What kind of soil do succulents need?
Many growers believe that succulents are among the simplest plants and are not at all demanding to care for. On the one hand, this is true - unlike most indoor flowers that need regular watering, succulents can easily do without it for a week or more due to their ability to accumulate moisture. But it should be borne in mind that this is possible only if they are grown in the "correct" soil.
What should be the soil for succulents?
If you plant succulents into simple soil from the garden, you can ruin the flowers, because it is too dense and dries up for a long time, and in constant moist soil the flowers will quickly rot. In addition, if the site from which it was taken was fertilized with nitrogen preparations, an excess of nitrogen will cause accelerated growth, which is unusual for this group of plants. As a result, the skin of succulents begins to crack, and they lose their decorative appearance.
The soil for succulents should correspond as much as possible to the natural conditions in which they live - these are rocks, stones and arid soil.
Based on this, the land for cacti, jerky, agave and other representatives of succulents must meet the following requirements:
- Lightweight and loose structure.
- High moisture and air permeability.
- Good drainage to avoid stagnant water.
- Neutral acidity.
During watering, the "correct" soil for succulents will quickly absorb the amount of water required by the flowers, and excess moisture will immediately drain into the pan, eliminating waterlogging that is harmful to plants.
Shop substrates for succulents
Most flower lovers get ready-made soil for succulents. The basis of such soil mixtures is peat (lowland or high moor). In addition, the composition may also include vermicompost, compost, sand, sapropel.
The most popular ready-to-use mixes include brand substrates:
- Agricola;
- Florin;
- Seliger-Agro;
- Garden of Miracles;
- Vermion.
How to prepare the soil mixture yourself?
At home, making soil for succulents will not be a problem. In this case, instead of peat (as a base), leaf earth and sand are used, taken in equal proportions.
To increase the ability to pass air and water, it is also necessary to add half a part of brick chips. Perlite can be used instead. Plus, a little charcoal won't hurt either. For plants with a powerful root system, the soil must be compacted and another 1.5 parts of sod land must be added to it.