If you love, love deeply! My unbreakable bond with succulents!

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Thanks to the author [Tian Yi] for the original submission and sharing

Submission date: 2018-03-06

Edited and compiled by: Baike Jun

Location: Guilin City, Guangxi

I remember at the end of February last year, a friend came to my home as a guest, and during our chat we talked about succulents. After that lively conversation, my unbreakable bond with succulents began.

At first I knew nothing, so my friend pulled me into a local succulent exchange group, where I learned a lot about succulents and also met quite a few companions who love succulents.

Next came crazy, endless buying, buying, buying. In July 2017 I sold the original house, and the succulents moved with me once. Because the place I live in now is very unsuitable for growing succulents, watching the succulents lack light day by day, with poor ventilation and west-facing sun in summer, some grew leggy and spread out like flat pancakes, and some died from black rot or turned to mush and passed on. My heart nearly shattered into pieces. Out of love for the succulents, I made another great migration, moving to the house I currently have not yet renovated. After going through the trials of spring, summer, autumn and winter, a full year and four seasons, the succulents finally transformed completely, presenting themselves with a whole new look.

Peach Egg (Graptopetalum amethystinum), a few of them were raised from when I first fell into the hobby. They turned green, grew leggy, and struggled through the summer of 2017; they are all strong children. Give them a little sunshine, and the children will happily show their cute little pink faces.

Luo Qi (Echeveria 'Rough'), after a good week of weather in a row plus the temperature difference between morning and evening, even the original green vegetable turns very jelly-like.

Nana's Little Hook, in the early stage, in order to establish in the pot and grow and protect roots, the claws were spread open. After the roots took hold firmly, I strictly controlled water, and it finally became a true Nana's Little Hook.

Pink Blue Bird (Echeveria 'Pink Bluebird'), a variety that is very easy to get through summer.

Basked in the sunlight, Ice Jade (Echeveria 'Ice Jade') truly is icy and jade-clean, the succulent lives up to its name.

Pink and tender Opalina (Graptoveria 'Opalina').

Alba White Moon Shadow (Echeveria elegans 'Alba')

The Pansy (Echeveria 'Tricolor') I had longed for for a long time has finally been acquired. It has just established in the pot; once the leaves spread out it should be even more beautiful...

026 Lingbo Fairy (Echeveria 'Lingbo Fairy')

Snow Lotus (Echeveria laui)

Lawrence (Echeveria 'Lawrence')

Rainbow (Echeveria 'Perle Von Nurnberg' variegated)

Rainbow Candy (Echeveria 'Rainbow Candy')

Paper Pinwheel (Graptoveria 'Titubans')

Qiluo (Echeveria 'Qiluo')

Laur (Echeveria 'Laur')

Pudding (Sedeveria 'Pudding')

Rainbow Jade variegated (Sedum rubrotinctum 'Aurora')

Ebony (Echeveria agavoides 'Ebony'), little one, you are still small; wait until you grow a bit bigger, then I will let you out to fly and roam.

Bloody Luo (Echeveria 'Bloody Luo')

Guanghan Palace (Echeveria 'Guanghan Gong'), when bought it was a beheaded seedling with a few white, wilted leaves. It is working hard at cultivation, and I so look forward to it achieving true form, looking ethereal and fairy-like.

The five orphaned leftovers of Sunset Cloud (Echeveria 'Afterglow') that survived the summer still need to keep going; patiently wait for their best state.

Blue Light (Echeveria 'Blue Light'). The three thin-leaved Crassulaceae fairies are finally all gathered.

The pairing of a small tree stump and a small Helena (Echeveria 'Helena'), beautiful...

Cream Yellow Peach (Echeveria 'Cream Yellow Peach')

Dudleya is a Crassulaceae succulent genus I have dearly loved since falling into the hobby.

White Chrysanthemum (Dudleya 'White Chrysanthemum'), acquired in early August 2017. At the time I did not know the risks of getting succulents in summer, but fortunately after receiving it I did my research and let it dry in a cool, ventilated place for more than two months, only potting it up when the weather turned cool. Now it has properly established in the pot and even sprouted pups.

Green Leaf Apple Leaf, after being grown outdoors it gradually sunned out blood spots.

In the year since falling into the hobby, I have had countless feelings. I always believe that as long as you put your heart into it, effort will always be rewarded. If you love, love deeply...

The purely outdoor-grown succulents surprised and amazed me. The former green vegetables have now all become beautiful, making me firmly believe one thing: as long as they are alive, you will all have a day to bloom! For me, growing succulents is a beautiful thing for cultivating body and mind. Enjoying it brings endless joy...

Here is a set of comparison photos.

Tia (Echeveria 'Tia')

Red Ruby (Echeveria 'Red Ruby')

Xiaomi Star (Crassula 'Mila Star')

Pink Beauty (Graptosedum 'Pink Beauty')

Vanilla (Echeveria 'Vanilla'), when it arrived in the height of summer, it was green, leggy and spread out like a flat pancake. I truly wanted to toss it straight into the trash can. Now, is it not completely different from before, like two different succulents?

Xiuyan (Echeveria 'Xiuyan') in the early stage, two of them planted together.

Now Xiuyan after being separated into different pots. Is one not red with passion, and the other red like fire?

Ebony (Echeveria agavoides 'Ebony')

Experience summary: Guilin's rainy season is about to arrive, followed by humid weather and the hot, stuffy summer. The terrifying shadow of last year's spring and summer has not been completely erased. Experience and lessons tell me to be rational: shade, rain protection and ventilation must be done first. Once I finish building the terrace garden, this autumn and winter I plan to go all out with outdoor growing. For now, I will temporarily play it safe and develop quietly, not roam wildly, hahaha...

About soil mix: for mature plants, mostly 3-6mm mixed grit + peat, at a ratio of 8:2 or 9:1. For succulents with underdeveloped roots and smaller, more tender plant shapes, I add one extra portion of peat, and the grit is also finer; some also get a little coconut coir, vermiculite and the like, to help with rooting and gripping the soil. The bottom of the pot is always lined with clay pebbles to help with air permeability; if the pot is relatively small and shallow, it can be left out.

About watering: based on the current weather conditions, it depends on pot shape, plant shape and weather. Because everyone's geographical environment is different, watering will also differ. For old stems, I generally water thoroughly once every 10-15 days. For relatively shallow pots, the grit dries out faster, about once a week. Newly potted ones should not be watered in a hurry; let them settle for 3-5 days before watering. If it rains and the air humidity is relatively high, then do not water. Wait until the weather clears and then water thoroughly. Purely outdoor-grown ones need no care at all and live off the sky.

Aizoaceae succulents - Lithops, Conophytum, and Dinteranthus.

Orange Monroe (Echeveria 'Orange Monroe')

A little fly steals the spotlight

Orange Monroe (Echeveria 'Orange Monroe')

Anna Rose (Echeveria 'Anna Rose')

Mountain Rose (Greenovia diplocycla)

Cute Rose (Greenovia dodrentalis)

Little Beauty (Graptopetalum 'Little Beauty')

Original Green Claw (Echeveria 'Original Green Claw')

Strawberry Ice (Echeveria 'Strawberry Ice')

Berry and Snow Angel (Echeveria 'Berry' and Echeveria 'Snow Angel')

Silk Veil (Echeveria 'Silk Veil')

Even when the lamps are first lit and night is about to fall, I still quicken my steps and seize the time to take a look. Although they are not at their peak, in my heart you are always the most beautiful.

In the process of falling in love with succulents, one needs to keep learning humbly and keep growing, improving one's understanding of succulents in many aspects, so as to better understand their various habits. There is hardship and effort, but I remain as ever joyfully tireless and endlessly delighted. I think growing succulents is an atmosphere, a mood, and even more a refined pleasure. Growing succulents is also a life, an attitude, an attitude toward life. If you love, love deeply...

This article is exclusively authorized by the author to the WeChat public account: Succulent Plants Encyclopedia (ID:duoroubaike). The content of the article does not represent the views or stance of the public account

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