How To Make Succulents Survive And Thrive In Your Landscape
Succulents are an excellent option for your landscape if you generally face difficulties keeping other types of plants alive. They require infrequent watering and can grow in less-than-ideal soil, increasing their suitability for a range of climates.
Soil
The type of soil you have will determine whether you can plant succulents in your landscape or need to add specialty soil. Generally, soil that is more sandy and chunky is appealing for succulents because it promotes good drainage.
There are many variations of succulent soil you can buy premixed, or you can create your own. A good mix you can make yourself starts with traditional potting soil. Basic potting soil has organic matter that is healthy for succulents. You will need to add coarse sand to the potting soil. This will make the mixture denser and promote drainage.
Pumice stone is another favorite of many succulents. The pumice is more gritty than sand, almost like small rocks. This will further increase aeration and drainage for your succulents. You will need to play around with the proportions of each ingredient, but the mix should be lower in potting soil relative to coarse components.
Plants
Purchasing plants from your local garden center is ideal because they will stock plants that are appropriate for your local climate. If you buy your plants online, you will want to consider "hardy" versus "soft" succulents. People living in areas with harsh winters will need to focus on hardy succulents. These plants can generally survive the most brutal winters.
Many of the hardy succulents come from the Sempervivum genus. Most of the plants in this genus look like rosettes and come in varying colors. If your climate tends to be warmer, even in winter, you will want soft succulents. Soft succulents may not do well in cold weather, but they tend to be drought-tolerant, making them ideal for desert-like climates. The genus of Echevaria is a common soft succulent.
Water And Feeding
How much water your succulents need will depend on the climate. If you are growing hardy succulents, they will need minimal water during the colder months because they typically become dormant. Periodic rain from nature might be more than enough throughout the colder months. In the warmer months, you will only need to water hardy succulents if there is an extended period without rain.
Soft succulents may only require watering every other week in the warmer months. You'll want to pay attention to how the plants look before deciding whether they need watering. If the leaves look full, they're probably not thirsty. Fortunately, succulents generally require little or no feeding. You may want to add fertilizer meant for succulents each year if they are not thriving.
Succulents are a popular plant because they generally require little maintenance to look their best. Find out more about succulent plants.
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