Succulents seem like figures from another world. With their fleshy leaves and shoots, they form distinctive silhouettes from a few centimeters to several meters in height. It's a good thing that the diverse plant community pulls together when it comes to care. You can find out here how to properly care for the juicy survivors.

Succulents need little attention

Pour succulents properly - how does it work?

Most succulents come from regions of the world where water is scarce. In order to survive there, they have learned to store water inside themselves for bad times. The ingenious survival strategy is recognizable by the fleshy leaves, shoots, stems and roots. The watering should be coordinated with this property, because the plants cannot cope with excessive moisture. How to do it right:

  • Water from spring to autumn only when the soil is noticeably dry
  • Stick your finger in the substrate before each watering to check the moisture level
  • Do not water in winter or only water in small sips

Please use mainly rainwater or stagnant tap water, as most succulents do not tolerate lime. The thumb test is not always enough to correctly estimate the moisture content of majestic succulents. With a simple moisture meter you will always know exactly whether there is a need for watering or not.

When and how to fertilize succulents?

When supplying nutrients, please be just as cautious as when watering. From May to September, fertilize your succulents every 3 to 4 weeks. For this purpose, add a special cactus or succulent fertilizer to the irrigation water. In the bed, the plants gratefully accept a portion of leaf compost or horn shavings (€32.93). Only rake in organic fertilizer lightly and pour in soft water. In the field, stop giving fertilizer at the beginning of August so that hardy succulents can mature before the first frost.

Cutting succulents - is that possible?

If the mighty pillar cactus hits the ceiling or a leaf dies on an agave, you can fix the problem with a courageous cut. The vast majority of succulent species will survive pruning unscathed. Please use a sharp knife sanitized with alcohol. Dust the sap from a cut with charcoal ash or rock flour.(14.13€) Alternatively, dab the cut briefly with a cloth dipped in hot water.

How do succulents overwinter?

Ideally, succulents should not spend short days and a lack of light during the winter in a well-heated living room. If the normal water and nutrient supply continues seamlessly during the cold, dark season, thin, dead shoots can develop that break off. It is better to overwinter the plants like this:

  • Set up bright and cool from November to February at temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius
  • Water less or not at all
  • Do not fertilize from October to February

Please equip your hardy succulents in the bed with a rain cover. The bottleneck here is not the frosty temperatures, but the permanent wetness of the Central European winter. Place buckets in frost-free, bright winter quarters or cover them with bubble wrap and a coconut mat.

Which diseases are to be feared?

Fungal infections are the most common succulent killers. This is especially true when a plant is weakened as a result of neglect in care. These diseases can occur:

  • Focal spot disease (Gloeosporium): sunken, brown spots, hard and scaly epidermis
  • Fusarium wilt (Fusarium verticillioides): brown shoot tips, red-purple spore coating and signs of wilt
  • Root and stem rot (Phytophtora): softened body, rotting roots

Diseases always have an easy time on succulents if the plants are watered excessively. Likewise, a nitrogen-stressed fertilization with conventional flower fertilizer (1.95 €) often causes problems. If, on the other hand, the water and nutrient balance is in balance, the plants develop robust defenses against pathogens of all kinds.

Which pests are targeting succulents?

Various pests target succulents both indoors and outdoors. Most of the time, the beasts lie in wait for weakened plants and are not deterred even by the thorns of cacti. The following pests top the list:

  • Spider mites: mostly in winter, speckled leaves and shoots and white webs in the leaf axils
  • Mealybugs and scale insects: at any time of the year, small bumps on the epidermis, white, woolly coating
  • Vine weevil: adult beetles and their larvae in the bed eat the plants

Reaching for chemical insecticides is usually not necessary to combat pests. The classic soft soap solution has proven itself against spider mites and lice. In the early stages of infestation, repeated spraying can put an end to the plague. Furthermore, ecological agents based on neem and rapeseed oil kill the insects. Vine weevil and its larvae are effectively combated with nematodes.

tips

Succulents can go weeks without soil. Creative room gardeners know how to use this special property for breathtaking decoration ideas. The branches of the penny tree, for example, are very suitable for conjuring up spectacular table decorations. Or you can fill a disused terrarium with sand to artistically arrange cacti on it.

Category:

Vegetable garden