Special edition: Saucy Succulents

Hey Plantaholics, how are your plants doing? So today is my birthday and look at the cake I got…a succulent-themed birthday cake!

Let’s talk about some interesting things about succulents today! Succulents are somewhat similar to cacti in that they don’t have a high water demand. While cacti collect water in their stems for long-term storage, succulents, on the other hand, store water in their leaves. That is the reason why they have fleshy and plump leaves!

Succulents are closely related to cacti; hence, they are generally grouped together. They have similar watering needs. You can water your succulents every alternate day when the temperature gets beyond 35°C. They also do not tolerate being under direct sunlight. The morning sunlight is enough to power these succulents.

The soil mix for succulents needs to be well-draining. You can use sand, a small amount of cocopeat, and manure. The fertilizer that I use is NPK19:19:19, which is used every 15 days. Dissolve a teaspoon of fertilizer for every 5 liters of water, and apply that to the soil. Another way to fertilize your succulents is to add bonemeal or dap granules at the time of potting. You can also use slow-release fertilizer granules.

Since succulents have a very compact build, avoid spraying directly on the plants. If some water droplets remain trapped between the leaves, chances are, they will definitely rot.

There are many beautiful varieties of succulents. Some of the varieties will produce flowers too. Although succulents take their sweet time to flower, the flowers are beautiful.

Since there are many types of succulents available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the plenitude of choices! But remember to always read up on the particular ones you’re interested in and understand the care you would need to give them. Go right ahead and get some of these babies today!

I would like to take this opportunity today to thank all my friends, including those on social media, for helping me to get to know my plants better. Your deep understandings of the world of flora have enabled me to develop and expand my collection! I would also like to thank my sons for creating this blog and my daughter-in-law for editing the posts without fail.

Last but not least, to my husband, after weathering through thousands of nursery visits with me and carried many thousands more potted plants to our home, he still remains very supportive of my hobby over all these years.

A VERY BIG THANK YOU ALL! 🙏