On Raising Succulents

April 9, 2015

If there is anyone who can kill a plant, it’s me, Sarah. The idea is so inviting: take a harmless little seedling and nurture it into a flowering piece of nature. That is the plan, at least. The reality is that between being a medical student, running an Etsy store, raising two dogs, and planning a wedding, remembering to water our plants ranks fairly low on the totem pole. That is why an artificial grass installation may be the best bet for our garden in the near future as I don’t think I would be able to keep even grass alive at this point.

The solution? These amazing little guys called “succulents.”

Succulents are plants that are more “fleshy” appearing than other types of plants. This is because of the large amount of water they store within their leaves, stems, and roots. Succulents are the definition of a low-maintenance plant, so with just a few plant-growing tips, you should be relaxing in your own jungle of plants in no time. If you are like me and have a regularly hectic schedule, they can allow you to add a bit of greenery and life to your home without worrying about having brown dead leaves in your house by the end of the week. Here are three great tips for taking care of your succulents.

Tip #1: Succulents like soil that is well-drained. This is a fancy way of saying “watering on the reg is unnecessary.” Which is great news for us busy bees. The reason the succulents don’t require water as often as other types of plants is that they store so much water in their leaves. It is recommended that you let the soil go almost completely dry before watering your succulents, therefore watering in the spring and summer should generally occur about once a week, and watering in the fall and winter should occur about once a month. As previously stated, however, just check the soil: if the soil is almost dry, it’s time to add some water. If you’re looking to add some colour to your garden or home in general, these succulents along with some potted flowering plants might be a good choice.

Tip #2: Generally speaking, succulents prefer to be in bright light. This would typically be seen from a southern-facing window, if possible. However, over time your succulent can also tell you if it is receiving too much or too little sunlight. Succulents that are receiving too much light may suddenly turn white or brown. Succulents that are not receiving enough light may begin to have spaced out leaves and elongation of their stems.

Tip #3: Succulents can be planted in small indoor pots. Use a mixture of 75% potting soil and 25% gravel for planting. You can then add decorative landscaping gravel over the top of the soil for a modern finish.

Where can you buy succulents? They are super easy to find! The usual stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s carry them in their gardening departments. We also saw some adorable and affordably priced options at our local Ikea. But before you buy a succulent, take time to read this article at https://www.laweekly.com/11-best-house-plants-to-purchase-durable-and-delicate-plants-are-for-everyone/ to learn about other indoor plants that you can grow.

Where to plant your succulents? Stores like Home Goods and Target have lots of options for planters, which is how I found my ceramic pig. However, besides the two above-mentioned stores, online shops like IOTA can also have a variety of planters ranging from bespoke to designer large planters and everything in between that can make the garden area as swoon-worthy as possible.

However, this time I did not opt for online shopping. I rather wanted to go to a land-based store. To be honest, before I had even decided to purchase succulents, I found this little guy at my local Home Goods store. At the time, I couldn’t explain to my fiancé why I felt like I absolutely could not walk out of the store without this weird white ceramic pig-shaped dish, but like the amazing fiancé that he is, he didn’t question it. And on the car ride home, it hit me that we needed to make a quick trip to Home Depot as well! So when it comes to planters for your succulents, there are a ton of adorable Pinterest-worthy options out there. Check out some of my favorites here: