the root systems of cacti and succulents are not very well developed, and many only have fibrous roots. Planting a variety with a very shallow root system in a relatively deep pot will only be detrimental to its growth, because the potting soil in the lower part that the roots cannot reach will retain moisture for a long time, making the potting soil sticky and stagnant. If there is too much soil, the moisture cannot evaporate and transpire for a while, which easily leads to rot. Therefore, when selecting pots, follow the principle of "rather small than large, rather shallow than deep," and it is best to use half-height proportioned or flat pots. Only those cactus and succulent varieties with tubers or taproots need deeper potting soil, and they will grow very well in standard pots or deep pots. For medium and large balls, the pot selection requires the ball diameter and pot diameter to be basically equal, or the pot diameter slightly larger than the ball diameter by one or two centimeters; small balls are best planted mixed with multiple plants. The cultivation soil depth is at most twice the ball diameter; that is, if the ball diameter is 5 cm, a soil depth of 10 cm is enough. For large balls, it can be even shallower. The larger the ball, the less water and nutrients it consumes; too much potting soil is not only useless but also easily leads to rot. If the flower pot is too deep, add more non-soil filler at the bottom as a drainage layer. You can arrange drainage material granules in several layers by size, with the largest placed at the very bottom. After the drainage material is placed, first put in the coarse-grained ingredients and then the fine-grained ingredients. After placing the plant, add soil while slightly lifting the plant upward to spread out the roots. Do not fill the soil too full at once; poke the soil evenly and firmly along the edge of the pot, and finally tap the pot gently a few times to level the potting soil.
[Repotting]
Because succulents mostly grow under artificial cultivation conditions, their root systems are confined within the flower pot and can hardly stretch freely. After a period of growth, the root system fills the entire flower pot, which is not conducive to drainage and aeration. Moreover, the soil in the flower pot is limited, and after continuous absorption by the root system and repeated watering, the nutrients are almost entirely lost, and the culture soil also changes from its original granular form into powder. In addition, during the process of absorbing nutrients, the root system also continuously excretes acidic metabolites, making the soil acidic, all of which is very unfavorable to plant growth. Therefore, after the plant grows to a certain stage, it must be repotted and the soil changed. According to different varieties and plant sizes, repot once every 1-2 years or 3 years (some varieties' small seedlings can even be transplanted several times a year, the so-called "move it a bit, it grows a bit"). For most varieties, repotting is generally carried out in mid-to-late March, and division propagation is carried out in conjunction with repotting. Learn more: Succulent Repotting Guide2. Watering
Succulents must be supplemented with water in a timely manner to meet the needs of growth and development, and definitely not as some people think, "rather dry than wet." Of course, for ground-planted plants, the number of waterings can be fewer. For most succulents and own-root cultivated cactus types, watering is difficult to master, mainly in terms of the timeliness of watering.
To master the watering techniques for succulents, you must first understand the dormancy habits of each species. Watering during the dormant period easily causes the plant to rot. For example, if you water summer-dormant plants like Lithops in summer, the plant will rot immediately; for winter-dormant cactus types, if you water in winter, it will cause root rot or make them susceptible to freezing. Although it may not necessarily rot in winter, once spring comes it will rot.
Second, carefully observe the growth condition of each plant. Some people, as soon as they see that some plants have red leaves or dry leaf tips and old leaves, think it is due to lack of water. In fact, too strong light, long-term lack of water in the potting soil, damaged root systems, rot at the root crown, or poor water transport caused by insect bites at the root crown followed by automatic repair and scarring can all produce this phenomenon. Therefore, being familiar with the plant's growth condition is very helpful for mastering watering techniques. Generally, plants with particularly vigorous growth and plants in the flowering and bud-bearing stage have higher water requirements, and watering for them should be as timely as possible; while some old large balls whose growth has basically stagnated should be watered less often.
Finally, watering should take into account air temperature, air humidity, greenhouse ventilation, pot size and material, whether the roots have extended down to the sand bed, and so on. The purpose is to help judge whether the pot is short of water. When cultivating other potted flowers, you can generally decide whether to water based on whether the surface potting soil has turned white, but for succulents, judging by this will cause errors, because the culture soil of succulents is generally mixed with sand, vermiculite, pumice, shell powder, and other substances, which easily cause the surface of the potting soil to turn white. Especially when the proportion of these substances is large, the surface of the potting soil often turns white the day after watering, while at this time the potting soil below is not short of water at all. Some experts point out that when the top 1 cm of potting soil is already dry while the lower potting soil is still moist, the root absorption of succulents reaches its maximum. If, according to convention, you water as soon as you see the potting soil turn white, then it will cause overwatering and affect the plant's growth.
As for the time of watering, in summer the early morning is better, in winter it should be done in the morning of a sunny day, and in spring and autumn either morning or evening is fine. Under normal circumstances, do not pour water from the top, otherwise over time ugly spots will appear on the ball body, the hairs of hair column types are easily soiled and matted, and water accumulating at the growth point of Aloe aristata and the like will cause rot. Pond water poured on the plant easily breeds algae, which looks like moss growing and is very ugly. Under normal circumstances, watering must be thorough. For this reason, you must often loosen the soil so that the potting soil can evenly absorb enough water. For growing winter-type and intermediate-type plants, keep the potting soil moist but not waterlogged, and water so that it is thoroughly watered when dry, neither waterlogged nor too dry. Summer-type plants can be watered appropriately, but not excessively. If there is cloudy and rainy weather or the temperature suddenly drops, then stop watering.
How exactly to control the amount of watering
The source of this problem, I think, is mainly the lack of quantitative experience. The descriptions in many books are nothing more than "strictly control watering," "you can water more," "keep dry," "better dry than wet," and so on. Everyone's understanding of such descriptions is definitely different. What one friend understands as "dry" differs from what another friend understands, so one waters and the other does not, and naturally the results differ. Although quantitative analysis can lead to the error of dogmatism, it should be helpful for everyone in reducing losses on the way to becoming an expert grower. Below are two experiences I find relatively practical. I have mentioned them before, and here I will focus on them again:
1. Bamboo skewer judgment method: Insert a bamboo skewer (or toothpick) to two-thirds the depth of the potting soil. When it is time to water, pull out the bamboo skewer and look at the dryness and moisture of the soil portion. This method is very helpful for watering plants that are dormant or semi-dormant, or that are about to enter dormancy or semi-dormancy;
2. Surface soil dryness and moisture judgment method: Generally speaking, when the surface soil turns white, you can water. This is the principle of "do not water until dry, water thoroughly when dry." The so-called thoroughly dry means that the surface soil has turned white, but if you push aside the surface soil, you can still see moisture. For cacti and succulents in the growth period, this judgment method is enough. For robust ones, you can water immediately; for those relatively afraid of water, wait two days before watering.
There are also other methods, such as the pot-lifting method: friends with a good sense of touch can lift the pot, and if it feels light, they can water. For cacti and succulents grown in plastic pots, with soil mainly composed of lightweight materials such as peat, the difference in weight after watering and when dry is still quite obvious. The pot-tapping method: lightly tap the pot wall with a finger; if it gives off a hollow sound, it means the soil is dry.
Once the soil moisture has been judged, it is time to water. When conditions permit, the sitting-pot method is best. Under normal circumstances, immerse the pot to half its depth in water, and 15 seconds is enough. Do not wait until moisture appears on the surface soil before taking it out. The looser and more breathable the soil, the less time can be used, because the siphon effect is strong. The advantage of this watering method is that it can ensure the upper part of the soil is relatively drier than the lower part, making root rot less likely. This is because the root tip of a plant is divided into the root cap zone, growth zone, growth zone, and root hair zone. Only the root hairs are the main part that absorbs water, and they have the strongest resistance to moisture. The old roots above the root hair zone have already lost the function of absorbing water and mainly play the role of transporting water and nutrients and anchoring, and they have poor resistance to moisture. Root rot often starts from here.3. Air humidity
Some cactus and succulent fans often notice this problem: the cactus and succulent treasures they just picked up from the flower market have, within a few days, lost the spirited look they had when they first "moved in." Although they take great care of them, these little things are very uncooperative. This makes their owner very anxious. Little do they know that this problem can be said to be one that every cactus and succulent fan will encounter, and it often stumps some enthusiasts. But anyone with a little experience in cultivation knows that this is actually a problem of air humidity.
If you are a cactus and succulent friend in a dry northern region, or if your cultivation site is your own open-air balcony or windowsill, this point is especially important. So why do the above problems occur? Why is air humidity so important? Here we can analyze it together: succulents in the flower market are all produced in nurseries. Such plants all grow in greenhouses, and greenhouses are mostly closed for cultivation most of the time, so the air humidity inside is relatively high. Plants cultivated this way are plump and full of vitality. However, after they are purchased, because the home cultivation sites in most regions often cannot meet such conditions, the above problems occur. Then some friends may also ask: most of these succulents' places of origin have harsh environments, with very little annual precipitation and dry conditions, so how do they use air humidity? First, let us exclude the relatively high air humidity during the rainy season. In these places of origin, the temperature is relatively high for several hours before the sun sets (especially at noon). But at night the temperature drops sharply again. This alternation of cold and heat causes the air to condense into fog. This is especially noticeable at dawn. This is also one of their ways of absorbing water, and this is exactly when they are happiest. Now looking back, the conditions of most of our cultivation sites are still insufficient. This does not even include some epiphytic varieties with higher requirements and some plants in the Bromeliaceae.
It is precisely because of the limitations of the cultivation site that many plants show fading, scorched leaf tips, shriveling, premature aging, and so on. And this cannot be seen in greenhouse cultivation. Although it is not fatal, the ornamental value is greatly reduced. The most effective method is very simple: spray with a fine-nozzle spray bottle. Many enthusiasts also invert a disposable plastic cup over the pot (mostly in spring and winter). Or choose to cultivate in a glass tank, laying a layer of coarse gauze at the bottom, and sprinkle water on it from time to time. This can increase humidity without making the pot often "flooded with water." In short, the regulation of air humidity must consider many aspects, including species, season, growth stage, and so on, and absolutely must not be generalized. If humidity is too high, plants easily rot and are prone to causing scale insects; if humidity is too low, the ornamental value of the plants is reduced and they are prone to causing red spiders.
1. Air humidity requirements for each season: Maintaining a certain air humidity during the growth period is quite important. When the plant enters the growth period, the role of air humidity at this time is obvious. Species native to tropical rainforests have even stricter requirements. Some horticultural varieties rich in color changes, if able to maintain considerable air humidity, will have more brilliant colors. It can be said that basically most varieties need a certain humidity at this time. During the dormant period, however, the control of air humidity must be quite cautious. The first to bear the brunt are some summer-dormant varieties with a high degree of succulence. For example, summer in Shanghai is a typical "damp-hot" weather. Highly succulent varieties of Aizoaceae are quite prone to rot. How old varieties like Lithops and Diyu get through the summer is often the most headache-inducing problem for enthusiasts. Likewise, winter-dormant varieties must also maintain a certain dryness. This point must be given considerable attention after the temperature falls below 5 degrees. When the temperature continues to drop to 0 degrees or lower, if the humidity is on the high side at this time, it is often fatal and can kill in a single night. However, most cities in the north are quite dry in winter. This kind of "damp-cold" climate is more common in some southern cities in our country.
2. Air humidity at the seedling stage: Air humidity at the seedling stage is especially important, and its significance exceeds that of soil moisture. This is because there will be a process of "hardening the seedlings" at the seedling stage. Controlling the moisture in the soil in this way aims to promote new roots, and at this time maintaining relatively high air humidity can prevent them from lacking water due to seedling hardening. Generally, the air humidity requirements at the seedling stage are higher than at other growth stages, but air humidity at this time is also the hardest to master. Practice has proved that the smaller the seed, the relatively smaller the seedling, and the poorer its resistance, often unable to tolerate high humidity. Typical representatives are most varieties of Aizoaceae and some varieties of Crassulaceae (with Begonia semperflorens being the most prominent). Once they have taken shape, such phenomena will greatly improve, and the problem of air humidity will not be so prominent.
3. Air humidity requirements for asexual propagation: The two commonly used asexual propagation methods at home are cuttings and grafting. Cuttings: Plant organs should be kept dry for the first few days after being separated from the mother plant. This time period depends on the variety. It can be as little as 4 or 5 days or as much as a month. After the wound has completely dried, it can be inserted into the substrate. At this time, relatively high air humidity can be maintained. On this point there are mainly two schools: one advocates creating a highly dry environment, which can root in a relatively short time but consumes more; the other advocates creating a humid environment, and this method consumes less of the cutting individual. As for grafting, the views are relatively unified: in the first two weeks after grafting is completed, dryness and ventilation must be maintained, and excessively high humidity has an effect on the survival rate of grafting.
4. For certain caudex varieties such as: testudinaria elephantipes, bitter gourd types, smiling sack, and so on. In their places of origin, their surfaces often show irregular cracking and are mostly uneven. But under artificial cultivation conditions, especially when domesticating from seedlings, their uneven surfaces become very inconspicuous. But the reason is not only a matter of humidity; it is an all-around issue. This point is also an auxiliary basis used by some experienced enthusiasts to judge wild versus artificially cultivated plants.
3. Fertilizing
For winter-type and intermediate-type plants, apply a thin, well-rotted liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer about once every 20 days. The fertilizing time can be on a sunny morning, and be careful that the fertilizer liquid does not splash onto the plant. Summer-type plants do not need fertilizing.
4. Temperature
The most suitable temperature is 15-28, and 5-35 is the tolerance limit for the plant.
5. Propagation
After leaf cuttings have rooted, wait until the leaf withers, and after the bud grows larger, then transplant. Wait until the seedling grows to two or three cm before doing so. When doing leaf cuttings, use a large pot, do not spray, and water when the soil is dry; do not water onto them.
Beheading is suitable in mid-April each year. Leave three to four leaves below, then let the cut-off part dry for five days, and then use it as a cutting.
Many succulents can be propagated by using a sharp knife to cut branches from the stem for cuttings. Any tool used to cut plant bodies must first be sterilized with alcohol. Learn more: Succulent Stem Cutting Propagation Methods
The best cutting position, for example, if the stem has nodes, is below the node, or below the leaf petiole or the base of a new bud on the stem. Be careful not to damage the beauty of the mother plant's shape when taking cutting branches; it is best to take a branch at least one stem node away. Plant the cutting into a high-temperature-sterilized sandy medium, which can be pure sand, coarse sand, or vermiculite. Sometimes the cutting branch can be planted directly after being cut, or it can first be dried for one or two days to let the wound tissue heal and avoid fungal infection.
Many succulents need only one leaf to obtain a new plant through cuttings. Such as Crassulaceae Adromischus, Echeveria, Sansevieria, and many epiphytic Cactaceae plants. Gasteria plants can sometimes also be propagated by leaf cuttings. Let the removed leaf dry for a few days so that the wound closes and healing tissue forms, then place the leaf into a propagation pot, making only the base of the leaf contact the cultivation substrate. I feel this works better than inserting the lower part of the leaf into the substrate, and it is less likely to rot. After a period of time, new roots can be observed growing, and subsequently new buds and new leaves will also appear.
Cuttings are best done at the beginning of the growth period, usually in spring, of course excluding winter-type plants. After cuttings are done, place them in a well-ventilated, brightly lit place at room temperature 20°C, but avoid direct sunlight. Putting the cuttings in a closed environment that can maintain suitable humidity until they root is also a good method. A simple method is to put a large polyethylene plastic bag over a large flower pot, or cut off the upper half of a clean transparent plastic bottle and invert it over a flower pot of comparable size. Water the cuttings rather less than more, until obvious growth can be observed, then increase the amount of watering.
Division propagation: Many succulents are clustered, or have thick large tubers, and they can be propagated by division. After taking the plant out of the pot, remove as much potting soil as possible. The specific method of division depends on the plant's growth type. For example, multi-headed varieties in Asclepiadaceae, Crassulaceae, and Cactaceae can be divided when the pot is turned out, and young plants that are growing well and have already rooted independently can be separated and potted individually.
Offset propagation: Many cacti and succulents will grow offsets or young balls at the base of the mature plant. They are usually very easy to remove or cut off, and after drying and resting for a few days, they can be potted separately. Doing so is also good for the mother plant, because these offsets or young balls consume quite a lot of nutrients from the mother plant. Some plants will sprout tiller buds on the leaf edges or flower scapes, which can also be removed and cultivated.
6. Pest and disease control
1. Red spider mite
It mainly harms succulents in Asclepiadaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, and Liliaceae. It sucks the sap of young stems and leaves with its mouthparts. The damaged leaves show yellow-brown spots or wither and fall off, and such scars remain forever. Generally speaking, you can check whether there are spider webs on the back of the leaves, and very small red/white/dark-colored insects. If there are, then it is usually red spider mites.
Control measures can be taken by increasing environmental humidity to reduce and avoid spread. You can use 40% dicofol 1000-1500 times solution to kill them by absorption, or abamectin.
Methods for removing red spider mites
Removing red spider mites by hand is low in cost, easy to obtain materials for, and has an excellent effect.
Materials: one bamboo skewer, a small amount of double-sided tape.
Method: Cut the double-sided tape into small pieces 0.5-1 cm square and place them flat on the tabletop; take one bamboo skewer and press one end onto the adhesive surface to fix it, then gently rub the bamboo skewer in one direction so that the double-sided tape wraps around one end of the bamboo skewer; thus a simple miniature "dust roller" is made. Place the plant with red spider mite damage under bright light (because the pests are too small, they cannot be seen clearly if the light is poor), then roll the "dust roller" over the ball body. The red spider mites will find it very hard to escape. Because the "dust roller" is very small, it can flexibly shuttle between ribs and spines, leaving red spider mites nowhere to hide. When one "dust roller" is covered with pests, you can take a short rest, then make a new one. This method is suitable for use in the early stage of disease, when the ball body has not been damaged over a large area, and the effect is quite good.
2. Scale insects
The scope of damage is very broad. They often harm succulents such as Agave and Haworthia with tightly arranged leaves, sucking stem and leaf sap, causing poor plant growth and, in severe cases, withering and death. Their high-incidence period is earlier than that of red spider mites, and they often already reproduce in large numbers in early spring. But there is also a point about their damage that is easy to control, namely that they often concentrate only on a few plants. Sometimes one plant is covered with scale insects, while a neighboring plant has not a single one.
Control measures: when the number is small, they can be driven off with a brush. In addition, you can also spray with 800-**** times solution of Supracide to kill them. Mixing a certain amount of carbofuran into the culture soil has a preventive effect, but the efficacy lasts only 3 months.
3. Whiteflies
The scope of damage is not large, occurring more on shrubby succulents in Euphorbiaceae such as Euphorbia tirucalli, crown of thorns, jade kirin, and Euphorbia neriifolia. They pierce and suck sap on the back of leaves, causing leaves to yellow and fall off, and at the same time inducing sooty mold, with large ugly black powder on stems and leaves, directly affecting the plant's ornamental value.
Control measures: Besides improving environmental ventilation, in the early stage of occurrence you can spray with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000-2000 times solution to kill them, and you can also use malathion 500 times solution or dimethoate mixed with dichlorvos 1000 times solution to kill them. Two days after spraying, use a strong water stream to wash off the dead insects together with the black powder.
Rot treatment
Rot is a disease that commonly appears in succulents. It is usually a fungal infection caused by overwatering or an overly humid cultivation environment. Some insects, such as mealybugs, can also cause rot, especially root mealybugs. The wounds caused when these pests suck plant sap can lead to fungal infection.
Rot takes many forms, and by the time you notice it, it is often already too late. Always be on the lookout for faded areas on the plant, as well as soft, mushy stems and leaves.
Once a succulent has an area that has faded and turned soft and mushy, it is rotting. Once rot sets in, it must be cut away immediately. Both the knife and your hands must be disinfected before and after to avoid infecting other plants. In the case of a fungal infection, spray the plant with a fungicide. The wound must be completely dry before the plant goes back into the soil.
There are many kinds of rot, briefly described as follows:
Crown rot: the plant rots from the inside, causing it to topple over;
Stem rot (mainly in Euphorbiaceae): the stem rots, usually occurring at the base of the stem;
Spotted stem rot: caused by orange stink bugs;
Fungal rot: brown, watery blotches appear on the plant;
Mesemb rot: occurs on the branches and stems
Black rot: often occurs after an infestation of cotton aphids or root mealybugs.
Treatments for rotted succulents
When dealing with a rotted plant, always keep your tools clean and sterile, and always wash your hands thoroughly before touching other plants.
Crown rot: use a sharp knife to cut away the infected part, then pack the wound with crushed charcoal and sulfur. The wound should be completely dry.
Neck rot: cut away the rotted part, and treat what remains as a stem cutting. Remember that it can only go into the soil once the wound is completely dry.
Fungal rot: use a clean knife to cut away the damaged part and cover it with sulfur. Spray the plant with a mixed solution of benomyl (translator's note: a fungicide) and mancozeb.
Black rot: use a clean knife to cut away the infected part, spray with benomyl, and cover with sulfur.
If you don't have the above chemicals, some ordinary disinfectant or fungicide will do in a pinch. The most important thing is to cut away the rotted part, then place the plant in a well-ventilated spot and wait for the wound to dry and heal. As long as it is cut away, the tenacious nature of succulents generally means they will survive; some harder-to-grow varieties are the exception.
★ Spring care for succulents
In climatology, spring means five consecutive days with an average temperature steadily above 10°C. Although the Start of Spring solar term arrives around February 4 each year, China is a vast country, so temperatures vary greatly from region to region; moreover, the climate of early spring and late spring also differs enormously. Therefore, spring care for succulents should be carried out according to the climate and timing of each different region.
In early spring in February, the northern regions are still icy and snow-covered, and succulents can still be cared for using the winter methods; in the south, where spring has already arrived with blooming flowers, daytime temperatures can reach 10°C-15°C, and on clear days indoor temperatures can exceed 20°C, with nighttime temperatures of 3°C-5°C. But at this time the temperature is still unstable, and cold snaps often occur. This is what is meant by "suddenly warm, suddenly cold." Do not rush to move the flowers outdoors, and do not rush to open the greenhouse, because the blast of cold wind will give the plants a "cold," and pay attention to keeping the temperature stable, avoiding sudden rises and falls, but still maintain a certain day-night temperature difference. Also prevent condensed water droplets from dripping onto the plants and causing rot. By March, as temperatures continue to rise and the day-night temperature difference increases, the "winter-growing types" and the "intermediate types" that grow in spring and autumn all enter their peak growing season, and the "summer-growing types" also begin to wake up and prepare to grow. At this point, do not rush to move the flowers outside. You can first open the windows of the greenhouse for ventilation, so the flowers gradually adapt to the outdoor climate, especially in the south when the weather is clear. This avoids the plant being steamed by excessive heat in a small enclosed environment. But in the north, if a cold snap, "late spring cold" or windy drop in temperature occurs, the doors and windows should still be kept tightly closed to prevent the plants from being damaged by frost. In April, as the weather warms further, succulents enter the golden growing season of the year. Winter-growing and intermediate varieties continue to grow, and summer-growing types also begin to grow. Some plants suited to growing outdoors can gradually be moved out to receive sunlight and the caress of the spring breeze. But if there is continuous rainy weather, take care to prevent prolonged rain exposure, so that low temperatures and dampness do not cause the plants to rot. When indoor temperatures exceed 30°C, open the windows for ventilation to lower the temperature, prevent high temperatures from harming the plants, and increase air circulation to benefit plant growth.
In spring, for "winter-growing" and "intermediate" succulents in their growing season, watering can follow the principle of "don't water until dry, and when you water, water thoroughly." In addition, pay attention to the differences between varieties. For example, among Crassulaceae, Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop', Echeveria 'Giwa', and Crassula 'Green Pagoda'; among Liliaceae, Gasteria, Haworthia cooperi, Haworthia truncata, and Haworthia comptoniana; and among Aizoaceae, Lithops and Conophytum are all in their growing season. The first two groups grow relatively quickly, so they should be watered a bit more and kept at a certain air humidity, so the leaves are plump and full and the colors vivid; the latter group grows relatively slowly and is in its "molting period," with little demand for water, so it should be watered less, and above all excessive air humidity that causes rot should be avoided. In short, both the plant's water needs for growth and the avoidance of waterlogged potting soil must be met. Depending on the variety and growth vigor, apply some well-rotted dilute liquid fertilizer or a "low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus-potassium" compound fertilizer as appropriate. By late April, the growth of "winter-growing" succulents tends to slow, so fertilization should be stopped and watering should be controlled.
"Summer-growing" succulents should have their watering controlled in the relatively cold early spring. By mid-to-late March, as temperatures rise, the plants begin to grow slowly, so watering can be increased appropriately. After Qingming Festival, temperatures generally stabilize around 20°C, the plants grow vigorously, and normal watering can resume, along with light fertilization. No matter which type of succulent, fertilizer solutions should be dilute rather than concentrated; vigorous plants can be fertilized more and more often, while weaker varieties should be fertilized less or not at all; newly potted plants should also not be fertilized, since their root systems have not yet regained their ability to absorb nutrients.
No matter what type of succulent, in spring they should all be given plenty of sunlight. If light is insufficient, the plants will become leggy, rosette-forming Crassulaceae plants will have loose form and dull, lusterless leaf color, and the white powder on the leaf surface of some varieties will decrease; Aizoaceae plants such as Lithops and Conophytum will grow thin and tall, lacking vitality.
"Summer-growing" succulents can be repotted at the end of March, "intermediate" types can be repotted as early as the beginning of March, and "winter-growing" types generally are not repotted in spring. In short, the best time to repot is when the dormancy period is about to end and the growing season has just begun. When repotting, tip the plant out of the pot, remove the soil from the roots, cut away rotted, hollow, non-absorbing old roots, and replant in fresh growing medium. If it is a clumping plant, division propagation can also be done at the same time as repotting. In addition, for some seedlings sown last autumn, if they are growing too densely, they should be separated and transplanted.
Besides division propagation, in spring some succulent varieties can also be propagated by cuttings and sowing. In mid-to-late April, once temperatures stabilize around 20°C, Cactaceae and Euphorbiaceae succulents can be propagated by grafting. Succulents that have already flowered can be hand-pollinated to obtain seeds, and through hybridization the plant's quality can be improved through selection, and with luck new varieties can even be bred. Succulents that flower in late autumn or winter will have ripe fruit in spring, and care should be taken to collect the seeds so they are not scattered and lost.
Spring is the season when all things revive, and it is also the season when pests and diseases are relatively likely to occur, so attention should be paid to spraying for prevention and control.
★ Summer care for succulents
Summer refers to the period from the Start of Summer solar term around May 5 to the Start of Autumn around August 7. This is the hottest season of the year. Because of regional differences, the climate varies greatly from place to place; generally speaking, summers in the south are hot and humid, while in the north they are hot and dry. Relatively speaking, in May and the first half to mid-June it is not yet so hot, and the day-night temperature difference is fairly large, but after the dog days begin, not only are temperatures high but the day-night temperature difference is small and the air is muggy. Such an environment is very unfavorable for the growth of succulents, especially for "winter-growing" and "intermediate" types. In addition, summer hail, and flooding disasters caused by heavy rains and continuous rainy weather, can also cause great damage to succulents, even wiping them out entirely.
In summer, "summer-growing" succulents such as Cactaceae's Echinocactus grusonii and Parodia nivosa; Agavaceae's Agave victoriae-reginae, Agave 'Kissho Kan', and Agave isthmensis 'Kissho Kan'; and Euphorbiaceae's Euphorbia tirucalli, Euphorbia lactea 'Cristata', and Euphorbia neriifolia generally reach their peak growing season. Most cactus varieties can produce beautiful flowers in May and June, and some varieties bloom in July. Meanwhile, "intermediate" succulents that grow in spring and autumn, such as Liliaceae's Haworthia 'White Queen', Haworthia cooperi, Haworthia retusa, and Haworthia truncata; Crassulaceae's Sempervivum and Sedum sieboldii; and Aizoaceae's Stomatium and Oscularia, can continue growing in May when temperatures are suitable and the day-night temperature difference is large, but by June their growth slows, and in the hotter south they may even stop growing. By July, except for a few cooler regions, in most parts of China "intermediate" succulents stop growing or grow extremely slowly. "Winter-growing" succulents such as Aizoaceae's Lithops, Conophytum, Schwantesia, and Fenestraria; Crassulaceae's Echeveria and Cotyledon; and Dioscoreaceae's Dioscorea elephantipes, meanwhile, see their growth begin to slow as temperatures rise in summer, until it stops completely.
In terms of care, "summer-growing" succulents should be given plenty of sunlight. If light is insufficient, the plants will not only become leggy but also have their flowering affected. For certain Cactaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Asclepiadaceae varieties with columnar or spherical forms, the fleshy stems will become thinner; for foliage succulents, the plant form will become loose and the leaf color dull. In particular, for some varieties with red leaf color or patterns or white powder on the leaf surface, the fleshy leaves will even turn green and the patterns or white powder on the leaves will decrease or even disappear. Therefore, it is best to place the plants in a spot outdoors with ample light and good ventilation. But for some delicate varieties, strong direct sunlight around midday should still be avoided in June and July to prevent scorching the epidermis. When temperatures remain above 38°C, ventilation and cooling should also be provided. A shade net can be added, and white or light-colored stones can be spread on the soil surface to help lower the temperature. Plants that have long been kept indoors or in other low-light spots should not suddenly be moved into strong light; they should first be kept in semi-shade for a period, then moved to a brighter spot, giving them a gradual process of adapting to the environment. Watering should follow the principle of "don't water until dry, and when you water, water thoroughly." Avoid waterlogged potting soil, and in the rainy season pay attention to drainage and flood prevention so that waterlogged soil does not cause root rot. But do not let the soil become too dry either, otherwise, although the plant will not die, growth will stop, the leaves will shrivel, and the plant will lack vitality. Depending on the variety, apply a well-rotted dilute liquid fertilizer or a "low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus-potassium" compound fertilizer every 10-15 days.
("Intermediate" type) succulents can be kept in summer in a spot with bright light but no direct sunlight; at home they can be placed on the inner side of a balcony or under the shade of trees in a courtyard. Watering can be done according to the climate, variety, and the plant's growth. In May and early June when temperatures are not yet too high and the plants are still growing, normal watering is fine, along with some light fertilization as appropriate. By late June and July, when plant growth has basically stopped, watering should be controlled, keeping the potting soil from becoming excessively dry, and fertilization should be stopped.
("Winter-growing" type) succulents basically stop growing in summer. Strong direct sunlight should be avoided, good ventilation should be provided, and watering should be strictly controlled; they should not be exposed to rain, especially prolonged rain or heavy downpours. For varieties with extremely fleshy leaves, such as Aizoaceae's Lithops, Conophytum, Rimaria, Dinteranthus, and Pleiospilos, a little water can still be given in early-to-mid May, but from June onward watering must be strictly controlled and can even be cut off completely, to prevent the plants from rotting.
In summer, no matter which type of succulent, good ventilation is required. If ventilation is poor, combined with damp soil and air, it is very easy for muggy heat and dampness to cause root rot, and in severe cases even the entire plant rots away. If ventilation is poor and the air is dry, this will lead to red spider mite damage; although spraying chemicals can control it, the damaged areas will turn brown and are very hard to eliminate. Therefore, in greenhouse cultivation, the area around the greenhouse must be opened up to allow ventilation, and if necessary an electric fan can be installed inside the greenhouse. Home growers should likewise keep plants in a well-ventilated balcony, windowsill, or courtyard. For Haworthia and certain cactus varieties that like relatively high air humidity, in early summer in May the plants can be covered with a transparent, colorless beverage bottle, but by June it must be removed to avoid smothering the plant. If the air is dry, mist the plants lightly in the morning or evening to increase air humidity.
Most kinds of succulents are afraid of waterlogging, and summer is the season with heavier rainfall in the year, so drainage and flood prevention are also an important aspect of summer succulent care. Succulents placed in a courtyard, on a rooftop, or in a greenhouse are best placed on shelves or raised platforms, and the flowerpots can also be propped up with bricks so they are not submerged during heavy rain. Plants grown in the ground inside a greenhouse should also be protected to prevent water from entering the greenhouse. In addition, in summer attention should be paid to preventing hail damage to the plants. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and prepare early so severe weather does not harm the plants.
Summer's high temperatures and high humidity also make it a season prone to various pests and diseases. The main diseases of succulents include stem rot, root rot, and rust. They are mainly caused by poor ventilation at the growing site and excessive soil moisture leading to infection. Besides improving growing conditions, regular spraying with fungicides such as carbendazim can also be used for prevention and control. The main pests of succulents include woodlice, snails, red spider mites, scale insects, and root mealybugs. If found, spray promptly for control.
In May to early June, repotting or grafting, cutting, division, and seed propagation can still be done for intermediate types, summer-growing types, and certain winter-growing succulent varieties. If temperature and humidity are suitable and the methods are correct, such work can also be done in July. For flowering varieties, select plants with good appearance for hand pollination; once the fruit ripens, collect it promptly so the seeds are not scattered and lost. With luck, superior varieties can also be selected and bred from the seedlings grown from these seeds.
★ Autumn care for succulents
In phenology, autumn means that after the heat has passed, the average temperature remains steadily below 22°C for five consecutive days. This is a relatively cool season of the year. Among China's traditional 24 solar terms, the Start of Autumn falls around August 7, and the Start of Winter around November 7 marks the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. But because China is a vast country, the climate varies greatly from region to region, so the true autumn can be long or short, and the time autumn begins and ends also differs from place to place.
In early autumn in August, the "autumn tiger" heat is still raging, especially in the south, so the climate in most parts of China remains mainly "muggy and humid." This climate is very unfavorable for succulent growth, and care can still follow the summer routine, focusing on ventilation and cooling. By late August and early September, as temperatures drop and the day-night temperature difference increases, the climate becomes cool and pleasant, and this is a good season for succulent growth. After Frost's Descent around October 22, the northern regions begin to gradually turn cold and frost occurs; in early November some northern regions even see snow. In short, autumn has clear skies and crisp air, abundant sunlight, and a relatively large day-night temperature difference, which is very favorable for succulent growth. But at the same time, autumn is also a season of greater climate change, with periods of continuous autumn rain and periods when the "autumn tiger" heat runs rampant, and in late autumn there can also be frost and cold snaps that harm succulents. Attention should be paid to guarding against these to avoid losses.
In autumn, from August to September, "summer-growing" succulents such as Agavaceae's Agave potatorum, Agave 'Kissho Kan', Agave parryi, Agave filifera, and Sansevieria; Cactaceae's Cereus, Lophophora williamsii, and Cereus peruvianus monstrosus; and Euphorbiaceae's Euphorbia mammillaris, Euphorbia 'White Ghost', Euphorbia spiralis, and Euphorbia neriifolia are still in their peak growing season, and some varieties can still produce lovely flowers, while by October their growth slows and finally stops completely. Meanwhile, "intermediate" succulents that grow in spring and autumn, such as Crassulaceae's Adromischus, Pachyphytum, Pachyphytum 'Ruby', Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop', and Cotyledon tomentosa; Asteraceae's Senecio mandraliscae, Senecio 'Mucronatus', and Senecio rowleyanus; and most varieties of Liliaceae's Haworthia, begin growing again as early as late August in the cooler northern regions, though at a relatively slow rate, while in the hot south they remain dormant, and after mid-September they generally enter their peak growing season. "Winter-growing" succulents such as Aizoaceae's Lithops, Conophytum, Schwantesia, and Titanopsis; Liliaceae's Bowiea volubilis and Gasteria; and Crassulaceae's Crassula 'Ivory Pagoda', Crassula 'Green Pagoda', and Crassula 'Lü Qianhui' are fully dormant in August, begin slow growth in September, and enter vigorous growth from October to early November. Most Aizoaceae succulents such as Lithops and Conophytum bloom in this season.
In terms of care, "summer-growing" succulents should be given plenty of sunlight. Most varieties can be kept outdoors in a sunny spot so they grow robustly, maintaining beautiful form and attractive epidermis with good appearance. But in early autumn, seedlings are best kept in a bright spot without direct sunlight, to avoid overly strong light making the young plants turn red and slowing or halting their growth. From August to September, watering should follow "water when dry, stop when wet"; waterlogged soil and excessive drought are both unfavorable to normal plant growth. If continuous autumn rain occurs, stop watering and pay attention to drainage and flood prevention. Fertilize according to variety. In the north, after October watering should be controlled and fertilization stopped, so the plant's stems and leaves become firm and lay a good foundation for overwintering. Because the southern climate is warmer, water control can be postponed until late October.
"Intermediate" succulents begin growing again as early as late August in the relatively cool northern regions, while in the south growth only begins in early-to-mid September, but initially the growth rate is relatively slow. They can be watered appropriately, but not heavily, and should not be fertilized, to avoid root rot from excessive fertilizer and water. Once the plants have fully resumed growth, normal water and fertilizer management can begin. Depending on the variety, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer every 15 to 20 days. For Liliaceae's Haworthia and Gasteria succulents, which have somewhat higher air humidity requirements, mist the plants in the morning and evening, or cover the plant with a transparent, colorless beverage bottle with the top cut off, to increase air humidity so the leaves become plump and full with vivid color. As for light, from August to September they can be kept in a bright spot without direct sunlight, and from October to November they should be given ample light so they absorb as much sunshine as possible, making the plants firm and benefiting the beauty of their form.
"Winter-growing" succulents generally begin growing in early-to-mid September. For varieties with extremely fleshy leaves, such as Aizoaceae's Lithops, Conophytum, and Pleiospilos, ample light can be given so the plants grow robustly. Other "winter-growing" succulents should avoid harsh direct sun. In the early stage of growth, because the growth rate is relatively slow and the demands for water and fertilizer are not so high, a little water can be given; once the plants regain vigor in late September, normal water and fertilizer management can begin.
In autumn, watering succulents can follow the principle of "water more for varieties in their growing season, water less for dormant varieties; water more for vigorous, healthy plants, water less for weak plants." In short, both the plant's water needs for growth and the avoidance of waterlogged soil must be met, so that root rot does not occur and, in severe cases, the entire plant does not rot away. In August and September, many parts of China still experience hail and heavy rain, and the south also sees typhoons, severe storms, and other harsh weather, while in late autumn the north sees frost and cold snaps. All of these can cause great harm to succulents, in severe cases even wiping them out entirely, destroying plants that have been grown for many years. Therefore, be especially careful, keep an eye on weather information, and take precautions to prevent harm to the plants from severe weather.
In late autumn in early November, apart from moving frost-sensitive varieties indoors, other varieties should be kept outdoors as much as possible if the temperature is not too low, so they can be hardened by the cold climate and their cold resistance for overwintering is strengthened. The saying "bundle up in spring, chill in autumn" also applies to plants. If the temperature drops below 10°C, all succulents should be moved indoors. If a cold snap or other severe weather occurs, no matter whether in the south or the north, and no matter which type of succulent, they should all be moved indoors to prevent damage. Before bringing them in, spray once with an insecticide, and also disinfect and treat the indoor growing area against insects, to kill overwintering pests and harmful fungi and prevent them from spreading in the greenhouse.
From September to October, repotting and soil changing can be done for winter-growing and intermediate succulents, and seedlings can be separated into pots. When repotting, the root system can be pruned: remove rotted, hollow old roots and shorten excessively long roots to encourage strong new roots. Newly potted plants should not be watered too much, but air humidity should be somewhat higher; mist the plants regularly to help the root system recover and new roots grow. "Winter-growing" succulents such as Lithops, Conophytum, Schwantesia, and Lithops marmorata, as well as certain "intermediate" succulent varieties, can also be propagated by sowing, cutting, and division in autumn in September. Some Cactaceae and Euphorbiaceae succulents can also be propagated by grafting from mid-August to late September. For varieties that bloom in autumn, hand pollination should be done to obtain seeds for propagation. Because most succulents bloom when the weather is clear and sunny, pollination should be timed well, and some varieties should be specifically selected for hybridization. Only in this way can seeds of excellent quality and high germination rate be produced.
★ Winter care for succulents
Succulents come in many varieties and forms. According to differences in their habits, they can roughly be divided into three types: winter-growing types, which grow in the cool season in winter and go dormant in the high heat of summer; summer-growing types, which grow in the warmth of summer and go dormant in the cold of winter; and, in addition, an "intermediate type" that is dormant or semi-dormant in both summer heat and winter cold and only grows in spring and autumn. Therefore, winter care should also be carried out according to the different plant types.
Common winter-growing succulents include Liliaceae's Gasteria and Gasteria 'Zhaojii'; Crassulaceae's Crassula and Crassula 'Green Pagoda' and Crassula 'Lü Qianhui'; and Aizoaceae's Lithops, Conophytum, Titanopsis, Schwantesia, and Faucaria. Their main growing season is winter and early spring and the relatively cool season of late autumn. For overwintering, the temperature is best kept around 10°C at night and above 20°C during the day. Under these conditions, water according to "don't water until dry, and when you water, water thoroughly," avoiding waterlogged potting soil to prevent root rot. Depending on the variety and growth conditions, apply some well-rotted dilute liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer as appropriate, but do not overdo it, to avoid fertilizer burn. If such high temperatures cannot be maintained, watering should be controlled, though not cut off completely, and fertilization should be stopped, allowing the plants to go dormant; they can also tolerate low temperatures of around 5°C.
Common summer-growing succulents include Agavaceae's Beaucarnea recurvata, Sansevieria, and Agave; Liliaceae's Aloe; Crassulaceae's Kalanchoe beharensis, Echeveria 'Black Prince', and Kalanchoe 'Palm Beach'; Portulacaceae's Portulacaria afra and Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta'; Asclepiadaceae's Huernia; and Cactaceae's Astrophytum asterias, Astrophytum myriostigma, and Echinocactus grusonii. These plants are dormant in winter and should be kept at 5°C-10°C. Although some varieties will not die even below 5°C, and can even survive around 0°C, the plant surface easily develops unattractive yellow spots that affect appearance and ornamental value. But the temperature should not be too high either, otherwise it will break dormancy, which is instead unfavorable for the next year's growth. Stop fertilization and strictly control watering; some varieties can even be cut off from water completely to ensure sufficient dormancy. For varieties such as Cactaceae's Echinocactus and Cereus, if winter temperatures are too high and the soil is damp, the plants cannot fully go dormant, which instead affects later flowering.
The intermediate succulents that grow in spring and autumn mainly include Liliaceae's Haworthia; Crassulaceae's Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop', Aeonium haworthii, and Cotyledon; Aizoaceae's Oscularia and Glottiphyllum; and Cactaceae's Blossfeldia liliputana. Their winter care is relatively easy: at higher temperatures they can be cared for as winter-growing types, allowing the plants to keep growing; if temperatures are lower, care for them as summer-growing types, letting the plants go dormant, but note that the temperature should not be too low and is best kept above 5°C.
No matter what type of succulent, in winter they should all be given plenty of sunlight. If light is insufficient, varieties in their growing season will become leggy with loose form; in particular, some spherical species will have their top growing point suddenly thin out into a small conical or cylindrical protrusion, seriously affecting appearance. This situation is even more likely when insufficient light is combined with high temperatures and damp potting soil, and varieties in their flowering period may also have difficulty opening their flowers. Therefore, in cultivation try to avoid this environment that is unfavorable to plant growth. If the temperature is too high and light is insufficient, cool things down appropriately, control watering, and let the plants grow more slowly, which will actually produce good results. If a dormant plant lacks light, its cold resistance will decrease. Care can be adjusted to the specific environment: if the growing environment has poor light conditions, cut off water completely; as long as it is not too shaded, it can overwinter safely. As for insulation facilities, professional growers have large greenhouses with good insulation and light transmission; home growers can place the plants by a relatively sunny south-facing window or inside an enclosed south-facing balcony, and hobbyists with the means can also build a small greenhouse or small insulated box on a rooftop or in a courtyard. Relatively speaking, "summer-growing" types have slightly higher light requirements, so when placing them they can be kept closer to the window to increase light.
In winter, succulents can be watered between 10 and 12 a.m. on clear days. The water temperature should be close to room temperature; you can put your hand in the water, and it is best if it does not feel icy. For growing plants such as Liliaceae's Haworthia, Gasteria, and Aloe; Crassulaceae's Aeonium and Echeveria; and Cactaceae's Schlumbergera and Schlumbergera x buckleyi also need a certain amount of air humidity. In northern homes, because indoor heating is used, the air is often too dry, so the plants can be kept in an enclosed glass fish tank to increase air humidity and prevent the leaf tips from drying out. You can also spray warm water around the plants, but prevent water droplets from lingering on the leaves for a long time, especially near the central growing point of the plant, otherwise the leaves will rot and even the whole plant will rot away.
If the insulation facilities are complete and a continuously warm environment can be provided, cuttings can also be propagated in winter. Of course, this is limited to certain varieties, such as Crassulaceae's Echeveria 'Black Prince' and Echeveria 'Giwa'; and Liliaceae's Haworthia comptoniana, Haworthia truncata, and Haworthia cooperi.
It is worth mentioning that even for the same type of succulent, care should be adjusted according to variety. For example, winter-growing Crassulaceae plants of the genera Crassula and Cotyledon should keep their potting soil moist in winter; while winter-growing Aizoaceae plants of the genera Lithops and Conophytum should have watering appropriately controlled in winter and should not be misted either. (Author: Dui Baofeng)Author: A Dai
Autumn and winter cultivation and care of succulents
According to their ecological habits, succulents can generally be divided into winter-growing, summer-growing, and spring-autumn-growing types. The so-called winter-growing type is dormant in summer and grows in winter. The summer-growing type is dormant in winter and grows in summer. The spring-autumn type is dormant in summer and winter and grows in spring and autumn.
In September, most succulents enter the second stage of their growing season, so once the potting soil dries out, water thoroughly. At this time, summer-growing types can have their shading and ventilation reduced, but top-dressing fertilizer can be added. As for winter-growing types, ventilation and watering should still be maintained.
When the autumn rainy season arrives, for some moisture-sensitive varieties and varieties native to tropical regions, once growth stagnation occurs, the plants should be kept from direct rain. September is very suitable for sowing, grafting, cutting, and so on. Varieties that bloom in winter can be repotted at this time. Unlike repotting in spring, at this time there is no need to drastically prune the root system.
In October, with ample sunlight and large day-night temperature differences, peony-type plants and some Aizoaceae plants enter their flowering period. The leaves of Crassulaceae plants begin to turn red.
Whether summer-growing or winter-growing varieties, water as thoroughly as possible before noon. Winter-growing varieties should be given attention to ventilation; only in this way can the plants grow healthily. When the leaves of summer-growing caudiciform types placed outdoors turn yellow, they should be moved into the greenhouse.
In late October, as temperatures drop, some cold-sensitive varieties should be protected from frost damage. At this time Lithops and Conophytum can be sown. By November and December, the air becomes dry and daylight hours are relatively shorter, so succulent care should focus on cold protection and insulation and on increasing light. Summer-growing types grown in greenhouses should be given attention to watering, and the best time to water is in the evening. For Lithops and Conophytum whose flowering period has ended, division of the clumps can be done at this time.
December marks the arrival of winter. When temperatures drop below zero, varieties with poorer cold resistance should have watering stopped and good insulation work done. Use sunny days as much as possible to give the plants sunlight, and rotate the pots from time to time so the plants receive sunlight evenly. If light is insufficient, artificial light can be used as a supplement.
January is the coldest month of the year.
However, the sunlight in late January is slightly stronger than in December, and at this time winter-growing varieties grow very vigorously, so do not be reluctant to water. Pay special attention when thawing the plants: it is best to place the plant in a shaded spot so it thaws slowly; this is better than placing it in the sun. After late January, if the greenhouse encounters high temperatures, young seedlings often get scorched, and for Lithops and Conophytum they may turn yellow or even stop growing. Therefore, on clear days the greenhouse vents or doors should be opened to maintain air circulation.
By late February there is already a hint of spring in the air. In places where the temperature is warmer, seedlings can be repotted, which greatly helps their growth. As for small and medium seedlings and mature plants, it is still best to wait until March-May.
Four-season care for succulents
Succulents themselves are basically made of water. Plants that can store water themselves can survive even with little watering. On the contrary, if too much water is given and they cannot store the excess, it will cause rot and they will slowly wither. Therefore, every time you water, pay attention to observing the plant's condition. If the plant becomes thin and shriveled, this is a sign that it needs water; if it already has enough water, it will look plump. This is a simple way to tell.
Second, how much sunlight the placement location gets is also a very important point. Not only succulents, but all plants cannot survive in a place with no light at all. Without light, plants will grow like bean sprouts, weak and limp, and the leaf color will slowly fade. If you want them to maintain a healthy, good appearance, you must give them the most appropriate sunlight. Light from lamps cannot replace sunlight; this point needs attention.
SPRING Spring (March-May)Within the year, most kinds grow relatively quickly in spring. After temperatures rise, the plant's roots become more active, and the soil in the pot dries out relatively quickly. Therefore, actively replenish water; once the surface is dry, you can water thoroughly.
Plants that have been cooped up indoors all winter can also be moved outdoors in this season, to fully enjoy the sunlight and the caress of the wind. However, at this time the sunlight has become stronger, and if they are suddenly taken outdoors they can easily get sunburned. You can first take them out on cloudy days, or if taking them out on a sunny day, first cover them with newspaper, and once the plants have adapted to the light, remove it. On days with cold snaps or frost, it is still best to put them indoors at night.
SUMMER Summer (June-August)Summer is a relatively difficult season for succulents to get through. During this period, humidity is higher and there is more moisture in the air; succulents can survive on the moisture in the air alone. Watering can be controlled. But if the plant is too small, three months without water will also dry it out, so you can judge by the condition of the leaves and choose a cool night to replenish water.
Succulents kept in a room need attention to ventilation; please try not to place them in a closed room. If the room has air conditioning, it is not a big problem, but air conditioning also puts stress on the plants; try not to place them directly in the path of the air conditioner's vent.
AUTUMN Autumn (September-November)Let the succulents that suffered through summer slowly recover their health. As the weather gradually cools, succulents also begin to slowly show red. First, water the plants; shriveled leaves will slowly recover their health after absorbing water and sprout again.
The succulents that were moved into shade in summer to avoid strong sunlight begin to be moved back to sunny spots. If they are kept in a place without enough sunlight, the leaves cannot turn a beautiful red. With ample sunlight, you can feel the beautiful colors that autumn brings to succulents.
WINTER Winter (December-February)People have the impression that succulents are not cold-resistant and are hard to get through winter. When temperatures are low, to prevent frost damage, reduce the frequency of watering. With less water, the concentration inside the succulent's body increases, making it less likely to freeze. As in summer, control watering. In particular, cold-sensitive varieties may not need watering at all.
Cold-sensitive varieties will drop their leaves, stop growing completely, and enter dormancy. For these varieties, water can be cut off completely until spring, waiting for new buds to revive. They must overwinter indoors, placed by a window with light, getting as much sunlight as possible. At night, place the plants a little farther from the window to prevent freezing.
Succulent care guide
Translation: Qiuhan
This is a comprehensive discussion of care methods, from which you can find answers to most problems. This article starts from a practical perspective and explains how to satisfy and make use of the basic habits of succulents. It is not some simple 1-2-3-4 kind of guide.
This article aims to teach you how to fish, not to give you a fish. With just a little practice combined with it, you will soon be able to solve problems on your own and grow perfect plants.
Contents
Light and strategies for dealing with it
Temperature
Watering
Dormancy
When to transplant
Key points of potting
Growing medium, nutrients, containers
Pests
Basic equipment list
For many people, the biggest obstacle to entering the world of succulents is the Latin nomenclature used to describe the natural world, so much so that they encounter great obstacles when collecting and trading plants. But do not shrink back!
Knowing the scientific names of your treasures and the rules of pronunciation is a required lesson for aspiring enthusiasts. Stop bringing up those common names, like "snake grass" and "pencil cactus"; you should call them "Sansevieria" and "Euphorbia." Common names do not correspond one-to-one with plant varieties, and using them only causes unnecessary confusion.
Through scientific names, you can understand whether each plant is an independent species or a hybrid, and classify it into a larger category, namely the "genus," such as "Pachypodium." Of course, "genera" with similar characteristics also form a higher-level "family," such as "Apocynaceae," which includes the genus Pachypodium and the genus Adenium. The genus and species name make up the plant's scientific name, so the so-called "Madagascar palm" should actually be called Pachypodium lamerei, while the "desert rose" has the scientific name Adenium obesum.
When you read these strange names, do not feel embarrassed or shy. No one can avoid making any mistakes at all, but with a few more practices, you will surely become familiar with these words. At the beginning, you can watch the TV program Victory Garden more; it uses very standard Latin scientific names.
◆ Light and strategies for dealing with it
Undoubtedly, the most important factor in growing perfect plants is light. Succulents need very abundant sunlight, which means south-facing light is essential, and it is best if nothing but glass or greenhouse film stands between the plants and the sunlight. So-called south-facing light means receiving sunlight all day for most of the year, and avoiding being blocked by trees or buildings.
Ideally, your plants should receive ample south-facing sunlight, and the light should come from all 360 degrees. Of course, this means a perfectly positioned greenhouse, or an outdoor growing environment in a frost-free climate. Such requirements are unrealistic for most enthusiasts, but that does not mean you cannot grow first-rate plants without them. At this point, a little strategy is necessary.
Your strategy is to give the plants the sunlight they need only when they need it; timing is very important. Many succulents have a dormancy period, and during dormancy they do not require the most ideal light environment.
If you grow indoors, it is best to move them outdoors during the growing season, and during dormancy you can place them under a south-facing window.
If you can only be limited to an indoor environment all year, then you can only compromise. No matter how good your window position is, the plants can only receive sunlight from one direction, and not all succulents can accept such less-than-ideal light.
If you have a greenhouse or can grow outdoors in a frost-free zone, then sunlight is not a problem at all. In fact, in the southwestern United States, the light may instead be too strong, and young plants need appropriate shading.
Artificial light can indeed keep most (not all) succulents alive, but only at the level of basic survival. For example, plants that have lived under fluorescent tubes for one or two months will be very soft and weak, with an appearance far inferior to before. Supplemental lights are best used only as a supplementary light source for indoor cultivation in winter.
Of course, for those varieties that grow in winter, providing ample light during the growing season is even more of a problem, but this is not impossible either.
How can you tell whether your plants are receiving enough light? This depends on whether their form is compact, whether the distance between leaves is very short, and whether the leaves are short, thick, and sturdy rather than drooping. Varieties such as Echeveria with rosette-shaped leaf arrangement should have a compact form; fleshy varieties such as Lithops should be short and stout with vivid colors, not puffed up and weak.This is a negative example of a good variety under poor light.
These two Pachypodium horombense are the same age; the one on the right enjoys ample sunlight, while the one on the left has become leggy from lack of light. This kind of pathological legginess can never be reversed.
Succulents that are very sensitive to light include Crassulaceae (Echeveria, Crassula, Graptopetalum, Kalanchoe, Sedum, etc.), Aizoaceae (Lithops, Conophytum, etc.), and Apocynaceae (Pachypodium, Adenium); those with lower light requirements include Liliaceae (Aloe, Haworthia), many Euphorbiaceae varieties, Sansevieria, and Asclepiadaceae.
If you want to grow top-quality, beautiful plants, light is the most important thing. Nothing reflects a grower's lack of skill more than a leggy succulent. Legginess is irreversible unless you behead it and start over. Therefore, once it becomes leggy, the succulent is ruined. Study your growing environment well, and be sure to find a suitable light-supply strategy; this is irreplaceable. [Experience book]
◆ Temperature
Many succulents sold on the market are not cold-hardy. Although some Agave and Sedum species can tolerate light frost to some degree, they are not freeze-tolerant.
Our minimum temperature for plants year-round is 55°F (about 12°C), and for some sensitive varieties we keep it above 60°F (15°C).
The maximum temperature depends on the weather; most succulents adapt well to 100°F (38°C). Prolonged high temperatures at most just send them into dormancy.
Of course, excessively high temperatures can still damage the plants, especially in full-sun growing environments such as greenhouses, where good air circulation is essential. Hot, still air will quickly kill succulents.
◆ Watering
When and how much to water has always been a controversial topic. Although it is a very basic element of growing succulents that everyone must deal with, it is also very complex. The key is that watering needs to match your growing environment and habits; other people's experience cannot be copied directly. You must observe carefully; watering is the kind of thing that only you can help yourself with.
Basically, when to water matters more than how much to water, and timing depends on your environment. If your growing conditions are ideal and your medium is scientifically formulated, most potted plants will dry out within a few days. So the first principle is: never let a potted plant dry out to the point of smoking. Really. Water, and when the plant has used up the water you gave it, water again.
How do you know when a plant has used up its water? Lift it. If the pot feels very light, water thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. With just a little experience, you will be able to tell by eye whether a plant needs watering.
Do not think of watering as an exact science, where every drop of water must be precisely measured. It is not that strict. Make sure your plants have water to drink, then forget about it. It is true that some succulents are very sensitive to how much water they get, but as long as you observe more and gain more experience, you will soon be able to handle them well.
When watering, be sure to use a good nozzle, or pour the water gently. This prevents the water stream from washing away the medium and damaging the roots. And never stick anything into the pot to gauge the moisture of the potting soil, including your finger or any strange objects (translator's note: such as toothpicks). This is a bad habit; succulent roots are very delicate, and inserting things will only injure the roots, and injured roots rot easily.
◆ Dormancy
The dormancy period is a dangerous time for succulents and somewhat mysterious for growers. Many plants die during dormancy or shortly afterward, mostly because they are too dry during dormancy or are not carefully monitored.
Dormancy is part of their life cycle; when light and temperature are no longer suitable for them to be active, they need to rest in order to maintain a healthy state. Your task is to accompany them through this period.
The first sign that a plant is entering dormancy is that it stops growing. Then the leaves quickly turn yellow and drop, and the rosette closes up. Some types of succulents (such as mesembs) withdraw completely into the soil and grow a papery outer skin to protect themselves.In October, this Pachypodium densiflorum (a summer-growing species) showed signs of dormancy, with leaves beginning to drop from the bottom.This Haworthia cooperi (a winter-growing species) enters dormancy in June, and its rosette closes.
Although it cannot be seen from the outside, the plant is not actually idle during dormancy. Transpiration continues, and the water supply cannot stop. Their roots need some moisture, so the soil cannot be kept completely dry, otherwise the roots will dry out and die. For slow-growing varieties, signs of decline may not appear until early spring. What you do to them in winter will come back to haunt you in April or May, although this revenge may arrive several months late.
So how should you water during dormancy? Again, it depends on your growing environment, that is, how quickly the potting soil dries out. If winters where you are are relatively cold and your home has heating, the soil will dry out quickly, so watering once or twice a week is reasonable. If you live in a mild climate, watering once every other week may be more suitable. The key point is to water, wait until the moisture has completely disappeared, that is, when the pot feels light but has not yet dried to the point of smoking, then water again.
So how should summer-dormant plants be cared for? Since these guys choose the hottest time of the year to sleep, the potting soil dries out faster than in winter, and they need more frequent watering. Generally speaking, in summer you can water twice for summer-growing species for every one watering for winter-growing species. But again, this depends entirely on your environment. In especially hot weather, they may even need watering every day.
Note that you cannot control whether a plant goes dormant by adjusting how much water you give. Of course, there is one exception, namely the saying "succulents should be cut off from water completely during dormancy." If you really do that, then of course they will go dormant, and they will never wake up.
To better understand the dormancy situation of your plants, it is very important to know when they go dormant. According to their nature, succulents can be divided into summer-growing species (growing in summer, dormant in winter) and winter-growing species (growing in winter, dormant in summer). The table below lists the dormancy periods of common genera, but individual varieties may be exceptions.
Dormancy Schedule
Winter dormant, summer growing - summer-growing species
This group of succulents is often called summer-growing species; they grow in the Northern Hemisphere and are dormant from November to February of the following year. But during the hottest part of summer, they also enter a false dormancy, which usually lasts several weeks, and then they put on another big growth spurt in September and October.
Adenia
Adenium
Agave
Alluaudia
Brachystelma
Bursera
Calibanus
Ceropegia
Cissus
Cyphostemma
Didieria
Dorstenia
Echeveria
Encephalartos
Euphorbia
Ficus Fockea
Huernia
Ibervillea
IpomoeaJ
athropha
Lithops
Monadenium
Moringa
Operculicarya
Pachypodium
Pedilanthus
Plumeria
Pseudolithos
Pterodiscus
Raphionacme
Siningia
Stapelianthus
Synadenium
Tillandsia
Trichocaulon
Trichodiadema
Xerosicyos
Summer dormant, winter growing - winter-growing species
Usually called "winter-growing species," these genera go dormant during warm weather, from May to August. Their actual growing season is in spring and autumn, and growth slows significantly in winter. Many varieties also show weak growth in summer, especially lilies and Crassulaceae plants.
Adromischus
Aeonium
Aloe
Anacampseros
Astroloba
Avonia
Bowiea
Bulbine
Ceraria
Conophytum
Cotyledon
Crassula
Dioscorea
Dudleya
Fouqueria
Gasteria
Gibbaeum
Graptopetalum
Graptoveria
Haemanthus
Haworthia
Kalanchoe
Neohenricia
Othonna
Pachycormus
Pachyphytum
Pachyveria
Pelargonium
Peperomia
Portulacaria
Sansevieria
Sarcocaulon
Sedeveria
Sedum
Senecio
Stomatium
Talinum
Tylecodon
◆ Timing for repotting
Repotting, pruning, beheading, or any other action that physically alters the plant must take dormancy seriously into account. Succulents are very different from many other plants; they do not want any disturbance during dormancy. Some very slow-growing varieties are especially sensitive, and ill-timed repotting can be fatal.
If you want to repot, you should only do it once you see signs of growth. Pruning should be done just as the growing season is about to begin. For summer-growing species, March is a good time; for winter-growing species, August. But some tough varieties can be repotted or pruned at any time of the year.
Key points for potting
Potting succulents is very different from potting other plants. Whether the container size is appropriate has a big effect on the plant's appearance. A common mistake is wanting to use a large pot to give the roots plenty of room to grow, thinking this will make them grow faster and better. In fact, the opposite is true; many succulents actually slow down their growth rate under such conditions. Some slow-growing rare varieties may even stop growing completely, because they simply do not like sitting in so much damp soil. Many experienced growers are already rethinking this issue and giving up the use of oversized containers.
When repotting, it is enough to increase the pot size by only 0.5 inches (1.27 cm). For large pots of 5 inches (12.7 cm) or more, an upgrade of 1 inch (2.54 cm) is also sufficient. If you use an oversized container, the roots will grow out of proportion to the rest of the plant, causing energy to be spent on branches and leaves. Some plants have canopies that are too large, weak stems, and floppy leaves; you can tell at a glance that the pot is too big.
Container size is very important for the plantThe Cissus tuberosa on the left has been sitting in a 3-inch (7.62 cm) pot for four years, and it has grown a thick, sturdy stem. The one on the right came from the same mother plant as the one on the left and was cut at the same time, but it was planted from the start in a 4-inch (10.16 cm) pot.
When repotting, try to avoid damaging the roots. Usually, the roots cling tightly to the soil, forming a ball. Just leave it like that; do not strip away all the soil or untangle the roots as you would for tropical plants. This will only cause the plant to decline and can easily lead to fatal root rot. Also, do not put old potting soil or gravel etc. at the bottom of the pot; in fact, this will cause the root tips to deteriorate. Simply covering the drainage holes with mesh (window screen, insect screen) is enough.
◆ Medium, nutrients, and containers
Medium - medium is the term used in horticulture for growing substrate, and its selection has always been controversial. Those strange formulas and contradictory recommendations always leave beginners bewildered. To grow beautiful plants, a good medium is very important; do not think that what you put in the pot is just so-called "soil."
Should you buy pre-mixed medium from a supplier, or mix your own? Of course, buy pre-mixed from a supplier. Please note that we are talking about professional products here, not some "succulent soil" sold in discount stores. The process of manufacturing growing medium is very complex, and it is best left to professional manufacturers. If you want to mix your own medium, please remember that there are many issues we usually do not consider.
Over the past 15 years, commercially sold media have made great progress and have moved toward soilless formulations. These media have a wide variety of formulas, among which bark-based mixes are the best. Nowadays, few people still use garden-soil-based media; who can blame them when soilless media work so well?
Simply put, a soilless formula substrate consists of evenly sized particles to ensure healthy plant growth, with nutrients then added in liquid or solid form. The substrate scientifically blends composted bark (not landscape bark), horticultural-grade peat (no more than 20%), perlite (baked pumice), vermiculite, and agents for adjusting soil pH. It contains no garden soil or aggregates.
Two important criteria for judging whether a substrate is excellent are drainage and weight. Legend has it that a good succulent medium must allow all water to drain away quickly and retain no moisture, in order to avoid root rot. You can of course choose a medium that dries especially fast to prevent rot, but this also prevents normal plant growth; a medium with excessive drainage will make your succulents grow as slowly as glaciers move. A good medium must retain a certain amount of moisture and nutrients; one that dries too fast fails to meet this standard.
Very heavy substrates are bad and should be avoided at all costs. Root growth and function require respiration, and respiration requires oxygen. A good medium allows oxygen to enter the soil and carbon dioxide and other waste gases to escape, so it will be very light in weight. Good respiration is necessary for developing a strong and robust root system and is an essential element for maintaining plant health.
Heavy media suffocate the roots; they are usually aggregates and must be avoided. Common aggregates include sand, gravel, montmorillonite, and pumice. Horticultural pumice is commonly used as a growing medium in the southwestern United States because it is readily available. The climate in these areas is hot, and plants grown in pumice dry out quickly enough. But for milder climates, such as the northern and eastern United States, pumice is too heavy and retains too much water. Pumice has a hollow structure and easily stores water; by comparison, perlite is much better because its structure is closed.
For hobbyists, finding a suitable soilless medium is difficult. Some well-stocked nurseries do sell growing medium, but it is best to ask local commercial greenhouses. The owners of these greenhouses are usually experienced plant enthusiasts and are generally quite willing to sell you a bag or two.
Their medium is designed for greenhouse potting and needs a little perlite added for use with succulents. Try mixing three parts medium with one part perlite. You do not need to change the basic ratio of the medium, and do not add too much perlite. Absolutely do not add other ingredients, such as garden soil or aggregates, otherwise you will destroy the concept of a soilless medium.
There is another creative way to think about growing medium, namely that it should leave some margin for error in watering. People often hear the saying that different environments need different media, but in fact a good medium is good under any conditions. If your plants often die unexpectedly, you should seriously reconsider whether your medium has a problem. Change the medium ratio step by step, experimenting with a few plants first, until you are familiar with the effects of using various materials.
Nutrients - providing some nutrients during the growing season is necessary, then gradually reduce the nutrient supply, and do not fertilize during dormancy. It is best to mix some soluble liquid fertilizer in with each watering.
Choose reliable commercial brands for fertilizer, such as Peters, and do not use counterfeits or cheap products. Good fertilizers are usually sold in garden stores and come in many different formulas. For succulents, 20-20-20 or 20-10-20 formulas work well. Some fertilizers also have trace elements added and are specially designed for soilless media, which is very useful. If you choose the method of applying dilute fertilizer with every watering, using one quarter of the standard concentration each time is enough, which can provide 50 ppm of nitrogen. If you fertilize less frequently, adjust to a higher concentration.
An alternative to applying dilute fertilizer with every watering is slow-release fertilizer. Slow-release fertilizer can be buried in the medium or sprinkled on the soil surface, and its effect can last for a period of time. Reliable brands include Nutricote and Osmocote's 13-13-13, 180-day formula.
Not all succulents need fertilizer. Many varieties look floppy and unhealthy after fertilizing, not as good as they look growing in poor medium. These varieties include most Crassulaceae (Echeveria, Crassula, Sedum, Graptopetalum, etc.), almost all Aizoaceae (Lithops, etc.), and Senecio.
Containers - as mentioned earlier, the right container size is very important. But should you use plastic pots or terracotta pots? Many people think this is purely an aesthetic issue, but it is far from that.
Plants simply grow better in plastic pots, because plastic pots retain water better. If you use terracotta pots, you will need to water three to four times more often than with plastic pots, because terracotta pots dry out far too quickly, especially small ones.
Many growers use plastic pots when they need pots of 6 inches (15.24 cm) and under, and terracotta pots for 6 inches (15.24 cm) and above; this method works very well. In addition, roots develop better in round pots than in square pots. Most importantly, all containers must have drainage holes.
◆ Pests
Fortunately, succulents do not attract too many insects. Fungal and viral infections are also rare, so you just need to monitor pest conditions firmly. Plants and insects are natural best buddies; as long as you have plants, there will inevitably be insects. If you find some kind of insect on your plants, do not panic; just keep the pest problem under control. Completely eradicating insects is almost impossible.
By far, the most common and most persistent pest on succulents is the ubiquitous mealybug. There are many species of mealybugs; those that like succulents are usually the citrus mealybug and the greenhouse mealybug. Their adults are about one-eighth of an inch (three millimeters) in size, with a white powdery outer covering. Their larvae form white fluffy deposits on the undersides of leaves and also squeeze into the crevices of tender new leaves. They secrete a sticky honeydew that attracts many other insects to carry their larvae to other plants, such as ants. Pay attention to the presence of ants, and you will naturally be able to monitor other pests as well.Mealybugs are the number one enemy of succulents; once infected, they can easily break out over a large area. Carefully watch the undersides of leaves, new leaves, and flowers. If you do not look carefully, you may miss hundreds of tiny larvae lurking there.
Mealybugs are easy to control; as long as you do not just leave them alone, they are rarely fatal. Mites, scale insects, and whiteflies occasionally also target succulents, causing greater trouble and being difficult to remove. Mites are actually not insects; they like to suck plant sap and often appear in hot, dry places. If a poorly ventilated greenhouse contains many water-stressed plants, that is simply their paradise. Scale insects and whiteflies are very stubborn and are difficult to eradicate unless you strike during specific stages of their life cycle. There is a great deal of information on controlling these pests; with just a little effort you can identify and control them well. The internet and local agricultural technicians are good sources of help.
Convenient pest control - a cotton swab dipped in alcohol can harmlessly remove a small number of mealybugs. But a severely infested plant may have hundreds of tiny insects on it, especially near the growing point. At this point, try blasting them with water, using an adjustable nozzle and a hose with a trigger switch. A few minutes of close-range pulsed tap-water blasting is enough to wash most plants clean inside and out. This method can even remove scale insects with that damned waxy surface, which are usually very hard to dislodge. An adjustable nozzle is a powerful tool for giving plants a shower, and it works wonders whether you're dealing with insects, weeds or withered leaves. Pair it with a hose that has a trigger switch, and you'll be invincible against pests.
Adjustable nozzles aren't expensive and can be bought at any garden supply store. Choose the blue high-power type rated at 4 gallons per minute. You can even use a bathroom shower head in a pinch, but a rubber hose is more common. Maybe this sounds too simple, but just try it and you'll see how well it works.
Chemical control - if things get out of hand and you have to deal with several severely infested plants at once, chemical treatment becomes necessary. The first rule is never, and I repeat, never use petroleum-based products on succulents. These things are usually labeled "liquid" this or that, marked "EC" or just an "E". EC chemical products will severely burn succulents and must not be used. Systemic insecticides have become popular recently, but making the entire plant toxic also exposes the grower to chemical pesticides, which many growers find unsafe.
Many wettable powder and water-based suspension insecticides can be safely used on succulents. But which one to use depends on the type of pest, and you'll have to do your own homework on that. Just listening to advice from garden stores or friends isn't enough. When trying new products, proceed gradually, and never apply an untested pesticide to your entire collection. Test it on a few plants first.
Finally, if you're a very avid collector who is always buying plants from different sources, your collection will inevitably bring in new bugs regularly. A handheld magnifier or a 6-10x magnifying glass is a must, so you can better examine new arrivals and existing plants one by one.
◆ Basic equipment list
Watering - a watering device with a gentle flow is recommended, but a hose or watering can will do. We like to use an adjustable-flow hose with a pot-specific nozzle; this nozzle has a short wand and can produce a very gentle stream, and it's sold at many garden supply stores.
Tweezers - a small pair of tweezers is invaluable, and garden-specific tweezers are of course even better.
Magnifier - a 4-10x magnifying glass is enough, whether a simple magnifier or an optical microscope will do; this is essential for pest control and studying plants.
Labels - labeling each plant with its family and genus, variety, purchase date and source is very important. If you unfortunately lose a beloved one, with this information you can at least get another pot. Writing in pencil on plastic labels lasts a long time, while sunlight will blur labels made of other materials.
Repotting tools - good trays and shovels are very useful. The large trays used in restaurants are very handy, and you can get them from any restaurant. We like the type that holds exactly 1 cubic foot of medium.
Pots - always have a reliable source for buying pots. Whether you prefer plastic pots or terracotta pots, keep a little of every size, spaced at half-inch (1.27 cm) diameter intervals.
The essence of succulent plant growing
In horticulture, succulents are also called succulent plants. Succulents are higher plants referring to plants whose vegetative organs, usually having the three vegetative organs of roots, stems and leaves and the three reproductive organs of flowers, fruits and seeds. Some part, such as the stem, leaf or root (a few species have two parts), has developed parenchyma tissue for storing water, making the plant appear thick and juicy in appearance. Most of them grow in arid regions, where for much of the year the roots cannot absorb water, and they survive only on the water stored in their bodies. Sometimes people like to call these plants desert plants or psammophytes, but this is not quite accurate, although many succulents do indeed grow in desert regions, some do not grow in deserts.Succulent plant growing
One,Four-season changes of succulents
1、Best growing period- Spring (March~May)
Succulents lack light in winter, so placing them in sunlight as soon as spring arrives can easily scorch them. In fact, succulents are more easily damaged during the spring-winter transition than in the scorching summer. Conversely, when the temperature drops suddenly, succulents are also easily frostbitten.
If a succulent gets scorched, it will take at least 1 year or more to fully recover, so succulents that have been kept in the shade for a long time must be brought out onto the balcony on an overcast day, or taken out in the morning or evening, allowed to adapt for about 5 days, and only then placed in full sun. If you have many succulents at home, you can install shade film, which can reduce light intensity by 3 levels. If the plants need watering, you can also set them out when the spring rain falls.
For most succulents, spring is the best growing period, so if you want your succulents to grow faster, pay special attention to regulating water and temperature during this time.
2、How to get through the plum rain season- Summer (June to August)
The plum rain season not only brings insufficient sunlight but also high temperatures; for plants, it is the hardest period of the four seasons to get through. Before the plum rain season arrives, be sure to keep the potting soil dry and water cautiously. To get plants through this difficult plum rain season smoothly, you must pay attention to ventilation and humidity. If growing indoors such as on a balcony, it is best to use fans, ventilation fans, etc. to speed up air circulation, and the temperature should preferably not exceed 35°C.
On days with plenty of sunlight, move them out again to bask in the sun. Although direct exposure is also fine, using shade film that blocks 30% of light is safer.
Succulent planting
3、Dreamy color changes- Autumn (September to October)
Autumn is the best time for succulents to turn red, because both temperature and light are quite suitable. Not only is the temperature difference between day and night large, but sunlight is also plentiful.
Since there is no fixed pattern to how succulents change color, even succulents of the same species can look completely different, novel
and delightful. Therefore, for succulent enthusiasts, autumn is the most rewarding season.
4、Remember the 0°C dividing line- Winter (November to December)
In winter we need to move succulents indoors, and it must be done before the temperature drops to 0°C. But moving them indoors too early will also affect the plants' color change. If they are placed on a balcony, there is no need to worry: the plants will keep changing color from autumn all the way into winter, and as long as the temperature has not dropped below zero, there is no need to move them indoors at all.
Of course, if they have been kept in a cold place since early autumn, some varieties can also withstand low temperatures below 0°C. But most still need to be kept above 0°C, otherwise they will suffer frost damage.
Many succulent enthusiasts worry constantly that their succulents cannot get enough light in winter, but isn't this also a good opportunity to shape the plants? After deciding on the shape you want for your succulent, place the side whose leaves you want to extend toward a spot with plenty of sunlight, and the side you do not want to grow toward a spot with less sunlight. This is the key to shaping plants.
Succulent planting
II.How to grow succulents
Around us, there are many people who want to be lazy yet still fiddle with some plants and flowers. Those green plants bought on a whim often either turn yellow or rot before long. If you want plants that "take no time, no effort, and still thrive on their own," succulents, known as the "cutest plants in history," are the first choice.
According to statistics, there are more than 10,000 species of succulents in the world, and they originally all lived in arid places or places with high salt content. But with the development of high technology, these succulents, which once could not be grown because of climate and geographical environment, can now be seen everywhere. No matter the variety, whether it is the stem, the leaf, or the root, it always has one part that is plump, thick, and fleshy. The succulents commonly seen on the market also have nice-sounding names, such as Haworthia cooperi, Sedum 'Mingyue', White Peony, Lithops, Sedum rubrotinctum, and Triangular Glass Lotus, and so on.
So, how do you grow succulents? Let's take a look together below.
1、Light
Anyone who has grown succulents knows that "sunlight is the nourishment of succulents," which shows just how important sunlight is for succulents. So we should place succulents in the spot in the home with the most light, ensuring at least 4 hours of sunlight per day. If the leaves curl up, that is a signal of insufficient light.
Succulent planting
2、Soil mixing
Basic requirements of succulents for soil: loose and breathable, good drainage and water retention, containing a certain amount of humus, moderate particle size, no overly fine dust, and weakly acidic or neutral (a few species can tolerate slightly alkaline).
[Soil mix choices]
Coal cinder is a commonly used ingredient, but almost all furnace slag contains sulfur. Succulents are not sensitive to sulfur, and sulfur has sterilizing and pest-killing effects. From years of planting comparisons, plants grown with coal cinder are more resistant than those without and are less prone to root rot and root mealybugs. The best coal cinder to use is fully burned granular raw coal cinder (whether it contains incompletely burned coal does not matter), with honeycomb coal cinder being second best. Using eggshells, with eggshells making up 1/4 of the mix, works very well. Eggshells are a very good breathable, water-permeable planting material and are very useful for increasing soil aeration, and of course they can also increase calcium content. Eggshells should be crushed to 2-3 mm.
The ingredients of the planting mix do not have to be exactly the ones listed by experts, nor do they have to be a single ingredient; rather, the more ingredients and the more varied they are, the better. Different planting materials have different physical functions and different nutrients, and using a more varied mix is definitely better than a single ingredient. No matter which ingredient is used, it should at the very least be sun-dried for several days before use.
[Soil mix base materials]
For succulents, the cultivation soil sold on the market mostly has certain limitations, so experienced hobbyists often mix their own. What counts as a high-quality cultivation soil? Simply put, it should be a sandy loam that is loose and breathable, drains well, has a certain granular structure, and can provide the nutrients needed during the plant's growing period. When mixing, pay attention to the reasonable combination of organic and inorganic planting materials, and avoid overly fine and overly small dust.
Below are some commonly used base materials for succulents:
(1) Organic planting materials
① Leaf mold: you can choose the Clivia soil sold on the market, or collect and compost bald cypress or zelkova leaves yourself, and disinfect them before use.
② Peat: lake and marsh plants buried underground for thousands of years; currently the kind produced in Jilin and Heilongjiang is better. High-quality peat is brown in color, has high organic matter content, good fiber degree, a loose texture, does not feel sticky to the touch, has strong adsorption capacity, and has a slightly acidic pH.
③ Sawdust: strong water permeability and water retention, but because it itself has high carbon content and low nitrogen content, it is generally not used alone; it can be mixed with some nitrogen-containing compounds such as soybean cake and composted.
④ Rice husk ash: rich in potassium fertilizer, with a slightly alkaline pH. Choose the dark black kind, not the whitish kind, and it should have a uniform structure and not be too fine.
⑤ Tree fern fiber: the treated stem of a fern (Cyathea). Hard in texture and brown in color, it does not rot easily. It drains well and has a certain fertility, and has been a popular cultivation medium in recent years.
⑥ Mountain soil: Yellow mountain soil: low organic matter content, average drainage; red mountain soil: high organic matter content, soil becomes sticky and heavy after watering and easily compacts after drying; black mountain soil: high organic matter content, drains well, and does not easily compact after watering. Generally black mountain soil is used.
⑦ Orchiata: a commonly used orchid cultivation medium. But practice has proven that it is also quite good for succulents. Its characteristics are: complete nutrients, good drainage, no pollution, and no weed seeds. After one year in a pot, the granular structure is still very good.
(2) Inorganic planting materials
① Vermiculite: a golden, lightweight material with a honeycomb-like structure, strong in water and heat retention, excellent in aeration, and free of pathogens. Used as a cutting medium, it gives a high survival rate, but it has no fertility itself, so it is best mixed with other media. After long-term cultivation it easily loses its structure. Used vermiculite should be screened before reuse.
② Perlite: a volcanic stone containing aluminum silicate, expanded into a lightweight material by high-temperature heating. Good water permeability and good aeration. But its effective water content is low, so it is often used as an additive supplementary material.
③ Coco coir: palm fiber, loose in texture, with especially strong water retention. It is often used for cuttings. What is commonly seen on the market is coco coir compressed into small blocks, also called "expanded soil." Soak it in water to loosen it before use.
④ Pond foundation stone: made by high-temperature firing, often placed at the bottom of the pot or mixed with other media. If mixed with other planting materials, the particles should not be too large; about 0.2 cm is fine.
⑤ Kanuma soil: an orchid cultivation medium, with more advantages than pond foundation stone; rich in various minerals, it has notable results when used to grow succulents, and can replace the former, but it is a bit more expensive.
⑥: choose the kind that contains no salt, and the particles should not be too fine. Before use, wash and screen it, and mix it with other media. Good water permeability, high oxygen content, and large day-night temperature differences make it suitable for the requirements of succulents. Other inorganic planting materials include volcanic stone, coal cake, and so on. In addition, when mixing cultivation soil, some auxiliary materials are also often used, such as calcium-containing materials like shell powder and calcium treasure. There are also some base fertilizers such as chicken manure and cow manure. When mixing, pay attention to the reasonable combination of organic and inorganic planting materials, and avoid overly fine and overly small dust.
Succulent planting
[Soil preparation]
No matter which planting material you choose or how you mix it, it must meet the basic requirements of the plants, and you must consider all aspects and handle things flexibly.
① Mix according to the cultivation site: for example, the soil for ground planting and pot planting is different. For ground planting, more consideration should be given to drainage, and materials with strong drainage such as gravel should be added. For pot planting, on the principle of ensuring looseness and breathability, organic matter should be appropriately supplemented. If planting on a south-facing balcony, you should also consider the relatively dry and sunny characteristics and appropriately add some media with strong water retention, such as vermiculite and coco coir.
② Mix according to different species: different species may be "worlds apart" in soil preparation. For example, epiphytic species need a certain amount of humus, while some terrestrial species whose native soil is poor and whose root systems are not well developed have lower humus requirements than the former. Not only do species in different families need different soils, but even species in different genera of the same family have different soil requirements. Take Chinese aloe and Gasteria of the Liliaceae family: the former belongs to the genus Aloe, is robust in habit, and grows fast, so sufficient base fertilizer can be added at the bottom of the pot. The latter is a Gasteria plant, grows slowly, and basically does not need base fertilizer.
③ Mix according to different cultivation regions: the northern climate is dry, so there are certain requirements for the soil's moisture retention capacity; the south has abundant rain and high air humidity, so there are higher requirements for the soil's drainage and aeration.
④ Mix according to different growth stages: in the seedling stage the root system is not well developed, so the organic matter content should be slightly lower, and the soil should mainly consist of lightweight materials mixed with some fine sand; later, the organic matter content can be gradually increased.
Actually, soil preparation cannot be explained clearly with just a few simple principles.
The following formulas can serve as references:
(1) 8 parts Kanuma soil + 2 parts Orchiata + a little shell powder (suitable for growing Lithops).
(2) 10 parts coarse sand + 2 parts sawdust + 1 part base fertilizer + 1 part garden soil (suitable for ground planting).
(3) 1 part leaf mold + 1 part peat + 2 parts coarse sand + 1 part lightweight material + a little base fertilizer (suitable for growing epiphytic types).
(4) 3 parts pond foundation stone + 2 parts Orchiata + 1 part lightweight material + 1 part peat (suitable for growing hard-leaved Haworthia cooperi varieties).
(5) 2 parts garden soil + 1 part leaf mold + 4 parts coarse sand + 1 part lightweight material + half a part rice husk ash (suitable for growing ordinary terrestrial types).
For Sedum soil mixes, I think the proportion of peat soil or grass peat soil can be slightly larger, supplemented with humus soil, river sand, perlite, vermiculite, etc. To help rooting and robust growth, add an appropriate amount of rice husk charcoal, bone meal, fungicide, etc. to the soil; watering should be determined according to the weather and the plant's growth, watering when dry and stopping when wet. Focus your management on the ones growing well. Most of those not growing well are actually in a dormant period, so of course it is best to manage them less.
Screened honeycomb coal cinder + garden soil + Orchiata + sand + bone meal + shell powder + eggshell + ceramsite + orchid stone + activated carbon, sift out the fine dust, and plant. Maintain under full sunlight, watering when dry and stopping when wet. Add decomposed chicken manure at the bottom of the pot. The pot should be small, and the soil should be little and loose. After the soil dries out completely, wait a few days before watering, and give more sun. Water less in midsummer; most Crassulaceae succulents go dormant or semi-dormant in summer.
Succulent planting
3、Choosing pots
Put the mixed planting material into a stainless steel container, pour in rainwater to moisten the soil, then seal the container and heat it over fire for a period of time to ensure killing insects, larvae, and eggs, but some beneficial soil microorganisms will survive, especially those that reproduce by spores.
[Choosing pots]
Clay pots absorb water very well, so it is not a big problem if you water too much; they can alleviate the negative effects caused by overwatering, but clay pots become heavy after absorbing water, so the flower stand is required to be sturdy. Purple clay pots have aeration between that of tile pots and porcelain pots, and generally purple clay pots are often used for growing succulents and cacti. With purple clay pots you need to pay special attention to the thickness of the pot wall: the thinner the wall, the stronger the aeration, while those with very thick walls have aeration similar to porcelain pots.
Generally speaking, the root systems of succulents and cacti are not very developed; many have only fibrous roots. Planting a variety with a very shallow root system in a relatively deep pot will only be harmful to its growth, because the potting soil in the lower part that the roots cannot reach will retain moisture for a long time, making the potting soil sticky and heavy. If there is too much soil, the moisture cannot evaporate and transpire for a while, which easily leads to rot. Therefore, choose pots on the principle of "rather small than large, rather shallow than deep," and it is best to use semi-tall proportioned or flat pots. Only those succulent and cactus varieties with tubers or taproots need deeper potting soil and will grow well in standard or deep pots. For medium and large globular types, the pot diameter should be basically equal to the globe diameter, or the pot diameter slightly larger than the globe diameter by one or two centimeters; small globes are best planted several together. The cultivation soil depth should be at most twice the globe diameter; that is, if the globe diameter is 5 cm, a soil depth of 10 cm is enough, and for large globes it can be even shallower. The larger the globe, the less water and nutrients it consumes; too much potting soil is not only useless but also easily leads to rot. If the flowerpot is too deep, add more non-soil filler at the bottom as a drainage layer, and arrange the drainage material in several layers by particle size, with the largest at the very bottom. After the drainage material is placed, put in the coarse-grained ingredients first and then the fine-grained ingredients. After placing the plant, add soil while lifting the plant slightly upward to spread the roots. Do not fill the soil too full all at once; tamp the soil evenly along the edge of the pot, and finally tap the pot lightly a few times to level the potting soil.
[Repotting]
Because succulents mostly grow under artificial cultivation conditions, their roots are confined in flowerpots and can hardly spread freely. After a period of growth, the root system fills the entire pot, which is not good for drainage and aeration. Moreover, the soil in the pot is limited; after continuous absorption by the roots and repeated watering, the nutrients are almost entirely lost, and the cultivation soil changes from its original granular form into powder. In addition, in the process of absorbing nutrients, the root system also continuously excretes acidic metabolites, making the soil acidic, which is very unfavorable for plant growth. Therefore, after the plant has grown to a certain stage, it must be repotted and the soil changed. According to different varieties and plant sizes, repot once every 1 to 2 years or 3 years (for some varieties, small seedlings can even be transplanted several times a year, the so-called "move once, grow bigger once"). For most varieties, repotting is generally done in mid-to-late March, and division propagation is carried out together with repotting.
Succulent planting
4、Watering
Succulents must be supplemented with water in due course to meet the needs of growth and development, and definitely not "rather dry than wet" as some people believe. Of course, for ground-planted plants, watering can be less frequent. For most succulents and own-root cultivated cactus types, watering is hard to master, mainly in terms of timing.
(1) Watering techniques
To master the watering techniques for succulents, you must first understand the dormancy habits of each species. Watering during the dormant period easily causes plant rot. For example, if you water summer-dormant Lithops in summer, the plants will rot immediately; for winter-dormant cactus types, if you water in winter, it will cause root rot or make them susceptible to freezing. Although they may not rot in winter, they will rot as soon as spring comes.
Second, carefully observe the growth of each plant. Some people, as soon as they see some plants with reddened leaf color and dried leaf tips and old leaves, think it is due to lack of water. In fact, too strong light, long-term lack of water in the potting soil, damaged roots, rot at the root crown, or poor water transport caused by insect bites at the root crown that heal into scars can all produce this phenomenon. Therefore, being familiar with the plant's growth condition is very helpful for mastering watering techniques. Generally, plants that are growing especially vigorously and plants that are flowering or in bud have higher water requirements, and watering them should be as timely as possible; while some old large globes whose growth has basically stalled should be watered less often.
Finally, watering should take into account temperature, air humidity, greenhouse ventilation, pot size and material, whether the roots have extended down to the sand bed, and so on; the purpose is to help judge whether the pot is short of water. When growing other potted flowers, you can generally decide whether to water based on whether the surface potting soil has turned white, but with succulents this judgment will cause errors, because the cultivation soil of succulents is generally mixed with sand, vermiculite, pumice, shell powder, and other substances, which easily makes the surface of the potting soil turn white. Especially when the proportion of these substances is large, often the surface of the potting soil has already turned white the day after watering, while at that time the potting soil below is not short of water at all. Some experts point out that when the potting soil is already dry at 1 cm below the surface while the lower potting soil is still moist, the root absorption of succulents reaches its maximum. If, according to convention, you water as soon as you see the potting soil turn white, then it will cause overwatering and affect the plant's growth.
As for the time of watering, in summer it is better in the early morning, in winter it should be done in the morning of a clear day, and in spring and autumn either morning or evening is fine. Under normal circumstances, do not pour water from the top, otherwise over time ugly spots will appear on the globular body, the hairs of hair-column types are easily soiled and matted, and water accumulating at the growing point of plants such as Haworthia will cause rot. Pond water poured on plants easily breeds algae, which looks like moss growing on them and is very ugly. Under normal circumstances, watering must be thorough; for this reason, the soil must be loosened frequently so that the potting soil can evenly absorb enough water. For growing winter-type and intermediate-type plants, keep the potting soil moist but not waterlogged, and water so that it is thorough when dry, neither waterlogged nor overly dry. Summer-type plants can be given a moderate amount of water, but not too much. If there is rainy weather or a sudden drop in temperature, stop watering.
(2) How exactly to control the amount of watering
The source of this problem, I think, is mainly the lack of quantitative experience. The descriptions in many books are nothing more than "strictly control watering," "you can water more," "keep dry," "better dry than wet," and so on. Everyone's understanding of such descriptions is definitely different; what one friend understands as "dry" differs from what another friend understands, so one waters and the other does not, and naturally the results differ. Although quantitative analysis can lead to the error of dogmatism, it should still help everyone reduce losses in the process of becoming an expert grower. Below are two experiences I find relatively practical; I have mentioned them before, and here I will put them together:
① Bamboo skewer judgment method
That is, insert a bamboo skewer (or toothpick) to a depth of two-thirds of the potting soil. When it is time to water, pull out the bamboo skewer and look at the dryness and moisture of the soil portion. This method is very helpful for watering plants that are dormant or semi-dormant, or that are about to enter dormancy or semi-dormancy;
② Surface soil dryness and moisture judgment method
Generally speaking, when the surface soil turns white, you can water; this is the principle of "do not water until dry, water thoroughly when dry." So-called dry thorough means the surface soil has turned white, but when you push aside the surface soil, you can still see moisture. For succulents and cacti in the growing period, this judgment method is enough. For robust ones, you can water immediately; for those relatively afraid of water, wait two days before watering.
③ There is also the pot-lifting method, that is, friends with a good feel for it can lift the pot a bit, and if it feels light, they can water. For succulents and cacti grown in plastic pots, with soil mainly composed of lightweight materials such as peat, the difference in weight after watering and when dry is still quite obvious. The pot-tapping method, that is, lightly tapping the pot wall with a finger; if it makes a hollow sound, it means the soil is dry.
Once you have judged the soil moisture, it is time to water. When conditions permit, the bottom-watering method is best. Generally, immerse the pot to half its depth in water, and 15 seconds is enough; do not wait until you see moisture appear on the surface soil before taking it out. The looser and more breathable the soil, the less time can be used, because the siphon effect is strong.
The advantage of this watering method is that it can ensure the upper part of the soil is relatively drier than the lower part, making root rot less likely. Because the root tip of a plant is divided into the root cap zone, growth zone, elongation zone, and root hair zone, and only the root hairs are the main part absorbing water and have the strongest resistance to moisture, while the old roots above the root hair zone have already lost their water-absorbing function and mainly serve to transport water and nutrients and to anchor the plant, with poor moisture resistance; root rot often starts from here.
Succulent planting
5、Air humidity
Some succulent and cactus enthusiasts often notice this problem: the treasured succulents and cacti they just picked up from the flower market lose that impressive look they had when they first "moved in" after only a few days. Although they take great care of them, these little things are very ungracious. This worries their owner terribly. Little do they know that this is a problem almost every succulent and cactus enthusiast will encounter, and it often stumps some hobbyists. But growers with a bit of experience know that this is actually a problem of air humidity.
If you are a friend in a dry northern region; if your cultivation site is your own open-air balcony or windowsill, this point is especially important. So why do the above problems occur? Why is air humidity so important? Here we can analyze it together: the succulents in the flower market are all produced in nurseries, and such plants all grow in greenhouses, and greenhouses are mostly closed for cultivation most of the time, so the air humidity inside is relatively high. Plants cultivated this way are plump and full of vitality. However, after they are purchased, because the home cultivation sites in most areas often cannot meet such conditions, the above problems appear. Then some friends may also ask: the native environments of most of these succulents are relatively harsh, with very little annual precipitation and dry conditions, so how do they use air humidity? First, let us exclude the relatively high air humidity during the rainy season. In these places of origin, the temperature is relatively high in the few hours before the sun sets (especially at noon). But at night the temperature drops sharply again. This alternation of hot and cold causes the air to condense into mist. It is especially noticeable at dawn. This is also one way they absorb water, and this is when they are happiest. Now looking back, the conditions of most of our cultivation sites are still insufficient. This does not even include some epiphytic varieties with higher requirements and some plants in the Bromeliaceae family.
It is precisely because of the limitations of the cultivation site that many plants show fading, scorched leaf tips, shriveling, premature aging, and so on. And this is not seen in greenhouse cultivation. Although it is not fatal, the ornamental value is greatly reduced.
The most effective method is very simple: use a fine-nozzle spray bottle to mist them. Many hobbyists also use disposable plastic cups inverted over the pot (mostly in spring and winter). Or choose to grow them in a glass tank, laying a layer of coarse gauze at the bottom, and sprinkle water on it from time to time, which can increase humidity without making the pot often "flooded like a golden mountain."
In short, the regulation of air humidity must consider many aspects, including species, season, growth stage, and so on, and absolutely must not be generalized. If humidity is too high, plants easily rot and are prone to scale insects; if humidity is too low, the ornamental value of the plants is reduced and spider mites are easily triggered.
(1) Air humidity requirements for each season: maintaining a certain air humidity during the growing period is quite important. When the plant enters the growing period, the role of air humidity at this time is obvious. Species native to tropical rainforests have even stricter requirements. Some horticultural varieties rich in color changes, if a considerable air humidity can be maintained, will have more brilliant colors. It can be said that basically most varieties need a certain humidity at this time. But during the dormant period, the control of air humidity must be quite cautious, and the first to bear the brunt are some summer-dormant varieties with a high degree of fleshiness. For example, summer in Shanghai is a typical "hot and humid" weather. Highly fleshy varieties of Aizoaceae rot quite easily. How Lithops and Dintygostigma, these old varieties, get through summer is often the most headache-inducing problem for hobbyists. Likewise, winter-dormant varieties also need to maintain a certain dryness. This point should be given considerable attention after the temperature is below 5°C. When the temperature continues to drop to 0°C or lower, if the humidity is on the high side at this time, it is often fatal and can kill them overnight. However, most cities in the north are relatively dry in winter. This "wet cold" climate is more common in some southern cities in our country.
(2) Air humidity at the seedling stage: air humidity at the seedling stage is especially important; its significance exceeds that of soil moisture. Because at the seedling stage there will be a process of "hardening the seedlings." The purpose of controlling soil moisture in this way is to promote new roots, and maintaining relatively high air humidity at this time can prevent them from lacking water because of seedling hardening. Generally, the air humidity requirement at the seedling stage is higher than at other growth stages, but air humidity at this time is also the hardest to master. Practice has proven that the smaller the seed, the smaller the seedling is relatively, and the poorer its resistance is; it often cannot tolerate high humidity. Typical examples are most varieties of Aizoaceae and some varieties of Crassulaceae (with Begonia semperflorens being the most prominent). After they are established, this phenomenon will greatly improve, and the problem of air humidity will not be so prominent.
(3) Air humidity requirements for asexual propagation: the two commonly used asexual propagation methods at home are cuttings and grafting. Cuttings: plant organs should be kept dry for the first few days after being separated from the mother plant. This time period depends on the variety. It can be as little as 4 or 5 days or as much as a month; after the wound is completely dry, it can be inserted into the medium. At this time relatively high air humidity can be maintained. On this point there are mainly two schools: one advocates creating a dry environment, which can root in a relatively short time but consumes more; the other advocates creating a humid environment, and this method consumes less of the cutting individual. As for grafting, views are relatively unified: in the first two weeks after grafting is completed, keep it dry and ventilated; excessively high humidity has an effect on the survival rate of grafting.
(4) For some tuberous-root varieties such as Dioscorea elephantipes, bitter gourd types, and Ceropegia woodii, etc. In their places of origin, their surfaces are often irregularly cracked and mostly uneven. But under artificial cultivation, especially when tamed from seedlings, their uneven surfaces become very inconspicuous. However, the reason is not only the issue of humidity; it is an all-around issue. This point is also an auxiliary basis used by some experienced hobbyists to judge wild versus artificially cultivated plants.
Succulent planting
6、Fertilizing
For winter-type and intermediate-type plants, apply a decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer about once every 20 days. Fertilizing can be done on a clear morning, and be careful not to splash the fertilizer liquid onto the plants. Summer-type plants do not need fertilizing.
7、Temperature
The most suitable temperature is 15-28, and 5-35 is the plant's tolerance limit.
8、Succulent propagation methods
(1) Division propagation
Many succulents are clustered, or have thick tubers, and they can be propagated by division. After taking the plant out of the pot, remove the potting soil as much as possible. The specific method of division depends on the plant's growth type. For example, multi-headed varieties in Asclepiadaceae, Crassulaceae, and Cactaceae can be divided when the pot is turned over, and young plants that are growing well and have already rooted independently can be separated and potted separately.
(2) Offset propagation
Many cacti and succulents will produce offsets or young globes at the base of the mature plant. They are usually easy to pick or cut off, and after drying for a few days they can be potted separately. Doing this is also good for the mother plant, because these offsets or young globes consume quite a lot of nutrients from the mother plant. Some plants will sprout tiller buds on the leaf edges or flower scapes, which can also be picked off and cultivated.
(3) Leaf cutting method
After leaf cuttings have rooted, wait until the leaf withers and the bud grows larger before moving them. Wait until the seedlings have grown to two or three cm before doing anything else. When doing leaf cuttings, use a large pot, do not mist, and water when the soil is dry, but do not pour it on them. Beheading is suitable in mid-April each year; leave three to four leaves below, then dry the cut-off part for five days before inserting it as a cutting. Many succulents can be propagated by cutting branches from the stem with a sharp knife and inserting them as cuttings. Any tool used to cut plant tissue must be disinfected with alcohol beforehand.
For the best cutting position, for example, if the stem has nodes, cut below the node, or below the leaf stalk or the base of a new bud on the stem. Be careful not to damage the beauty of the mother plant's shape when taking cutting branches; it is best to take branches more than one stem node away. Insert the cutting into a high-temperature-sterilized sandy medium, which can be pure sand, coarse sand, or vermiculite. Sometimes the cutting branch can be planted directly after being cut, or it can first be dried for one or two days to let the wound tissue heal and avoid fungal infection.
Many succulents need only one leaf to obtain a new plant through cutting. For example, Adromischus, Echeveria, Sansevieria, and many epiphytic cacti. Gasteria plants can sometimes also be propagated by leaf cuttings. Dry the removed leaf for a few days to let the wound close and form healing tissue, then place the leaf in a propagation pot, making only the base of the leaf contact the cultivation medium; it feels more effective than inserting the lower part of the leaf into the medium, and it is less likely to rot. After a period of time you can observe new roots emerging, and afterward new buds and new leaves will also appear.
(4) Cutting method
Cuttings are best taken at the beginning of the growing period, usually in spring, except of course for winter-type plants. After cuttings are taken, place them in a well-ventilated, brightly lit place at room temperature 20°C, but avoid sunlight. It is also a good method to place the cuttings in a closed environment that can maintain suitable humidity until they root. A simple method is to put a large polyethylene plastic bag over a large flowerpot, or cut off the upper half of a clean transparent plastic bottle and invert it over a flowerpot of comparable size. Water the cuttings sparingly rather than generously, and only increase the amount of watering after obvious growth can be observed.
Succulent planting
9、Pest and disease control
(1) Spider mites
It mainly harms succulents in the Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, and Liliaceae families. It sucks the sap from young stems and leaves with its mouthparts. The affected leaves develop yellow-brown spots or turn yellow and drop off, and these scars remain forever and never fade. Generally, you can check whether there are spider webs on the underside of the leaves, and whether there are very small red/white/dark-colored insects. If there are, it is usually red spider mites.
For control, you can increase environmental humidity to reduce and avoid spread, and use a 1000-1500 times dilution of 40% dicofol to kill them by absorption, or abamectin.
Methods for removing red spider mites:
Removing red spider mites by hand is low in cost, easy to source materials for, and extremely effective.
Materials: one toothpick, a small amount of double-sided tape.
Method: Cut the double-sided tape into small pieces 0.5-1 cm square and place them flat on the tabletop; take one toothpick and press one end onto the adhesive surface to fix it, then gently roll the toothpick in one direction so that the double-sided tape wraps around one end of the toothpick; this makes a simple miniature "lint roller." Place plants infested with red spider mites under bright light (because the pests are too small, you simply cannot see them clearly if the light is poor), then roll the "lint roller" over the body. It is extremely difficult for red spider mites to escape. Because the "lint roller" is very small, it can flexibly move between ribs and spines, leaving red spider mites nowhere to hide. When one "lint roller" is covered with pests, you can take a short rest and then make a new one. This method is suitable for use in the early stages of infestation, when the body has not yet been affected over a large area, and the effect is quite good.
(2) Mealybugs
They have a very broad range of damage and often harm succulents with tightly packed leaves such as Agave and Haworthia, sucking the sap of stems and leaves, causing poor plant growth and, in severe cases, withering and death. Their peak period comes earlier than that of red spider mites, and they often already multiply in large numbers in early spring. However, there is also an aspect of their damage that is easy to control, namely that they often concentrate on only a few plants. Sometimes one plant is covered with mealybugs, while a neighboring plant does not have a single one.
Control methods: when there are few, they can be removed with a brush. In addition, they can also be sprayed with an 800-**** times dilution of profenofos. Mixing a certain amount of carbofuran into the potting soil has a preventive effect, but the efficacy lasts only 3 months.
(3) Whiteflies
Their damage range is not large, and they occur mostly on shrub-like succulents in the Euphorbiaceae family such as Euphorbia tirucalli, Euphorbia milii, Euphorbia neriifolia, and Euphorbia mammillaris. They pierce and suck sap on the underside of leaves, causing leaves to turn yellow and drop, and at the same time inducing sooty mold, with large ugly black powder on stems and leaves, directly affecting the ornamental value of the plant.
Control methods: in addition to improving environmental ventilation, in the early stage of occurrence they can be sprayed with a 1000-2000 times dilution of 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate, and can also be sprayed with a 500 times dilution of malathion or a 1000 times dilution of dimethoate mixed with dichlorvos. Two days after spraying, use a strong stream of water to wash away the dead insects together with the black powder.
(4) Rot treatment
Rot is a common disease of succulents, usually caused by fungal infection due to overwatering or an overly humid growing environment. Some insects such as mealybugs can also cause rot, especially root mealybugs. The wounds caused when these pests suck plant sap can lead to fungal infection.
Rot has many manifestations, and by the time you notice it, it is often already too late. Always be alert to discolored areas on the plant, as well as stems and leaves that have become soft and mushy.
Once a succulent has an area that has lost color and become soft and mushy, it is rotting. If it is rotting, it must be cut off immediately. The cutting tool and hands must be disinfected before and after to avoid infecting other plants. If it is a fungal infection, the plant should be sprayed with a fungicide, and the wound must be completely dry before it goes into soil.
The methods for handling rot are briefly introduced as follows:
Crown rot: the inside of the plant rots, causing the plant to fall over;
Stem rot (mainly Euphorbiaceae): the stem rots, usually occurring at the base of the stem;
Spotted stem rot: caused by orange stink bugs;
Fungal rot: brown, watery stains appear on the plant;
Aizoaceae rot: occurs on branches and stems;
Black rot: often occurs after infection by cotton aphids or root mealybugs.
Treatment methods for rotted succulents
When handling rotted plants, be sure to keep tools clean and sterile, and be sure to wash your hands carefully before touching other plants.
Crown rot: use a sharp knife to cut away the infected part, then stuff crushed charcoal and sulfur into the wound; the wound should be completely dry.
Neck rot: cut off the rotted part, and treat the rest as a stem cutting. Remember that it can only go into soil after the wound is completely dry.
Fungal rot: use a clean knife to cut off the damaged part and cover it with sulfur. Spray the plant with a mixed solution of benomyl (translator's note: a fungicide) and mancozeb.
Black rot: use a clean knife to cut off the infected part, spray with benomyl, and cover with sulfur.
If you do not have the above chemicals, some commonly used disinfectant and bactericidal drugs will also do. The most important thing is to cut out the rotted part, then place the plant in a ventilated place and wait for the wound to dry and heal. As long as it is cut away, succulents generally survive thanks to their tenacious nature, though some varieties that are more difficult to cultivate are exceptions.
Succulent cultivation
III.Four-season care for succulents
Succulents themselves are basically made of water. Plants that can store water themselves can survive even if they are not watered much. On the contrary, if too much water is given and they cannot store the excess, it will cause rot and they will slowly wither. Therefore, every time you water, you should pay attention to observing the condition of the plant. If the plant becomes thin and shriveled, this is a sign that it needs water. If it already has enough water, then it will look plump. This is a simple way to distinguish.
Second, how much sunlight the placement location receives is also a very important point. Not only succulents, but all plants cannot survive in places with no light at all. Without light, plants will grow like bean sprouts, thin and weak, and the color of the leaves will gradually fade. If you want them to maintain a healthy and good appearance, you must give them the most appropriate sunlight. Artificial light cannot replace sunlight, and this point needs attention.
(1)Spring care for succulents(March-May)
Within a year, most species grow relatively quickly in spring. After the temperature rises, the root activity of the plants becomes faster, and the soil in the pot also dries out relatively quickly. Therefore, actively replenish water; once the surface is dry, you can water thoroughly.
Plants that have been shut indoors all winter can also be moved outdoors in this season to fully enjoy the caress of sunlight and wind. However, at this time, if sunlight becomes stronger and they are suddenly taken outdoors, they are still very prone to sunburn. You can first choose a cloudy day to take them out, or if taking them out on a sunny day, first cover them with newspaper, and after the plants have adapted to the light, remove it. On days with cold waves or frost, it is still better to put them indoors at night.
(2)Summer care for succulents(June-August)
Summer is a season that is relatively difficult for succulents to get through. During this period, humidity is higher and there is more moisture in the air, and succulents can survive just on the moisture in the air. Watering can be controlled. However, if the plant is too small, 3 months without water will also make it dry up, so you can judge by the condition of the leaves and choose cool nights to replenish water.
In summer, succulents that were moved to shade to avoid strong sunlight begin to be moved back to places with ample sunlight. If they are kept in a place without sufficient sunlight, the leaves cannot turn a beautiful red. With ample sunlight, you can feel the beautiful colors that autumn brings to succulents.
When succulents are placed in a room, attention should be paid to ventilation. Please try not to place them in a sealed room. If the room has air conditioning, it is not a big problem, but air conditioning also adds stress to the plants, so try not to place them directly in front of the air conditioning vent.
(3)Autumn care for succulents(September-November)
Let those succulents that suffered in summer slowly recover their health. As the weather gradually cools, succulents also begin to gradually show red. First, water the plants. After the shriveled leaves absorb water, they will slowly recover and sprout again.
(4)Winter care for succulents(December-February)
People have the impression that succulents are not cold-resistant and are not easy to overwinter. When the temperature is low, in order to prevent frost, the watering frequency should be reduced. After there is less water, the concentration inside the succulent plant becomes higher, making it less likely to freeze. As in summer, control watering. In particular, varieties that are not cold-resistant can be not watered at all.
The leaves of non-cold-resistant varieties will drop, growth will completely stop, and they will enter dormancy. For these varieties, water can be completely cut off until spring while waiting for new buds to revive. They must overwinter indoors, placed by a window with light, with as much sunlight as possible. At night, place the plants slightly farther from the window to prevent freezing.
(5)Autumn and winter cultivation and management of succulents
According to the ecological habits of succulents, they can generally be divided into winter-growing, summer-growing, and spring-autumn-growing types. The so-called winter-growing type means they go dormant in summer and grow in winter. The summer-growing type goes dormant in winter and grows in summer. The spring-autumn-growing type goes dormant in summer and winter, and grows in spring and autumn.
In September, most succulents enter the second stage of their growth period, so after the potting soil dries out, water should be given thoroughly. At this time, summer-growing types can have shading and ventilation reduced, but topdressing can be added. As for winter-growing types, ventilation and watering should still be maintained.
When the autumn rainy season arrives, for some moisture-fearing varieties and varieties whose place of origin is tropical regions, once growth stagnation appears, the plants should be protected from direct rain. In September, sowing, grafting, and cuttings are all very suitable. Varieties that bloom in winter can be repotted at this time. Unlike repotting in spring, at this time there is no need to carry out large-scale root pruning.
In October, with ample sunlight and large temperature differences between day and night, peony-type plants and some Aizoaceae plants enter their flowering period. The leaves of Crassulaceae plants begin to turn red.
Whether they are summer-growing or winter-growing varieties, water should be given as thoroughly as possible before noon. Winter-growing varieties should be given attention to ventilation; only in this way can the plants grow healthily. When the leaves of summer-growing caudiciform species placed outdoors turn yellow, they should be moved into a greenhouse.
In late October, because the temperature drops, some non-cold-resistant varieties should be protected from frost damage. At this time, Lithops and Conophytum can be sown. By November and December, the air becomes dry and the sunshine duration is relatively shortened, so succulent management should focus mainly on cold protection, warmth retention, and increasing light. Summer-growing types growing in greenhouses should be given attention regarding watering, and the best time to water is in the evening. For Lithops and Conophytum whose flowering period has ended, division of clusters can be carried out at this time.
December represents the arrival of winter. When the temperature drops below zero, varieties with poorer cold resistance should stop being watered, and good insulation work should be done. On sunny days, expose the plants to sunlight as much as possible, and rotate the pots from time to time so that the plants can receive sunlight evenly. If light is insufficient, artificial light sources can be used as a supplement.
January is the coldest month of the year.
However, the sunlight in late January is slightly stronger than in December. At this time, winter-growing varieties grow very vigorously, so do not be reluctant to water. Special attention should be paid to the fact that when thawing plants, it is best to place them in a shaded, dark place so that they thaw slowly; this is better than placing them in sunlight. After late January, if the greenhouse encounters high temperatures, seedling scorching often occurs. For Lithops and Conophytum, they may turn yellow or even stop growing, so on sunny days the greenhouse vents or doors should be opened to maintain air circulation.
By late February there is already a feeling of spring. In places where the temperature is warmer, seedlings can be repotted, which is very helpful for their growth. As for small and medium seedlings and mature plants, it is still better to do this in March-May.
Succulent cultivation
IV.Succulent care guide
This is a comprehensive discussion of care methods, from which you can get answers to most problems. This article will start from a practical perspective and explain how to satisfy and make use of the basic habits of succulents; it is not some simple guide in categories one, two, three, four.
This article aims to teach you how to fish rather than give you a fish. With just a little practice, you will soon be able to solve problems on your own and grow perfect plants.
For many people, the biggest obstacle to entering the world of succulents is the Latin nomenclature used to describe the natural world, so much so that they encounter great obstacles when collecting and trading plants. But do not shrink back!
Knowing the scientific names and pronunciation rules of your treasures is a required lesson for aspiring enthusiasts. Do not keep mentioning those common names anymore, such as "snake plant" and "pencil cactus"; you should call them "Sansevieria" and "Euphorbia." Common names do not correspond one-to-one with plant varieties, and using them only causes unnecessary confusion.
Through scientific names, you can grasp whether each plant is actually an independent species or a hybrid, and classify it into a larger category, namely the "genus," such as Pachypodium. Of course, "genera" with similar characteristics also form a higher-level "family," such as Apocynaceae, which includes Pachypodium and Adenium. The genus and species name make up the scientific name of the plant, so the so-called "Madagascar palm" should actually be called Pachypodium lamerei, while the "desert rose" has the scientific name Adenium obesum.
When you read these strange names, do not feel embarrassed or shy. No one can avoid making any mistakes at all, but as long as you practice a few more times, you will certainly become familiar with these words. At the beginning, you can watch the TV program Victory Garden more, as it uses very standard Latin scientific names.
(1)Light and coping strategies
Undoubtedly, the most important factor in growing perfect plants is light. Succulents need very abundant sunlight, which means southern exposure is essential, and it is best that nothing except glass or greenhouse covering stands between the plants and the sunlight. So-called southern exposure means receiving all-day sunlight for most of the year, and avoiding being blocked by trees or buildings.
Under ideal conditions, your plants should receive ample sunlight from the south, and the light should come from a 360-degree direction. Of course, this means a perfectly positioned greenhouse, or an outdoor growing environment in a climate without frost. Such requirements are unrealistic for most enthusiasts, but that does not mean that first-rate quality cannot be achieved without them. At this time, a little strategy is necessary. www.jingyanshu.com
Your strategy is to give the plants the sunlight they need only when they need it; timing is very important. Many succulents have a dormant period, and during dormancy they do not require the most ideal sunlight environment.
If you are growing them indoors, it is best to be able to move them outdoors during the growing season, and place them under a south-facing window during dormancy.
If you can only be limited to an indoor environment all year round, then you can only compromise. No matter how good your window position is, the plants can only receive sunlight from one direction, and not all succulents can accept such non-ideal light.
If you have a greenhouse or can grow them outdoors in a frost-free area, then sunlight is not a problem at all. In fact, in the southwestern United States, the light may instead be too intense, and young plants need appropriate shading.
Succulent cultivation
(2)Temperature
Many succulents sold on the market are not cold-resistant. Although some Agave and Sedum species can tolerate slight frost to some extent, they are not resistant to freezing.
The minimum temperature we give plants throughout the year is 55 degrees Fahrenheit (about 12 degrees Celsius), and for some sensitive varieties we maintain it above 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).
The maximum temperature depends on the weather. Most succulents can adapt well to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Prolonged high temperatures at most cause them to go dormant.
Of course, excessively high temperatures will still damage the plants, especially for fully sunlit growing environments such as greenhouses. At this time, good air circulation is very necessary. High heat and still air will quickly kill succulents.
(3)Watering
The timing and amount of watering have always been a controversial topic. Although this is a very basic element for growing succulents that everyone must go through, it is still very complex. The key is that watering needs to match your growing environment and habits, and other people's experience cannot be copied rigidly. You must observe carefully; watering is the kind of thing in which only you can help yourself.
Basically, the timing of watering is more important than the amount, and the timing depends on your environment. If your growing conditions are very ideal and the medium is used scientifically, most pots will dry out within a few days. Therefore, the first principle is: never let the pot dry to the point of smoking. Really. Water, and when the plant has used up the water you gave it, water again.
How do you know the plant has used up its water? Weigh it. If the pot is very light, water thoroughly until water flows out of the drainage holes. With just a little experience, you can tell by eye whether the plant needs watering.
Do not think that watering is an exact science, so that every drop of water must be precisely measured. It is not that strict. Make sure your plants have water to drink, and then forget about it. It is true that some succulents are very sensitive to the amount of water, but as long as you observe more and accumulate more experience, you will soon be able to handle them well.
When watering, be sure to use a better sprinkler head, or pour the water gently. This can prevent the water flow from washing away the medium and damaging the roots. And never insert anything into the pot in order to gauge the moisture of the potting soil, including fingers or strange miscellaneous things (translator's note: such as toothpicks). This is a bad habit. The root system of succulents is very delicate, and inserting things will only injure the roots, and injured roots are very prone to rot.
(4)Dormancy
The dormant period is a dangerous time for succulents, and it seems somewhat mysterious to growers. Many plants die during or shortly after dormancy, mostly because they were too dry during dormancy or did not receive careful supervision.
Dormancy is part of their life cycle. When light and temperature are no longer suitable for them to be active, they need to rest in order to maintain a healthy state. And your task is to accompany them through this period.
The first sign that a plant is entering dormancy is that it stops growing. Then the leaves will quickly turn yellow and drop, and the rosette will close up. Some types of succulents (such as Aizoaceae) will retract their entire body into the soil and grow a papery outer skin to protect themselves.
In October, this Pachypodium densiflorum (summer-growing type) showed signs of dormancy, with leaves beginning to drop from the bottom.
This Haworthia cooperi (winter-growing type) will enter dormancy in June, and the rosette will close.
Although it cannot be seen from the outside, the plant is not actually idle during dormancy. Transpiration continues, and the water supply cannot stop. Their roots need a certain amount of moisture, so they cannot be kept completely dry, otherwise the root system will dry out and die. For slow-growing varieties, signs of decline may not appear until early spring. What you do to them in winter will be avenged in April and May, although this revenge may arrive several months late.
Note that you cannot control whether a plant goes dormant by the amount of water you give. Of course, there is one exception, namely the saying that "succulents should have watering completely cut off during dormancy." If you really do that, then of course they will go dormant, and they will never wake up.
In order to better grasp the dormancy situation of your plants, it is very important to know when they go dormant. According to their nature, succulents can be divided into summer-growing types (grow in summer, dormant in winter) and winter-growing types (grow in winter, dormant in summer). The table below lists the dormancy times of common genera, but individual varieties may be exceptions.
Succulent cultivation
(5)Dormancy timetable
Dormant in winter, grow in summer - summer-growing types
This type of succulent is often called the summer-growing type. They grow in the Northern Hemisphere and are dormant from November to February of the following year. But during the hottest part of summer, they also enter a false dormancy. False dormancy usually lasts several weeks, and then they burst into growth again in September and October.
Adenium
Agave
Alluaudia
Ceropegia
Monadenium
Pseudolithos
Raphionacme
Tillandsia
Trichodiadema
Dormant in summer, grow in winter - winter-growing types
Usually called "winter-growing types," these genera go dormant when it is warm, from May to August. Their growing season is actually in spring and autumn, and growth slows significantly in winter. Many varieties also show weak growth in summer, especially Liliaceae and Crassulaceae plants.
Adromischus
Aeonium
Dioscorea
Dudleya
Gasteria
Gibbaeum
Graptopetalum
Graptoveria
Haworthia
Kalanchoe
Sedeveria
Sedum
Senecio
(6)When to Transplant
Repotting, pruning, beheading or any other action that physically alters the plant must take the issue of dormancy seriously into account. Succulents are very different from many other plants and do not want to be disturbed at all while dormant. Some slow-growing varieties are especially sensitive, and an ill-timed transplant can very likely be fatal.
If you want to repot, you must wait until you see signs of growth before you start. Pruning should be done just as the growing season is about to begin. For summer-growing types, March is a good time, while for winter-growing types it is August. But some tough varieties can be repotted or pruned at any time of year.
(7)Key Points of Potting
Potting succulents is very different from potting other plants. Whether the size of the container is appropriate has a big effect on the plant's appearance. A common mistake is wanting to use a large pot to give the roots plenty of room to grow, thinking that this way they will grow fast and well. In reality it is just the opposite: many succulents actually slow down their growth rate under such conditions. Some slow-growing rare varieties may even stop growing altogether, because they simply do not like sitting in so much damp soil. Many experienced growers have already been rethinking this issue and have given up using oversized containers.
When repotting, it is enough to increase the pot size by just 0.5 inch (1.27 cm). For those large pots of 5 inches (12.7 cm) or more, an upgrade of 1 inch (2.54 cm) is also sufficient. If you use an oversized container, the growth of the roots and the rest of the plant will be out of proportion, causing energy to be spent on branches and leaves. Some plants have an overly large canopy, weak thin stems and soft drooping leaves; you can tell at a glance that the pot used is too large.
Growing Succulents
(8)The Size of the Container Matters Greatly to the Plant
The Cissus tuberosa on the left has been sitting in a 3-inch (7.62 cm) pot for four years, and it has grown a sturdy stem. The one on the right came from the same mother plant as the one on the left, was cut at the same time, but was planted from the start in a 4-inch (10.16 cm) pot.
When repotting, try to avoid damaging the roots. Usually the roots cling tightly to the soil, forming a ball. Just leave it like that; do not, as you would with tropical plants, pick off all the soil or tease the roots apart, as this will only cause the plant to decline and can very easily lead to fatal root rot. Also do not put old potting soil or gravel etc. at the bottom of the pot; in fact this will cause the root tips to deteriorate. Simply covering the drainage hole with mesh (window screen, insect netting) is enough.
(9)Growing Medium Nutrition and Containers
Growing medium: the term used in horticulture for the planting substrate; its selection has always been controversial. Those bizarre formulas and contradictory recommendations always leave beginners completely confused. To grow beautiful plants, a good medium is very important; do not think that what you put in the pot is just so-called "soil."
Should you buy a medium already mixed by a vendor, or mix your own? Of course, one already mixed by a vendor. Please note that we are talking about professional products here, not some "succulent soil" sold in discount stores. The process of manufacturing growing media is very complex and is best left to professional manufacturers. If you want to mix your own medium, please remember that there are many problems we usually do not think of.
Heavy media will suffocate the roots, and these are usually aggregates, which must be avoided. Common aggregates include sand, crushed stone, montmorillonite and pumice. Horticultural pumice is commonly used as a growing medium in the southwestern United States because it is readily available. The climate in these regions is hot, and plants grown in pumice dry out quickly enough. But for more temperate regions, such as the northern and eastern United States, pumice is too heavy and holds too much water. The structure of pumice is hollow and readily stores water; by comparison perlite is much better, as its structure is closed.
Nutrition: providing some nutrition during the growing season is necessary, then gradually reduce the nutrient supply, and by the time of dormancy do not fertilize at all. It is best to mix in some soluble liquid fertilizer each time you water.
For fertilizer, choose a reliable commercial brand, such as Peters; do not use fakes and cheap products. Good fertilizers are usually sold in garden stores and come in many different formulas.
Not all succulents need fertilizing. Many varieties look floppy and unhealthy after fertilizing, worse than they look growing in poor medium. These varieties include most of the Crassulaceae (Echeveria, Crassula, Sedum, Graptopetalum, etc.), almost all of the Aizoaceae (Lithops, etc.) and Senecio.
Containers: as said earlier, the right container size is very important. But should you use plastic pots or terracotta pots? Many people think this is purely an aesthetic issue, but it is far from it.
Plants simply grow better in plastic pots, because plastic pots hold water better. If you use terracotta pots, you will need to water three to four times more often than with plastic pots, because terracotta pots dry out far too quickly, especially for small pots.
Many growers use plastic pots when they need pots of 6 inches (15.24 cm) and under, and terracotta pots above 6 inches (15.24 cm); this method works very well. In addition, the roots develop better in round pots than in square pots. Most importantly, all containers must have drainage holes.
Growing Succulents
(10)Pests
Fortunately, succulents do not attract pests too badly. Fungal and viral infections also rarely occur, so you just need to firmly monitor the pest situation. Plants and bugs are natural best buddies; as long as you have plants, there will inevitably be bugs. If you find some kind of bug on a plant, do not panic; just keep the pest problem under control. Completely eradicating bugs is almost impossible.
By far the most common and most persistent pest on succulents is the ubiquitous mealybug. There are many species of mealybug; the ones that like succulents are usually the citrus mealybug and the greenhouse mealybug. Their adults are about one-eighth of an inch (three millimeters) in size, with a white powdery coating. Their larvae form white fluff on the undersides of leaves and also squeeze into the tender new leaves. They secrete a sticky honeydew that attracts many other insects to carry their larvae to other plants, such as ants. Pay attention to the presence of ants, and in this way you will naturally be able to monitor other pests too.
An adjustable nozzle is a great tool for giving plants a bath; whether dealing with insects, weeds or withered leaves, it works perfectly. Combined with a hose fitted with a trigger switch, you will be invincible against pests.
(11)Basic Equipment List
Watering: a watering device with a gentle stream is recommended, but a hose or watering can will also do. We like to use a hose with an adjustable flow and a nozzle made specially for potted plants; this kind of nozzle has a short wand and can produce a very gentle stream, and it is sold in many garden supply stores.
Tweezers: a small pair of tweezers is invaluable; gardening-specific tweezers are of course even better.
Magnifying glass: a 4-10x magnifying glass is enough; whether a simple magnifying glass or an optical microscope, it is essential for pest control and studying plants.
Labels: it is important to label each plant with its family and genus, variety, purchase date and source. If you unfortunately lose a true love, with this information you can at least get another pot of it. Writing on plastic labels with pencil lasts a long time; sunlight will make labels of other materials blur.
Transplanting tools: good trays and scoops are very useful. The large trays used in restaurants are very handy, and you can get them from just about any restaurant. We like to use the size that holds exactly 1 cubic foot of medium.
Containers: always have a reliable source for buying pots. Whether you prefer plastic pots or terracotta pots, keep a little of every size at intervals of every half inch (1.27 cm) in diameter.
Growing Succulents