succulents: tips and tricks to keep them alive indoors
Succulents are some of the most popular indoor plants in the world. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours - so you're sure to find one that matches your home décor! Succulents are low-maintenance plants that require little care in order to grow healthy and happy.
This blog post will cover everything you need to know about succulent care indoors: how much water they need, their light requirements, humidity preferences and how to treat pesky bugs. This way, no matter where you live or what climate zone you're in, your succulents will be safe from harm!
water your succulents, but not too much.
The first tip to keep your succulents alive indoors is to water them only when they require it. Succulents do not need much water to thrive, which is perfect if you don't have much time on your hands to care for indoor plants. Succulents need water to survive and grow indoors, however, giving them too much or not enough can kill them. While they might seem like tough plants that don't require any attention whatsoever - you should be careful with the amount of water you give your succulents.
Succulents need water to survive, but they also don't like to be soaked in it. Water your succulent when the top of its soil is dry and let the excess drain away from the pot before returning it back on a tray or saucer for storage - this will help prevent root rot! Too little water can cause them to shrivel up and die, whereas too much water will drown the plants. A good way to tell if they need more or less is by looking at how thirsty it looks - succulents should retain their shape no matter what situation you put them in!
Succulents don't like it when their soil gets too dry, so make sure you check the soil before watering your succulent plants. To do this, simply pick up your succulent and give it a light squeeze - if the leaves bounce back immediately after being touched/squeezed, and the leaves are very bouncy, they may benefit from being lightly watered. On the other hand, if your succulent looks withered and water is not bringing it back to life you should allow the soil to dry out more. Overwatering can cause root rot or fungus - which will kill off your plants very quickly! It's important that you only give them enough so they don't wilt but also ensure their roots don't rot in excessive moisture.
enough sunlight, but don't let the leaves burn!
Succulent get sunburned! Succulents don't like a lot of direct sunlight, so make sure you keep your succulent out of the brightest part of the day. This will help prevent sun damage to the leaves and stems.
Succulents need sunlight to grow and thrive indoors - however, too much of it can burn them! Make sure you place your succulent in a location where it will receive some indirect sunlight every day for at least half an hour. Too much sunlight will crisp up some varieties of succulents and burn them! Make sure you place your succulent in a location where it will receive some indirect sunlight every day for at least half an hour. Also avoid direct contact with any heaters, as this will also severely damage your succulents.
find the right balance of humidity.
Succulents also need humidity to survive indoors, so if you've got a dry or heated home this could be their downfall. You can increase humidity levels by placing your succulent in a dish/tray filled with pebbles and water (just make sure the bottom of your pot is not sitting in it). Also misting Succulents need plenty of air circulation around them too - they do not like being in confined spaces.
The right amount of humidity is always relative to your climate, so if you live in a very hot and dry area it's best to keep them on the drier side. If succulents are getting too much humidity they will rot, so always be on the side of caution.
There are lots of great succulent growing mediums to choose from which give you a good balance between drainage and water retention (the two most important things for successful cultivation).
get rid of bugs.
Insects love succulents, so make sure to check over them often for any bugs or pests that may be living inside. You can get rid of the bug easily by spraying with a bit of water and soap spray - this will kill both the bug and its eggs.
To get rid of bugs like mealybugs, you can try to dab them with alcohol on a cotton ball or q-tip (try doing this in the morning where your succulent has plenty of sunlight!). You may need to repeat this process every few days until they are gone completely.
Other bugs that you may find on succulents include scale, thrips and aphids. You will know if you have any of these other bugs because they will leave behind a sticky residue, or your succulent may start to look like it is changing colours. To get rid of scale and thrips, try using rubbing alcohol on cotton balls (similarly to how you would kill mealybugs). For aphids, use neem oil.
Succulents can be planted in a variety of containers, so you're sure to find one that suits your home décor. They are low-maintenance plants and require little care in order to grow healthy and happy! If you follow these succulent tips, you will be sure to enjoy your indoor succulents for years (maybe even decades!) to come. If you want more information on how much water they need or, their light requirements and humidity preferences - this blog post has it all!
feel a little more confident about growing succulents?
With a little love and care (with the help of this blog), we are sure your succulents will be looking plump and a gorgeous addition to your interior décor.
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