Succulents: home care for undemanding plants
Succulents, home care, for which it is very simple, are very popular among both novice florists and professionals. If there is not enough time, but the desire to have a plant at home or in the office is present, these plants are exactly what you need. Succulents do not require much maintenance and do not take up much space. They come in various shapes and sizes, and you can create a variety of compositions from them or simply place them in pots. Succulents will add more originality to your home, and very little hassle.
What is the peculiarity of succulents
Plants also have qualities that help to retain and reduce the evaporation of liquid:
- Gas exchange in plants occurs at night, when the air humidity is higher, and the temperature, on the contrary, decreases.
- Often, the leaves have either a thick layer of fluff or a waxy coating.
- The round shape of the leaves of some representatives helps to reduce the evaporation area.
Succulents - home care is not at all difficult
Although these plants are often native to countries with dry climates, it would not be correct to assume that the flowers of succulents do not need care at all. For their normal growth and development, it is necessary to monitor the temperature and lightingas well as moisturize the plant.
Lighting
In insufficient light, plants stretch towards the nearest source, and bend accordingly. If there is very little light, the plant will die altogether. On the other hand, an excess of sun can harm.
A large amount of direct sunlight can burn or stain the delicate leaves.
Whatever this happens, it is better to shade the flowers in the hot summer.
Temperature
When caring for succulents at home, this parameter is very important. If at the moment he has a growing season, that is, growth and development, you should create a flower temperature from +25 ° C to +35 ° C. These figures are approximate from April to October. This period is considered a vegetation period for most species. The rest of the time, you should lower the temperature to readings from +10 ° C to +35 ° C.
In winter, succulents do not need to be watered at all, since all vital functions of plants slow down.
Accordingly, there is no need for water. But this is only if the thermometer in the place where they are located reaches 10-15 degrees.
Moisturizing and feeding
Watering is carried out once a month, and in small quantities. The water should be at room temperature. Waterlogging should be avoided. This can lead to decay. It is also advisable to feed the plants every six months with a weak solution of liquid fertilizer for cacti and succulents.
How to transplant succulents
Succulent care at home includes a transplant. This procedure should be carried out infrequently. It is better to replant during the growing season. During this period, it will be easier for the plant to take root in the new environment. Well, the most important thing in this matter is to choose the right soil and container for the plant.
Bowls are best suited for transplanting succulents.The material from which the container is made is not so important.
This could be:
- wood;
- plastic;
- ceramic bowl and so on.
The main requirement is the presence of drainage holes. Thanks to them, excess water will be freely removed, which will contribute to the normal development of the plant. If there are no holes, as in the case of a bowl, fill it with drainage by at least a third. Watering in this case should be done with extreme care.
For drainage, expanded clay or fine gravel works well. You can also use Styrofoam. Expanded clay can be purchased at a specialized store. It does not need to be subjected to any processing before use. But the gravel should be rinsed several times with running water, and then boiled for 15-20 minutes.
Compositions of succulents
Very often, these species are grown in several pieces in one container. But in composing the composition, it is important to choose the "right plants" That is, those that will not suppress each other. For example, you should not combine plants from different continents in one pot, since they have different living conditions. Slow growing succulents are best suited. They do not need to be repotted and adjusted frequently.
Do not overload the composition with a lot of plants. For example, no more than 5-7 succulents can coexist in a container with a diameter of 15 centimeters.
Since it is not difficult to care for succulents, this is an excellent option for novice florists. At the same time, you can create original compositions from them that will amaze with their singularity and beauty.