How to care for succulents

Succulents represent plants that accumulate water reserves in the stems and leaves, and thus to endure long-term lack of moisture. More and more people began to grow this plant at home. It is important to provide succulents the correct and proper care.

Features of care of a plant

Succulents need special care. The birthplace of this plant are deserts in South and Central America, Africa, Madagascar. Therefore, your task is to create a similar habitat, but only at home on your windowsill.

In nature, succulents grow in hot and dry climates, on rocky and sandy soils of low fertility.

In the winter to keep the plant in a cool room where the temperature is in the range of 10-16оС. But you should choose the most lighted place. Watering in the cold season every 8-10 days, the larger instances, it is sufficient to moisturize a couple times a month. When excessive and profuse watering of the plant can go into a rest period, succulents stretched and depleted, do not form flower stalks.

With the arrival of spring to water a houseplant more often, gradually move to daily watering. In late spring and summer you need to protect succulents from direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves can cause burns.

To transplant the flower is best in March or April. Carefully remove from the pot earthen, inspect. If a succulent has healthier roots, which completely envelop the earth com, transplant it into a larger pot without disturbing the root system. If you found rotten or dried up roots, cut them to the healthy areas, sprinkle the slices with crushed coal.

Young succulent plants are transplanted each year, more specimens every two to three years. The root system of the succulents poorly developed, so these plants require pots of small size with good drainage.

If the succulents are in bloom, then you need to wait with the transplant.

To transplant succulents used soil consisting of equal parts of turf and leaf soil, coarse river sand with small pieces of charcoal, lime and crushed brick. After planting sprinkle around the root collar clean sand to protect the base from rotting.

Propagation of succulents

Succulents propagated by cuttings, seeds and grafting. Most often in the home use the most affordable and easiest method of propagation is cuttings. Succulents well rooted. Before planting the cuttings need to dry for two to three days (if the cuttings are large, then ten days).