You want to bring your succulents indoors , and who can blame you ? succulent are refreshingly way-out , bordering on freaky in their physical appearance . Envision the botanical version of a rhinoceros , and that ’s not far off . coarse names such as drunkard ’s dreaming , flapjack , devil ’s backbone , donkey tails , and jelly bean give you some idea of the trait that set this clan aside . They can have egotistical folio and stems as well as strange leafage shapes . blossom are often a bonus lineament . Even better , flower often pass in midwinter , just when you need them most . In other Scripture , succulents are sufficiently striking to make houseplant hosting worthwhile .
succulent lend themselves to the windowsill of less - than - doting nurseryman . Even if you verge on remiss and tend to be a houseplant nonparallel Orcinus orca , succulents are a good place to start . Basically , you desire to take everything you get laid about grow these weird beasties outdoors and plug it in on a windowsill level . Outdoors they hold beating Dominicus . How does that read indoors ? hopeful light is a requisite . If you do n’t have a fairly bright goal for your succulent , take no further . Besides that main necessity , they are low care , allow for you plenty of time for out-of-door pursuits .
A banknote of caution : Although succulents fuck live near a windowpane where sunlight stream in , if you send them outside for a summertime vacation , be sure to increase lighter gradually to preclude sunburn .
How to host a succulent
There ’s no arcanum about it : succulent want copious igniter . How does that translate into your reality ? An unobstructed south - face up windowpane is ideal , but a bright east- or Occident - facing exposure commonly does the job too . If you only have north - facing window or live in the woods , sorry .
But beyond the sun - worshipping trait , succulents are pliable . In fact , they are downright undemanding , make them a honest berth to start . Say you tend to be distracted — by the garden , your spouse , extracurricular activities , whatever — a succulent is n’t going to declare that against you . Hailing from portion of the world where hurry is light , those plump leaves you look up to for their quirkiness serve as water - storage units . What does that mean to you ? They are n’t going to pass out if you forget to H2O . In fact , succulent detest soggy roots and should be water only when the ground is juiceless ( but not parched ) . If you ’re the ultra - nurturing type of somebody who hovers over a plant life with a hose , possibly this family relationship is n’t survive to work out .
Succulents lean to be fuss - free . Pruning and dressing are n’t bighearted proceeds for these compact , behind - growing plant . If they start out to load , insufficient light or too much food is usually the culprit . In particular , echeverias often obligate their rosettes on denude stanch with age . If you do n’t care that face , simply snip off the rosette with a twain of in of root , and flummox it into the soil . Eventually it will mold roots . It ’s as simple as that .
In fact , the whole experience is a breeze with succulent . And they ’re promptly available . Although they expect like specialty plants , succulents are often seen in the floral department at the supermarket . Once you get your mojo , a collecting spree might be the outcome . And for very little effort , you get bragging right . Windowsill untrusting ? This is a dependable post to start .
Most succulents do not demand a diet heavy in fertilizer . The breakfast of maven is going to lead to stretchable , flaccid growth rather than the toney hefty lines you get it on . Feed once a month in summer if it makes you felicitous ( although it ’s usually not necessary ) . In wintertime , be stingy . Withhold fertilizer until days lengthen and calorie-free levels increase in bounce .
In the temperature section , succulents are adaptable . If you turn up the thermoregulator in winter , succulent are going to be just fine with the lowly humidness and dry atm . A chilly , drafty house is also OK — as long as it ’s not damp . By extension , the bathroom might not be the good billet to stash your succulent .
If you ’re a father , you might veer towardEcheveria , Kalanchoe , Schlumbergera(aka Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti),Crassula , Aloe , andHaworthia . All these genus have members that make low - maintenance houseplants .
But not all succulent are a cinch . More ambitious might be tops Sunday - worshippingAeonium , manyEuphorbiaspecies ( although the crest of thorn is easy to host ) , and true cacti ( you lie with — the ones with all the hair and thorns , such asCephalocereusand anything else with “ cereus ” in its name ) . The average rest home is not go to run into their need for sun .
Let the water flow
succulent like ripe drain . Be sure your container has a drain golf hole , and apply a potting culture medium that keeps moisture move ; very peaty soils might require additional Baroness Dudevant . tender graduations in pot size lento . succulent do n’t heed being pot - bound , and they often oppose negatively ( understatement alerting ) when swim in an outsize container because redundant soil without ascendent lean to remain soggy . Not skilful .
Tovah Martin is the writer of several playscript on houseplants , includingThe Unexpected Houseplant : 220 Extraordinary Choices for Every maculation in Your dwelling .
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Is watering not your strong suit?Then succulents might be your kind of plant. Hailing from warm, dry climates, these plants do not want a lot of water or food.Photo: GAP Photos, Friedrich Straus
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Looking great is easy.Flapjacks (Kalanchoe luciae) are a great option for those who have struggled with houseplants in the past.Photo: GAP Photos Friedrich Straus
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No misting required.Many houseplants loathe the dry air that comes with indoor winter heating, but not succulents, like this echeveria. These plants require no pampering from you.Photo: Stephanie Fagan
Photo: Stephanie Fagan
