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An easy garden project for even the greenest of green thumbs!
How easy is it to grow succulents and cacti?
Succulents are fantastic, hardy plants that are known for being grown successfully both inside and outside of the home. They add a decorative element to an otherwise plain area of the home with their unique shapes and colours, and due to their ability to live in close proximity with other succulents, they can be clustered together to form stunning works of art. Read on to learn how to grow and care for succulents and cacti.
Where should I keep my Succulents?
Succulents are most happy in direct sunlight.
This doesn’t mean that you’ll need to keep them outside in the sun all day. In fact, succulents are quite happy to hang out inside the home in a well sunlit room or outside on a balcony that has access to partial sun.
If you don’t have a well-lit room, but still want to show off your succulent pots indoors, make sure that you regularly place the pots outside where they can be in sun for at least a few hours a week to ensure they continue to thrive.
When should you water succulents?
Succulents don’t need to be watered very often – maybe a light watering once per week in very dry regions, or once every fortnight/month for cooler regions.
If you are using a deep pot you can water less often as the extra potting mix will hold water longer than a shallow pot.
If the topsoil feels wet or moist then you’ll not need to worry about watering for a few days. If it’s dry, give the soil a light watering. Be sure not to water the tops of the plants as this can introduce rot.
Here's what you'll need to get started:
- A collection of succulents
- Cacti Potting Mix
- Decorative Pot
- Pebbles or coloured stones
First, you’ll need to find a pot big enough to fit all your succulents in. Remembering they don’t need a huge amount of space as they are slow-growing. However, if you feel they are growing too fast for the pot, you can always take them out and replant into a bigger pot.
All of my supplies were purchased for a hardware store called Bunnings. Although, all gardening centres will stock the required supplies.
Let’s get started:
Fill up the pot with the succulent potting mix with about a 1-2 inch space from the top of the pot. You’ll need this space for any decorative stones or rocks you intend to place around the succulents to hide the potting mix.
Now, you’ll want to figure out where in the pot you’ll be placing the succulents. If you are using multiple types of succulents, try not to put two similar types together to create a varied look.
Once you know where you’ll be placing the plants, dig a shallow hole in the potting mix for each of your plants.
Before planting, remove your succulent from their individual pots and gently tap the roots to release the extra soil the roots are holding. This will make for easier planting.
Lightly water your plants to help them settle into their new pot, and scatter decorative stones or pebbles.
Finally, place your succulent pot in a nice bright area, make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy your stunning new creation!
See, it really is that easy to plant and grow succulents!
Want to progress to the next level of growing succulents and cacti? Check out our article for tips on how to propagate succulents and cacti. You can then grow more succulents from your existing plants, saving you money.
If you’re looking for a fun place to display your new succulents, check out these Kmart Pegboard Hacks for Inspiration!
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