Your Guide To Growing Succulents

Visually striking and relatively low maintenance, it’s no surprise that these plants are more popular than ever – but is growing succulents really that easy? 

The word succulent comes from the Latin word sucus, meaning ‘juice’, or ‘sap’. Succulent plants may store water in various structures, such as leaves and stems, and the water content of some succulent organs can get up to 90-95%. Needless to say, these plants thrive in hot and arid conditions, and in turn have become a fan favourite for Australian gardeners who may not have the time, energy or resources to provide the standard of care that many other plants require. 

However, that doesn’t mean that growing succulents is as simple as sticking them in a pot and going about your day. Just like any other variety, these striking creatures still have their own set of preferences when it comes to the conditions that they are the most comfortable in. 

An Introduction To Growing Succulents 

Although these ‘camels of the desert’ have a reputation for being hardy and ultra resilient to a broad range of conditions, there are still plenty of factors that gardening enthusiasts need to consider if they want growing succulents to be an easy and stress free experience.

Water – A succulent  that is not getting sufficient water will stop growing and start to shed its leaves, as well as develop brown spots on the leaves. In contrast, overwatered succulents will appear soft and discoloured with their leaves turning yellow or white, causing them to also lose their colour. The rule of thumb when watering succulents is to water them monthly during winter, twice a month during autumn and spring, and once a week in summer. 

Light – Succulents fancy bright light, and most will let you know when the light level they need is correct by showing changes in their leaves. If they turn brown or white, that is an indication the plant is ‘bleaching out’, and the soft tissue of the plant is being destroyed. On the other hand, if the plant isn’t getting enough sunlight, the plant will start to ‘stretch’ and have an extended stem with broadly shaped leaves, and it may need to be pruned and moved into a sunnier area.

Soil – Growing succulents in garden beds will usually yield the best results when they’re planted in free-draining soil. For containers, aim to buy a specially prepared potting mix, which is often sold commercially as succulent and cacti mix. The inclusion of gritty sand in the potting mix or garden beds is essential, as succulents simply won’t tolerate wet feet, and often rot quickly without it. Otherwise, add inorganic substances like perlite to improve aeration. 

Fertiliser – Your succulents will appreciate a good dose of nutrients during the growing and flowering seasons, but it’s not necessary over winter. For those growing succulents indoors, they rely on you to provide them with the nutrients, microbes and overall access to sustenance.  Packed full of nutrients like humic acids, fulvic acids and seaweed extract, try adding Indoor Plant Booster as a means to safely fertilise your desert style plant pals.

If you’re a newbie to the world of growing succulents, some of the varieties that have long been considered easy to grow include agave, aloe vera, jade, echeveria, haworthia, and the panda plant. Better yet, they’re also very easy to propagate, so keep an eye out the next time you visit a family or friend’s garden to save on cash too.

Ensuring your succulent family has the best environment to grow and thrive is actually linked to proactive measures instead of reactive ones, and one of the more important pillars of that is providing the right type of plant food. 

How To Use Indoor Plant Booster At Home 

If you’re ready to give Indoor Plant Booster a try and introduce it to the flora that you share your home with, be sure to water your plants thoroughly beforehand to assist with absorption. For best results, simply pour the recommended amount directly onto the soil, ideally around the base of the plant. 

At Bioweed, we specialise in organic solutions to ensure that your garden reaches its full potential the natural way. Our range of products such as Indoor Plant Booster are all chemical free, and are providing Australians with safer products to use both in their gardens and in their homes. Based on the Sunshine Coast, our range has been embraced by people from all walks of life, and are backed with twenty years of research and industry knowledge.