Succulents: Ideal Indoor Plants

Succulents are plants with fleshy leaves that can come in a variety of colors. They are part of the same family as the cactus, and they can even be found on cacti in the wild. Succulents are excellent indoor plants because of their hardy nature and their colorful look. If you want to start planting succulents in your home to add color to your decor, then you should become familiar with the best ways to care for them.

Hardy and Soft Succulents

If you plan on planting your succulents indoors, then it helps to know the differences between hardy and soft succulents. Hardy succulents have thicker leaves and can survive in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in an area with cold winters and want to plant in a window box or in a window display, then hardy succulents are ideal.

Soft succulents can survive in temperatures below freezing, but die out by the time the temperature gets to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Soft succulents offer a broad range of colors and sizes, which is why people like them for indoor planting. All succulents do well in temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but temperatures that go beyond 90 degrees could damage your plants.

Potting Succulents

Succulents require plenty of room for their roots to breathe and gather water. Standard potting soil is too dense, so you will need regular garden soil in your planting pot. Succulent roots will rot if left for too long in water, which is why your soil should contain good drainage. Whittier Fertilizer offers products such as 3/8 pea gravel, white golf course sand, and pumice to create ideal drainage conditions. A ratio of 2/3 drainage material for every 1/3 of soil is ideal for succulents.

Unless you are an expert at caring for potted succulents, you should always use a pot with a drainage hole. Succulents will look great in any kind of novelty pot, but you must allow for water drainage if you want your plants to survive. As your succulents get bigger, you can trim their growth or move them to a larger pot with ease.

Caring For Succulents

Succulents can sunburn and die if exposed constantly to direct sunlight. You can either place your pots in a place where the sun offers limited exposure, or move your pots out of the sun halfway through the day. Succulents prefer standard room temperatures, but any species can tolerate a temperature drop to freezing.

Do not over-water your succulents, and watch for pests. Potted succulents tend to be attacked by mealybugs, but you can spray your plants with a combination that is 70 percent alcohol and 30 percent water to protect them. Water your succulents at least once a week, but do not add water until the soil feels dry. If you keep your home at a warmer temperature, then you may need to water more than once a week.

Identifying Problems

If you see the leaves of your succulents starting to take on a darker tone, then you are giving them too much sunlight. A good rule of thumb is to only expose your succulent plants to 50 percent of the available sunlight on any given day.

It is important to remember that succulent roots absolutely hate being wet for an extended period of time. Some people use clear containers specifically so they can monitor the health of the roots. If you see the roots turning black, then stop watering your succulents so often. If you cannot see the roots of your plants, then look for your normally sturdy plant leaves to start going limp. That is a sign that you are drowning the roots.

Succulents are great for indoors because they require little maintenance, but they add plenty of color to any home. Buy a hardy succulent and see how well you do with caring for it to see if you are ready to introduce your home decor to the color and personality of succulent plants.