Growing Beautiful & Healthy Succulents Indoors
Succulents have always been popular as indoor plants not only because of their glorious shapes and forms but also because these plants can survive in moderate light, and low humidity. They are quite sturdy as they can endure weeks of neglect by storing water within their fleshy leaves, stems, or roots. Growing succulents is easy too, as they can be propagated from stem cuttings and rooting leaves. You can also propagate them by dividing small plants. However, growing succulents indoors can be a bit complex but not impossible.
Discussed below are a few ways on how to plant succulents indoors and how to take care of these beautiful plants.
Planting Succulents Indoors
If you are planning to plant succulents for the very first time, choose your potting soil carefully. When growing succulents, the soil should be well-drained. You can also go for a ready-to-use cactus mix. However, adding extra pumice, sharp sand, and grit or perlite can help in drainage, preventing breakdown over time.
The roots of succulents are quite brittle and shallow. When planting, gently sift new soil with your finger, or you can even use a blunt end of the pencil to tamp it lightly. Use sand, gravel, or grit to cover the surface. Give the plants some days to dry before watering.
Sun Care for Indoor Succulents
Growing and caring for succulents indoors does not require too much pampering. All they require is bright light, though depending on the plant type, the timings may vary. For instance, Sempervivum and Pedilanthus only need a few hours of sunlight to bring about their best foliage colors. On the other hand, varieties like Portulacaria, Sedums, get very rubbery and weak if they are not kept in very bright light for an ample time. However, there are some exceptions that you must keep in mind when growing succulents indoors, specifically for species like Sansevieria and Hoya as they have low light endurance levels.
The safest place recommended to plant your succulent garden is any place near a window that falls on or near the south, west, or east sides, to ensure a few hours of direct sunlight. In case your only option is to place the succulents directly in the sunlight, then it is recommended to shade them with sheer curtains.
Quick Tips for Indoor Succulents
Some quick tips to remember when caring for indoor succulents are:
· Water moderately to prevent the plants from drying out
· Use distilled or rainwater to prevent an accumulation of damaging dissolved minerals and fertilizer deposit
· Clean out the soil at least once throughout the year with a good soaking
The Bug Problem
Providing proper care when growing succulents will ensure that there are no bugs. However, in case a succulent bought from outside already has bugs in it, it can definitely create a big hassle for you. Nonetheless, to tackle the bug problem effectively, you need to be familiar with the ones you may encounter.
Gnat: Beginners usually come across this bug. However, you can avoid gnats quite quickly by keeping the soil well-drained.
Solution: Use a well-draining soil mix and give it time to dry out between watering sessions.
Mealybugs: These are the nasty bugs that can drain the life out of your succulents
Solution: Spray rubbing alcohol liberally to cover the soil with alcohol. This will kill the mealybug eggs too.
Enjoy Growing Succulents Indoors
Enjoy the therapeutic aura and beauty of succulents. Don’t fret too much. The truth is that even if you do not have the green thumb, succulents can survive with little care too. So, enjoy the beauty and care for them to make your succulents last long.
