Haworthia Succulents: Deep-Pot, Breathable Care and Cutting Propagation Methods

Haworthia plants are mostly native to the cool coastal desert areas of the southern Cape Province of South Africa. Bordering the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, with little rain and much fog year-round, a small amount of rainfall occurs in winter, and the average temperature is usually 12°C-15°C, similar to our spring and autumn, so this is exactly their peak growing season. Some of the plants now cultivated are horticultural species or cultivated varieties, and the cultivation conditions are relatively more flexible.

How to grow Haworthia succulents

1. Choice of flower pot:

The root system of Haworthia is more developed than that of other genera, so it is best to choose a deep pot whose height is greater than its diameter. The material is best a highly breathable clay or ceramic pot, but for home cultivation these appear too bulky and unattractive, so resin, ceramic or plastic pots can also be used provided the breathability of the medium is increased. Among them, plastic pots have become the first choice for home cultivation because they are lightweight, resistant to aging and inexpensive.

2. Soil selection:

According to what is conveniently available locally, you can use humus-rich grass peat soil, peat soil, or leaf mold; breathable lightweight materials such as crushed red brick, river sand, weathered mountain sand, akadama soil, pumice, orchid stone, perlite, etc.; breathable and water-retentive rice husk charcoal and plant ash rich in phosphorus and potassium, etc., mixed at 3:6:1. If conditions permit, add a small amount of calcium-containing eggshell powder, bone meal, shell or coral powder (must be repeatedly washed to remove salt). Sift out the dust, with a particle diameter of 0.5-3mm. According to the humidity of the growing environment, the breathability of the pot used and personal planting habits, increase or decrease the proportion of humus or lightweight materials.

3. Water source requirements:

Tap water can be used after being left to stand for a day; of course, soft water such as rainwater is best.

4. Light requirements:

Previous introductions said that Haworthia likes semi-shade, but this is not actually the case. When the root system is healthy, full light can be gradually given from late autumn to early summer. In late summer and early autumn the light is strong; to prevent sunburn, appropriate shading can be used, such as a 50{bf} shade net or two layers of window screen. For a small number, one or two layers of facial tissue can be laid over individual plants (this method can also be used during the acclimatization period for newly purchased and introduced plants).

5. Air requirements:

Air is often overlooked by everyone, but in fact circulating fresh air is very important for increasing the disease resistance of plants and reducing the occurrence of pests (so plants grown in some closed cultivation or sealed greenhouses often develop cracked or shrunken window faces once the environment is changed).