In this article you can read a little guide for taking care of your succulent plant. Treating your favorite plant requires a little attention. Let’s analyze the 5 points of the guide for succulent that we consider fundamental to let your plant grow well and in the best way.

GOOD SOLAR EXPOSURE

Succulent plants, which generally come from warm countries, need sunlight for a good growth and therefore they have to be located close to the sunlight, but avoiding direct exposure. Expose your succulent in the vicinity of the window, for example, gradually (one hour per day). Also take care to rotate the vase to ensure an homogeneous growth.

WATERING

Succulent plants are well adapted to live in arid conditions thanks to their ability to absorb large amounts of water and to a special filling tissue, parenchyma aquifer. Therefore watering is essential to ensure good growth to your succulent. So water your plants when the ground is dry, in summer, while in winter reduce the watering up to once per month. Sometimes it is better to stop watering completely: this depends on various parameters such as the temperature, the moisture content, the place where the plant is located and the species to which it belongs. During the summer, once a month, you can use the fertilizer, but it can be avoided if you regularly repot your plant.

TEMPERATURE

Succulent plants love the heat, the high temperatures and in summer they will grow well if the watering is correct. But during the winter, the plant goes into hibernation from about October to March. Consider, therefore, that they are comfortable with temperatures ranging generally between 5 ° C and 12 ° C and a relatively dry climate.A proper rest is necessary if you want to watch a beautiful spring bloom!

MAKE A GOOD TRANSPLANT

We have already in this article explained how to make a good transplant. Now, it is appropriate to revise and review some basic concepts. We have already seen that the succulent plants need a well-drained soil which may be a mix of large-grained sand, pozzolan and earth. To transplant your succulent, you’ll need a crock or plastic vase: each of these materials has got its pros and cons. Before repotting, be sure to remove all the peat in which the succulents are grown by nurseries. The optimal period to make repotting is from early spring to the summer.

CLEANING AND SURVEILLANCE

You have to take care of your succulent and take small but important measures. For example, you can remove the dust from the leaves with a soft cloth, using, if possible, a spray bottle filled with water. Also, do not hesitate to cut parts “death.” Finally, supervise your succulent plant regularly in order to see the first signs of a possible illness. For example, the plant will become black in case of excess moisture, while ,on the contrary, in case of drought, the plant withers (just water it, usually). The excess of direct sunlight could instead create redness or real dark burns: in this case, you will have to put the plant in the shade immediately. If you spot holes in the leaves, they could be the work of a caterpillar. But the main and most dangerous enemy of succulent plants is the cochineal, a whitish parasite that likes to lurk among the thorns, and the folds of fat plants: this is why its removal is often difficult! After removing the succulent, attacked by the cochineal, from the other plants it is necessary to treat it with the appropriate products.