SUCCULENTS
Succulents are low maintenance plants if they are cared for properly as they have the ability to store large amounts of water in their leaves making the drought tolerant. They come in many shapes, colours and sizes making them the perfect plant to new houseplant parents.
Light
The best place for your succulents in your home, is a north facing windowsill if kept indoors. They thrive best with access to as much light as possible.
During the spring and summer months they thrive better still outdoors with an area that is partly shaded so their leaves are protected from direct sun and rain.
If succulents do not receive sufficient light, they become etiolated or leggy meaning the space between each leaf stretches and the succulent loses its shape.
Water
Succulents need to dry out completely between waterings depending on the environment and the pot your succulent is planted in.
This can be during spring and autumn once a fortnight, during summer once a week and during winter can be just once a month.
They can easily be overwatered if not allowed to dry out completely which in the long term can lead to root rot.
Soil
The soil should be loose and not densely packed to allow for free water drainage and oxygen supply to the roots. We recommend a cacti and succulent mix for your Succulents.
Temperature
Succulents like the warmth and as previously mentioned, a north facing windowsill is ideal for them in the warmest room of your house.
Most succulents will go dormant during winter and can easily cope with the cooler climates especially on the South Island of New Zealand, but we recommend keeping them in the warmest room of your home in winter also.
Humidity
Succulents do not cope well with high humidity as they originate from environments which are mainly dry for the most part of the year.
We do not recommend planting succulents in terrariums for that reason due to the built up of humidity in an enclosed environment over time which in the long term can potentially lead to root rot of your succulents.
Fertiliser
Succulents do not require regular feeding with fertiliser.
You can feed them once a year at the beginning of spring with cacti and succulent specific fertiliser which is available from most garden centres to encourage blooming.
Please do not feed your succulent houseplant fertiliser as it will do them more harm than good.
Propagation
Most succulents can only be propagated through seeds that need to be germinated and then grown into plants.
Some succulents grow pups that can be taken off the mother plant ideally only if they already have their own root system. They can still be taken off if they don't have their own root system yet but then need to be rooted separately.
Leaves can also be taken off mother plant succulents which will easily propagate by lying them on top of soil. Roots as well as a new plant will grow from the part of the leaf that was previously attached to the mother plant.
