guest post: growing succulents indoors

Growing Succulents Indoors

by Sarah of YourGreenPals.com

Succulents & Why They Make Good Houseplants

Succulents are plants that have fleshy, thickened leaves or stems that retain water. The most commonly known succulent is the cactus, but there is a large variety of succulents in different shapes, sizes and colors. Succulents make good houseplants because they can thrive in low humidity, lower light and can survive a little neglect. This allows succulents to survive in indoor settings with little maintenance.

Selecting the Correct Succulent

While succulents are a good option for a houseplant there are certain varieties that are better suited for growing indoors than others. The best rule of thumb is to choose a variety that is bright green. These varieties tend to need less sunlight than the more colorful varieties which makes them more ideally suited for growing indoors.

Placement and Lighting

While succulents, especially the right succulents, can survive in low light or shade they do still need some amount of light. The best thing to do is put the plant in a sunny window.

Succulents that aren't getting enough light will stretch. Their leaves will spread out and the plant will try to stretch towards the light. If this is happening simply place the plant in a sunnier spot or if that isn't possible supplement with a grow light.

Watering

DO NOT OVER WATER!! This is the biggest mistake made when growing succulents and will kill the plant quickly. Succulents do best with a soak, dry, soak method. Soak the soil completely, let the soil dry out completely for a few days and then soak again.

Fertilizer

Succulents don't need a lot of extra nutrients from fertilizer, but some is usually a good way to keep it healthy. Fertilizing once or twice throughout the spring/summer months will help the plant thrive. Succulents go dormant during the winter and don't grow much. No fertilizing is necessary during the winter months while the plant is dormant. The best time to fertilize is in the spring when the growing season starts.

Some varieties to try:

• Jade Plant

• Aloe Vera

• Zebra Plant

• Panda Plant

• Crown of Thorns

• Snake Plant

• Hens-and-chicks

Potting and Soil

Nurseries tend to pot their succulents in soil that is too rich and retains too much moisture, so re-potting a succulent once it is home will be necessary. Ideallt, it's best to choose a pot that has good drainage, is not glazed and is not made of glass.

Succulents grow best in loose, sandy soil that allows for good drainage. There are several ways to get the correct soil mixture. There are special soil mixes designed specifically for succulents that can be purchased at gardening stores. Normal potting soil can be mixed with pumice, grit, sharp sand or perlite to help with drainage without breaking down over time. Or simply mixing one part potting soil with one part sand usually does the trick.

The best way to test the soil for the correct consistency is to wet the soil and squeeze it. If it falls apart it should be right for a succulent to thrive.

Wrap Up

Succulents can make great house plants due to their resilient and low maintenance nature. In expanding knowledge on lawn management, growing indoor succulents is a great starter plant. Here are the main things to remember when growing succulents indoors:

• Select the right variety

• Select a pot and soil with good drainage and airflow

• Place in a window

• Use the soak, dry, soak method for watering

• Fertilize lightly

Thanks for reading!

Author Bio: Sarah works for yourgreenpal and she loves gardening and lawns.