How to grow palms, and how many years until they bloom?

 Palms are very well suited to outdoor cultivation, and the palm tree form is anything but small. Palms can grow very tall outdoors. So what is the method for growing palms outdoors? How many years until they bloom once?

Palm growing method:

1. Soil selection:

When growing palm trees in pots, it is best to choose a sandy loam with good drainage. Although palm trees are not demanding about soil, they can grow well in slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil.

2. Watering:

It likes a moist environment, but do not overwater, and do not let water accumulate, otherwise root rot easily occurs.

Generally, water about once a week. In summer, when temperatures are higher, you can appropriately increase the watering frequency, and watering once a day is also fine.

In winter, the plant grows slowly, so you can appropriately extend the watering interval, watering about once every 10 days.

3. Temperature and light

Palm trees are also not strict about light, are cold-tolerant, and can grow well at temperatures around -10°C.

They are not strict about light, like ample sunlight, and also tolerate semi-shade, but grow better when light is ample.

Aren't there too many fruits? I saw palm fruits when I was little, but later the old tree was cut down by someone!

4. Pest and disease control:

Palm trees may suffer from diseases and pests due to improper management, climate reasons, and so on.

Common pests and diseases include Paecilomyces, longhorn beetles, scale insects, and so on. They should be discovered in time, and bark-peeling treatment should be carried out.

5. Winter pruning:

In winter, when the plant enters dormancy or semi-dormancy, cut off weak, diseased or pest-infested, dead, and overly dense branches. If repotted properly, it will grow very fast. When it grows to a certain size, you should consider giving it a larger pot so that it can continue to grow vigorously.

For the potting soil and component ratios used for repotting, you can choose one of the following: garden soil: cinder = 3:1; or garden soil: medium-coarse river sand: sawdust (mushroom residue) = 4:1:2; or one of paddy soil, pond mud, and leaf mold.

Palm propagation methods:

1. Germination promotion
Soak the seeds in warm hot water (temperature similar to face-washing water) for 12 to 24 hours, until the seeds absorb water and swell. For very common seeds that germinate easily, this step can be skipped.

2. Sowing

Place the seeds in the substrate for spot sowing. After sowing, cover with substrate to a thickness 2 to 3 times that of the seeds.

After sowing, use a sprayer or a fine-hole watering can to moisten the sowing substrate. Later, when the potting soil is slightly dry, water again. Still be careful not to water too forcefully, so as not to wash the seeds out.

When sowing in spring and winter and encountering low temperatures, wrap the flower pot with plastic film. After the seedlings emerge, uncover the film in time, and let the seedlings receive sunlight before 9:30 in the morning or after 3:30 in the afternoon. Pull out diseased and unhealthy seedlings so that the remaining seedlings have some space between them;

When most of the seedlings have grown 3 or more leaves, they can be transplanted.

How many years until palms bloom?

They bloom after 20 years, and many die right after blooming, in order to reproduce.

How to grow succulents: a complete beginner's growing guide

How to grow succulents - soil

Basic soil requirements for succulents

  Loose and breathable, with good drainage and water retention, containing a certain amount of humus, with moderate particle size, no overly fine dust, and slightly acidic or neutral (a few types can be slightly alkaline).

[Soil mixing]

  Cinder is a commonly used ingredient, but almost all furnace slag contains sulfur. Succulents are not allergic to sulfur, and sulfur has sterilizing and insect-killing effects. From years of planting comparisons, plants grown with cinder are more resistant than those without it, and are less prone to root rot and root mealybugs. The cinder used is best as fully burned granular raw coal cinder (whether it contains incompletely burned coal does not matter), with honeycomb coal cinder second. Honeycomb coal cinder contains a lot of soil, so if you want to use it, it should be crushed and sieved. Rinse cinder with water before use to remove dust and alkalinity. Using eggshells, with eggshells at a ratio of 1/4, works very well. Eggshells are a very good breathable and water-permeable planting material, very useful for increasing soil breathability, and of course they can also increase calcium content. Eggshells should be crushed to 2-3mm. In the planting material, garden soil generally accounts for about 1/4, and sand about 1/3. But both garden soil and sand contain fine dust, and brick granules, vermiculite, perlite, orchid stone, and furnace slag must all be sieved to remove fine dust and washed repeatedly before use. The planting material components do not have to be exactly the things listed by experts, nor do they have to be a single component; rather, the more and more varied the components, the better. If you have brick granules, vermiculite, perlite, orchid stone, and furnace slag on hand, then use each of them, with the total amount controlled at about 1/3. For another example, if you also have some calcium-containing things such as eggshells, clam shells, bone meal, old lime, and carbonized rice husk, then use a little of each, with 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 component. No matter which ingredient is used, before use it should at the very least be exposed to sunlight for several days.

[Soil mixing substrate]

  For succulents, most of the potting soil sold on the market has certain limitations, so experienced enthusiasts mostly mix their own. What kind of potting soil counts as high quality? 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 planting materials and inorganic planting materials, and avoid overly fine and small dust. Below are some commonly used substrates for succulents:

  1. Organic planting materials

  ① Leaf mold: you can choose the Clivia soil sold on the market, or collect bald cypress or zelkova leaves and compost them for fermentation, and disinfect before use.

  ② Peat: a marsh plant buried underground for thousands of years; currently the best is produced in Jilin and Heilongjiang. High-quality peat is brown, with high organic matter content, good fiber degree, loose texture, not sticky to the touch, strong adsorption, and a slightly acidic pH.

  ③ Sawdust: strong in 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 for fermentation.

  ④ Rice husk ash: rich in potassium fertilizer, with a slightly alkaline pH. Choose deep black ones, not whitish, and with uniform structure, not too fine.

  ⑤ Tree fern fiber: the treated stem of a fern plant (Cyathea). Hard in texture and brown in color, not easy to rot. It drains well and has a certain fertility, and is a popular cultivation substrate in recent years.

  ⑥ Mountain soil: Huangshan soil: low organic matter content, ordinary drainage; red mountain soil: high organic matter content, the soil becomes sticky and heavy 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 "Fairy soil": a commonly used orchid cultivation substrate. But practice has proved 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 breathability, and free of pathogens. It gives a high survival rate as a cutting substrate, but has no fertility itself, so it is best mixed with other substrates. After long-term cultivation, its structure is easily damaged. 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 Coconut coir: palm fiber, loose in texture, especially strong in water retention. Often used for cuttings. What is mostly 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 0.2cm is enough.

  ⑤ Orchid stone: an orchid cultivation substrate, with more advantages than pond foundation stone, rich in various minerals, with remarkable effects when used to grow succulents, and can replace the former, but the price is slightly higher.

  ⑥: Choose one that does not contain salt, and the granules should not be too fine. Before use, rinse and screen it, and mix it with other substrates. Good water permeability, high oxygen content, and large day-night temperature difference make it suitable for the requirements of succulents. Other inorganic planting materials include volcanic stone, coal briquette, and so on. In addition, when mixing potting 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 small dust.

[Soil formulation]

  No matter which planting material is chosen and how it is mixed, it must meet the basic requirements of the plant, and all aspects must be considered and handled 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 characteristics of being relatively dry and having ample light, and appropriately add substrates with strong water retention such as vermiculite and coconut coir.

  ② Mix according to different types: different types may be "very different" in soil formulation. For example, epiphytic types need a certain amount of humus, while some terrestrial types whose native soil is poor and whose root systems are not developed have lower requirements for humus than the former. Not only do different families require different soils, but even different genera in the same family have different soil requirements. Take the Liliaceae plants Chinese aloe and Gasteria as examples: 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, and 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 developed, the organic matter content should be slightly lower, and the soil should mainly be lightweight materials mixed with some fine sand; later, gradually increase the organic matter content.

  In fact, soil formulation cannot be clearly explained by just a few general principles. The following formulas can be used for reference:

  1) 8 parts orchid stone + 2 parts fairy soil + 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 fairy soil + 1 part lightweight material + 1 part peat (suitable for growing Haworthia hard-leaved 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 Crassulaceae soil mixing, I think the proportion of peat soil or grass peat soil can be slightly larger, with notes of humus soil, river sand, perlite, vermiculite, and so on. In order to facilitate rooting and robust growth, add an appropriate amount of rice husk charcoal, bone meal, fungicide, and so on to the soil; watering should be decided according to the weather and the plant's growth conditions, watering when dry and stopping when wet. Focus on managing those with good growth. Most of those with poor growth are actually in a dormant period, so of course it is best to manage them less.

  Soil mixing: sieved honeycomb coal cinder + garden soil + fairy soil + sand + bone meal + shell powder + eggshell + ceramsite + orchid stone + activated carbon, sift out fine dust before planting. Grow under full light, 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 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.

  For strongly spined globular cacti like golden barrel cactus, ordinary flower mud + coal ball ash + bone meal is enough. As for watering, once a month is fine.

  Globular types: ordinary flower mud + coal ball ash (screened into granular form) + vermiculite + an appropriate amount of bone meal

  Succulents with thick fleshy roots (such as Haworthia cooperi): orchid stone + fairy soil + 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 killing insects, larvae, and eggs, but some beneficial soil microorganisms will survive, especially those that reproduce by spores.

[Pot selection]

  Clay pots absorb water very well, 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. The breathability of purple clay pots is between that of tile pots and porcelain pots, and generally purple clay pots are mostly used for growing cacti and succulents. With purple clay pots, special attention should be paid to the thickness of the pot wall; the thinner the wall, the stronger the breathability, while those with old thick walls have breathability similar to porcelain pots.

  Generally speaking, the root systems of cacti and succulents are not very developed, and many have only 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 water for a long time, making the potting soil sticky and stagnant. If there is too much soil, the water cannot evaporate and transpire for a while, which easily leads to rot. Therefore, when choosing a pot, follow the principle of "rather small than large, rather shallow than deep," and it is best to use a half-height ratio or flat pot. Only those cactus and succulent varieties with tubers or taproots need deeper potting soil, and they will grow well in standard pots or deep pots. For medium and large globular types, the pot diameter should be basically equal to the ball diameter, or the pot diameter should be slightly larger than the ball diameter by one or two centimeters; small balls are best planted mixed with multiple plants. The cultivation soil depth should be at most twice the ball diameter, that is, if the ball diameter is 5cm, a soil depth of 10cm is enough. For large balls, it can be even shallower. The larger the ball, the less water and nutrients it consumes, and 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 the drainage material in several layers by particle size, with the largest placed at the very bottom. After the drainage material is placed, first put in coarse-grained ingredients and then fine-grained ingredients. After placing the plant, add soil while slightly lifting the plant upward to spread the roots. Do not fill the soil too full at once. Evenly tamp the soil along the edge of the pot, and finally gently tap the pot a few times to level the potting soil.

[Repotting]

  Because succulents mostly grow under artificial cultivation conditions, their root systems are confined in flower pots 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 pot is limited. After the roots continuously absorb nutrients and the soil is watered again and again, the nutrients are almost entirely lost, and the potting 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, acidifying the soil, 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 to 2 years or 3 years (some small seedlings of certain varieties can even be transplanted several times a year, the so-called "move a bit, grow a bit"). For most varieties, repotting is generally carried out in mid-to-late March, and division propagation is carried out together with repotting.

How to grow succulents - watering

  Succulents must be supplemented with water in a timely manner to meet the needs of growth and development, and definitely not by the "rather dry than wet" approach that some people believe. Of course, for ground-planted plants, the number of waterings can be fewer. For most succulents and own-rooted cactus types, watering is difficult to master, mainly in terms of timing.

  To master the watering technique for succulents, you must first understand the dormancy habits of each type. Watering too much during the dormant period easily causes the plant to rot. For example, if you water Lithops and similar summer-dormant plants 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 arrives.

  Second, carefully observe the growth of each plant. Some people think a plant is short of water as soon as they see some plants with reddened leaf color and dried leaf tips and old leaves. In fact, this phenomenon may occur because the light is too strong, the potting soil has been short of water for a long time, the root system has been damaged, the root crown has rotted, or the root crown has been bitten by insects and then healed into a scar, causing poor water transport. Therefore, being familiar with the plant's growth conditions is very helpful for mastering watering techniques. Generally, plants that grow particularly vigorously 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, the size and material of the pot, and whether the roots have extended down to the sand bed, in order to help judge whether the pot is short of water. When growing other potted flowers, whether to water can generally be decided by whether the surface potting soil has turned white, but for succulents, judging by this will cause errors, because the potting soil for succulents is generally mixed with sand, vermiculite, pumice, shell powder, and other substances, which easily make the surface of the potting soil turn white. Especially when the proportion of these substances is large, the surface of the potting soil has often already turned white the next day after watering, while at this time the lower potting soil is not short of water at all. Some experts point out that when the surface 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 conventional practice, you water as soon as the potting soil turns white, it will cause overwatering and affect plant growth.

  As for the time of watering, in summer it is best in the early morning, in winter it should be done in the morning of a sunny day, and in spring and autumn both morning and evening are fine. Under normal circumstances, do not pour water from the top, otherwise over time the body will have ugly spots, the hairs of hairy columnar types are easily polluted and matted, and water accumulating at the growth point of plants like Haworthia will cause rot. Watering plants with pond water easily breeds algae, as if moss has grown, which 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 thoroughly when dry, neither waterlogged nor overly dry. Summer-type plants can be watered appropriately, but not excessively. If there is cloudy and rainy weather or the temperature suddenly drops, stop watering.

How to control the amount of watering for succulents

1. Bamboo skewer judgment method:Insert a bamboo skewer (or toothpick) to two-thirds of the depth of the potting soil. When you are about to water, pull out the bamboo skewer and check the dryness and moisture of the soil part. This method is very helpful for watering plants that are dormant or semi-dormant, or 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, and water thoroughly when dry." So-called dry thoroughly means the surface soil turns white, but if you push aside the surface soil, you can still see moisture. For cacti and succulents 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.

  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 makes 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 bottom-soaking method is best. Generally, immerse the pot to one-half of 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, elongation zone, and root hair zone. Only the root hairs are the main part that absorbs water and have the strongest resistance to moisture, while the old roots above the root hair zone have already lost the function of absorbing water and mainly serve to transport water and nutrients and to anchor the plant, with poor resistance to moisture. Root rot often starts from here.

How to grow succulents - air humidity

  Some cactus and succulent fans often notice this problem: the cactus and succulent treasures they just bought from the flower market no longer look as spirited as when they first "moved in" after only a few days. 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; if your cultivation site is your own open-air balcony or windowsill, this point is especially important. So why does the above problem occur? Why is air humidity so important? Here we can analyze it together: the 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 areas often cannot reach such conditions, the above problem occurs. Then some cactus and succulent friends may ask: the native environments of these succulents are mostly 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 native places, the temperature is relatively high for several hours before the sun sets (especially at noon). But at night the temperature drops sharply again. In this way, when hot and cold meet, the air condenses into mist. This is especially noticeable at dawn. This is also one of their ways of absorbing 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 more demanding epiphytic varieties and some Bromeliaceae plants.

  It is precisely because of the limitations of cultivation sites that many plants show fading, scorched and shriveled leaf tips, and premature aging. 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 use a disposable plastic cup inverted over the pot (mostly in spring and winter). Or choose to cultivate in a glass tank, spreading 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 "overflow with water." In short, the adjustment of air humidity must be considered from many aspects, including type, season, growth stage, and so on, and absolutely cannot 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 plants is reduced and they are prone to red spiders.

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 is obvious. Types native to tropical rainforests have even stricter requirements. Some horticultural varieties rich in color changes will have more brilliant colors if considerable air humidity can be maintained. 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, and 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 "hot and humid" weather. Highly succulent varieties of Aizoaceae are quite prone to rot. How to get Lithops and Dinteranthus, these old varieties, through summer is often the biggest headache for enthusiasts. Similarly, winter-dormant varieties also need to maintain a certain dryness. This point should be given considerable attention after the temperature is 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 the plant overnight. However, most cities in the north are drier in winter. This kind of "wet and 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 soil moisture. This is because there will be a process of "hardening seedlings" at the seedling stage. Controlling the water in the soil in this way is aimed at promoting new roots, and at this time maintaining relatively high air humidity 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 most difficult to control. 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 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: 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. At least 4 or 5 days, at most a month. After the wound is completely dry, 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 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. In grafting, views are relatively unified: in the first two weeks after grafting is completed, keep it dry and ventilated, as excessively high humidity will affect the survival rate of grafting.

4. For certain tuberous-root varieties such as:Dioscorea elephantipes, bitter gourd types, and Ceropegia woodii, etc. In their native places, their surfaces are often irregularly cracked and mostly uneven. But under artificial cultivation conditions, especially when domesticated from seedlings, their uneven surfaces become very indistinct. However, the reason is not only humidity; it is a comprehensive issue. This point is also an auxiliary basis used by some experienced enthusiasts to judge wild versus artificially cultivated plants.

How to grow succulents - fertilizing

  Winter-type and intermediate-type plants should be given a diluted decomposed liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer about once every 20 days. The fertilizing time can be on a sunny morning, and be careful not to splash the fertilizer solution onto the plants. Summer-type plants do not need fertilizing.

How to grow succulents - temperature

  Temperatures of 15~28 are most suitable, and temperatures of 5~35 are the plant's tolerance limit.

How to grow succulents - propagation

  After leaf cuttings root, wait until the leaf withers, and after the bud grows larger, then transplant. Wait until the seedling grows to two or three cm. When doing leaf cuttings, use a large pot, do not spray, and water when the soil is dry. Do not water them directly on the body.

  Beheading is suitable in mid-April each year. Leave three to four leaves below, then let the cut-off part dry for five days before cutting.

  Many succulents can be propagated by cutting branches from the stem with a sharp knife. Any tool used to cut plant bodies must be disinfected with alcohol beforehand.

  The best cutting position is, for example, below a node on the stem, 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 branches at least 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 can be planted directly after being cut, or it can be left to dry for one or two days first 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 in a propagation pot so that only the base of the leaf touches the cultivation substrate. It feels that 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, and subsequently new buds and new leaves will appear.

  Cuttings are best done at the beginning of the growing period, usually in spring, except of course for winter-type plants. After cutting, 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 flower pot, or cut off the upper half of a clean transparent plastic bottle and invert it over a pot of comparable size. Water the cuttings sparingly rather than generously, until obvious growth can be observed, then increase the amount of watering.

Division propagation:Many succulents are clustered, or have thick large tubers, and 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. Well-grown offsets that have already rooted independently can be separated and potted separately.

Offset propagation:Many cacti and succulents will grow offsets or small offsets at the base of the adult plant. They are usually easy to pick or cut off, and after drying for a few days they can be potted separately. Doing so is also good for the mother plant, because these offsets or small offsets consume a lot of nutrients from the mother plant. Some plants will sprout tiller buds on leaf edges or scapes, which can also be picked off and cultivated.

How to grow succulents - pest and disease control

1. Red spider mite

  It mainly harms succulents of 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 never fade. Generally speaking, you can check whether there are spider webs on the back of the leaves, and whether there are very small red/white/dark-colored insects. If there are, it is usually red spider mite.

  Control methods can include increasing environmental humidity to reduce and avoid spread. You can use 40% dicofol 1000-1500 times solution to kill them by absorption, or abamectin.

  Spider Mite Removal Methods

  Removing spider mites by hand is low-cost, uses readily available materials, and works extremely well.

  Materials: one toothpick, a small amount of double-sided tape.

  Method: Cut the double-sided tape into small squares of 0.5-1CM, and place them flat on the tabletop; take a toothpick and press one end onto the adhesive surface to secure it, then gently roll the toothpick in one direction so the double-sided tape wraps around one end of the toothpick; this makes a simple miniature "lint roller". Place the plant affected by spider mites under bright light (because the pests are too small, you simply cannot see them clearly in poor light), then roll the "lint roller" over the body. The spider mites will find it very hard to escape. Because the "lint roller" is very small, it can flexibly move between ridges and spines, leaving spider mites nowhere to hide. When a "lint roller" is covered with pests, you can take a short break, then make a new one. This method is suitable for use in the early stages of infestation, when the body has not yet been extensively damaged, and the effect is quite good.

2. Scale insects

  They have a very wide range of damage, often harming succulents with tightly arranged leaves such as Agave and Haworthia, sucking the sap from stems and leaves, causing poor growth of the plant and, in severe cases, withering and death. Their peak period comes earlier than that of spider mites, and they often already multiply in large numbers in early spring. However, their damage is also easy to control in one respect: they tend to concentrate on only a few plants. Sometimes one plant is covered with scale insects while a neighboring plant has not a single one.

  Control methods: When there are few, they can be removed with a brush. In addition, they can also be sprayed with 800-**** times diluted solution of Supracide. Mixing a certain amount of carbofuran into the potting soil has a preventive effect, but the efficacy only lasts 3 months.

3. Whiteflies

  Their range of damage is not large, occurring more often on shrub-like succulents of the Euphorbiaceae family such as Euphorbia tirucalli, Euphorbia milii, Euphorbia neriifolia, and Euphorbia oncoclada. They pierce and suck sap on the underside of leaves, causing leaves to yellow and drop, and at the same time inducing sooty mold, with large patches of unsightly black powder on stems and leaves, directly affecting the plant's ornamental value.

  Control methods: In addition to improving environmental ventilation, in the early stages of occurrence they can be sprayed with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate diluted 1000-2000 times, or with malathion diluted 500 times or dimethoate mixed with dichlorvos diluted 1000 times. Two days after spraying, use a strong stream of water to wash away the dead insects together with the black powder.

Rot Treatment

  Rot is a common disease of succulents, usually a fungal infection caused by overwatering or an excessively humid growing environment. Some insects, such as mealybugs, can also cause rot, especially root mealybugs. The wounds created when these pests suck plant sap can cause fungal infections.

  Rot manifests in many forms, 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 faded in color and become soft and mushy, it is rotten. If it is rotten, it must be cut off immediately. The knife and hands must be disinfected before and after to avoid infecting other plants. If it is a fungal infection, spray the plant with a fungicide, and the wound must be completely dry before being put into soil.

  There are many types of rot, briefly introduced as follows:

  Crown rot: the plant rots from the inside, causing the plant to collapse;

  Stem rot (mainly in Euphorbiaceae): the stem rots, usually occurring at the base of the stem;

  Spotted stem rot: caused by orange stink bugs (Orange stink bugs);

  Fungal rot: brown, watery stains appear on the plant;

  Mesemb rot: occurs on branches and stems

  Black rot: often occurs after cotton aphid or root mealybug infection.

  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 remainder as a stem cutting. Remember that it can only be put into soil after the wound is completely dry.

  Fungal rot: Use a clean knife to cut away the damaged part, and cover 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 do not have the above chemicals, some commonly used disinfectant and sterilizing drugs will also do. The most important thing is to cut off 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 off, the tenacious nature of succulents generally allows them to survive. Some varieties that are more difficult to cultivate are exceptions.

Four-Season Care of Succulents

  Succulents themselves are basically made of water. Plants that can store water themselves can survive even with little watering. On the contrary, if given too much water, they cannot store the excess moisture and will rot and slowly wither. Therefore, every time you water, pay attention to observing the state 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 tell.

  Second, how much sunlight the placement location receives is also a very important point. Not only succulents, but all plants cannot survive in a place with completely no light. Without light, plants will grow like bean sprouts, weak and feeble, and the color of the leaves will slowly fade. If you want them to maintain a healthy and good posture, you must certainly give them the most appropriate sunlight. Artificial light cannot replace sunlight; this point needs attention.

How to Grow Succulents - Grafting Propagation

1. Grafting should be carried out during the growing season. The most suitable season is the peak growing period of early summer. Choose a sunny day with moderate temperature and high humidity for grafting. When the air is dry, it is best to operate in the early morning.

2. When selecting the rootstock and scion, choose robust and disease-free ones. Do not use overly old, lignified parts, but ones that are too tender are also unsuitable.

3. The height of the rootstock graft union is decided by many factors. Varieties without chlorophyll should be grafted higher to ensure a sufficient supply of light and assimilates.

4. Grafting of cacti is relatively simple; use a relatively thin blade to operate.

5. About 2 weeks of careful management is needed. After grafting, place in a shaded place, not in direct sunlight, and do not let the graft union get wet before it has completely healed. After it survives, the side buds and side branches growing from the rootstock should be removed as early as possible so as not to affect the growth of the scion.

How to Grow Succulents - Cutting Propagation

Cutting propagation has the advantages of fast growth, early flowering, and maintaining the original varietal characteristics. Because succulents do not wither easily, not only is cutting easy to root, but many species can also be propagated by leaf cuttings. Points to note when taking cuttings: it is best to take cuttings when growth begins in spring. Take material from healthy plants or parts, and disinfect it to avoid infection of the cut. Choose mature plants for material. Freshly cut material should not be inserted immediately; place it in a dry, ventilated, warm place with scattered light so that the wound forms callus tissue and seals, then insert it into the substrate. The cutting substrate should be chosen for good aeration, that is, a material that both retains water and has good drainage, such as perlite and vermiculite. After cutting, pay attention to controlling the moisture of the substrate, and water little or not at all. Varieties such as Aizoaceae, Asphodelaceae, and Agavaceae cannot be propagated by cuttings because their stems are fragile or absent.

How to Grow Succulents - Adventitious Bud Propagation

For varieties such as Kalanchoe, for example: Kalanchoe delagoensis, Kalanchoe stenophylla, Kalanchoe luciae, Kalanchoe 'Palm Beach', Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, and other Crassulaceae Kalanchoe genus succulents related to Kalanchoe, May-June is best. Place healthy leaves flat on a sand bed, pressed tightly against the sand, and maintain humidity. One week after placement, small plantlets can grow from the notches at the leaf margin, or you can remove the already-rooted small plantlets growing from the notches at the leaf margin from the mother leaf and place them on soil so they become plants of their own.

How to Grow Succulents - Seed Propagation

Sow in spring. Before sowing, sterilize the seeds, tools, and substrate first.

How to Grow Succulents - Drying the Roots

The method for drying the roots of succulents is simply to place them in a cool, ventilated place. There is no specific time; generally speaking, it is fine once the wound has healed! So can they be placed in the sun to dry? This question is rather vague. A moderate sunning is not entirely out of the question, but there are also times when they get sunburned, because all we need is for the root wound to heal; if they are sunned, it is not good for the other parts.

How to Grow Succulents - Rot Treatment

Rot is a common disease of succulents, usually a fungal infection caused by overwatering or an excessively humid growing environment. Some insects, such as mealybugs, can also cause rot, especially root mealybugs. The wounds created when these pests suck plant sap can cause fungal infections. Rot manifests in many forms, 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 faded in color and become soft and mushy, it is rotten. If it is rotten, it must be cut off immediately. The knife and hands must be disinfected before and after to avoid infecting other plants. If it is a fungal infection, spray the plant with a fungicide, and the wound must be completely dry before being put into soil.

How to Grow Succulents - Leaf Cuttings

Leaf cuttings of Echeveria derenbergii are very easy to succeed with; the success rate is not much lower than that of 'White Peony'

Just note the key point of leaf cuttings ①: 20-25 degrees is the best temperature for leaf cuttings; if you are really in a hurry, it should still be above 15 degrees

With leaf cuttings below 10 degrees, you can basically forget about seeing seedlings and roots for two months. Last year I did leaf cuttings of 'White Peony' in winter in November

I did not see seedlings until last month, and they only started growing roots this month, nearly 4 months! My goodness!

Key point of leaf cuttings ②: the moisture of the soil. At the beginning this does not need to be considered, until roots have grown

then you can water frequently; just a small amount of water is enough. As soon as you find the soil surface is dry, water immediately~

Ensuring sufficient humidity is what allows leaf-cutting seedlings to grow healthily. While watering, they can also be given a little sun

How to Grow Succulents - Cuttings

Regarding the rooting part of cuttings, it is best to let the cut branches dry, and you can even face the cut wound directly toward the sun

This ultraviolet disinfection method can make the wound heal faster, and the succulent will grow more healthily later on

It has a particularly good effect on some varieties that are harder to propagate

It is also possible to plant directly without drying, but through comparison it has been found that such succulents often suffer from pests and diseases during later growth

Their health is far inferior to succulents whose wounds were dried before cutting, so drying the wound is something that absolutely must be done!

How to Grow Succulents - Cutting Temperature

In addition to drying the wound, temperature is also very important for cuttings. Below 15 degrees, rooting is very difficult

Apart from some of the stronger succulents, some will not produce roots for one or even two months

Likewise, some succulents were cut in winter in November last year, and because the temperature at home hovered around 10 degrees

they did not produce roots until the third month, after the succulents were moved to a place with a temperature of 15-20 degrees

Fortunately, succulents have relatively strong habits; other plants would have died long ago

Watering can be determined according to the condition of the succulent and the environment. Because newly grown roots are not many, just water a small amount

As soon as you find the soil surface has dried out, replenish water immediately. When the succulent's leaves become plump, it can receive sunlight

How to Grow Succulents - Cleaning Leaves

Everyone should often encounter this situation: many small pups grow at the base of the leaves. Normally, this does not need to be dealt with

But because most of our succulents are grown in flower pots, not in a wild growing state, it often happens that the bottom leaves squeeze the small seedlings

Especially in summer, if there are too many bottom leaves, it is very easy to smother the small seedlings at the bottom

At this time, we can pull off all the leaves at the position of the small seedlings, and the pulled-off leaves can still be used for leaf cuttings

Moreover, the space becomes larger, allowing the small seedlings to grow better~ After growing for a while, they become the legendary clustered growth~

How to Grow Succulents - Wrinkled Leaves

Observing the leaves of succulents is very important; much information can be observed from the leaves of succulents

The succulent below, grown from a cutting, is definitely short of water, but after watering its condition still had not recovered after 2-3 days

This allows us to conclude that the root system has not yet grown well. When there are not many roots, the succulent's absorption will be very poor, and even if there is enough water in the soil it cannot absorb it

At this time you can further analyze your own soil mix. If there is no problem with the soil mix either, then just wait!

Do not, out of doubt, pull the succulent out to check. Succulents grow relatively slowly, so their recovery speed is also very slow

A succulent in poor condition from cutting like this will change after about 3 months

Of course, the temperature must be above 15 degrees, otherwise the recovery time will be even longer

How to Grow Succulents - Freeze Damage

This situation is caused by prolonged low temperatures, or by a short period of strong cooling. After being damaged, the succulent will not show anything in the short term

In later growth it will gradually show the freeze damage, and in severe cases even the newly grown leaves will carry the same frostbite

Such succulents have reduced immunity and are very prone to mold diseases, so it is necessary to simultaneously increase sunlight hours to make the succulent healthy again

At the same time, the succulent's condition should also be gradually eased. A temperature of around 15 degrees is most suitable; giving the succulent a transition period for temperature is better

How to Grow Succulents - Mold Phenomenon

There are several main causes of this phenomenon. Among them, mold is especially likely to occur when, after planting the succulent, a layer of small stones was not spread on the surface

Too much watering, too low a temperature, poor ventilation, and water not evaporating in time, while the succulent reduces its water absorption because the temperature is too low or too high

In other words, these situations are especially likely to occur in winter and summer. The rot in the picture below can basically be declared dead

However, you can also immediately pull off the remaining leaves and try leaf cuttings to see. If the blackened part above the soil surface is cut off immediately, there is still hope of sending out new buds. In some cases, if the very bottom is promptly trimmed again, then dried and planted into dry soil, there is still a chance of saving it.

Essentials of Succulent Planting