What factors can we think of in order to take care of succulent? Basically, the answer will be ventilation, sunlight, water, soil, pest control, fertilizer and pot selection, etc.
Among these, in my opinion, ventilation, sunlight and water are the three most important factors.
In lots of introduction of succulent knowledge, few mentioned the ventilation. But in my experience, ventilation can come first. Now let's talk about why.
1. Ventilation can greatly reduce the probability of fungi. Winters in New Zealand are very wet and humid, often with continual shady and rainy days. If the plant is in a corner or room without ventilation, it will have fungi growing on it. Or for example, if we pick some leaves to do the leaf propagation, we can find fungi on the leaves too. A place with good ventilation can deeply prevent fungal reproduction. If it's indoor, open windows for ventilation if possible, or get a fan and put it somewhere near the plant.
2. Ventilation can stimulate the plant's growth. It's not just about upper plant body's ventilation, but the lower plant body's ventilation is more important, especially for long stem types. Without the stimulation of ventilation, the chance of side shoots on the stem will be reduced, which has a bad effect on the overall shape of the plant. The soil in the pot should not be too below from the top edge of the pot to allow air to pass through the surface of the soil, increasing the ventilation of the stem.
3. Ventilation can take away the remaining water. We'll find that the soil dries faster in places with better ventilation. Succulents do not like too much water. So after each watering, ventilate to evaporate the water away as soon as possible, it can prevent root rot.
The second key factor is sunlight
1. Like ventilation, sunlight can also inhibit fungal growth. This is mostly due to ultraviolet light. Experienced people will sometimes turn it around/change the direction of the plant to face the sun. If one side is in shadow for too long, there is a chance of developing fungi.
2. Sunlight can prevent succulents from streching out. Most succulents need lots of sunlight. The lack of light to succulents makes them feel like the sun is higher up. They will grow taller to seek for sunlight, and they will be ugly. In sunny conditions, succulent leaves are more compacted and beautiful.
3. Sunlight adds colour to succulents. The sunlight is too strong in New Zealand's summer and requires some shadings. Sunlight in other seasons is treasure, you won't get as much as summer. Get plenty of sunlight, and succulents will show the colour we want. If natural light conditions are not good, consider using a professional plant lamp. But don't choose general lighting.
The third factor is water
The reason for putting water in third place is that when there is plenty of ventilation and light in the environment, it doesn't really matter if you water more or less, because ventilation and light cause water to evaporate more faster.
There are some introductions about how often to water, but this is an irresponsible statement. Each of us has a different garden environment, and the four seasons are different. These require us to find the watering method that suits us. Like rainy winter season, you rarely need to water it. The soil dries out very quickly in summer, but you can't water it too much. Because some varieties is dormant in summer, the root system does not work that well. If often watered, the root will rot. Watering can be done more frequently in spring and autumn, which is the peak growing season for most varieties.
With the above three most important factors guaranteed, a beginner can get off to a good start. The next step is to consider the other factors, please refer to my other blog articles.
By Frank Wong