The majority of cacti and succulents need a lot of light. They are appropriate for the sunniest areas of your house. You will be giving them what they enjoy if you construct some shelves across a sunny window. To ensure that every side of the plant receives an equal amount of sunny exposure, you should turn the plants frequently.
Every garden center has a fantastic selection of succulents and cacti that you can grow indoors. Some cacti are offered as seasonal or gift plants in department stores, such as the Schlumbergera x buckleyi (Christmas cactus), a species that grows in forests. Because it takes years for this to happen, it is better to purchase cacti that are currently in bloom. You should inspect them to ensure that there are no signs of rot or parts that are shriveled or dried, and that they are sound overall. When you bring them home, make sure they are not exposed to drafts and that they are the perfect size for their pot.
Make sure the desert cactus you buy are placed in compost that has been well-drained. In the spring and summer, they need to be regularly irrigated with tepid water. However, during the winter, especially if they are in cool temperatures, the compost should be allowed to almost entirely dry. As a result, the cactus can hibernate.
Cacti should be fed around every three weeks when they are actively growing. For this, you can use tomato fertilizer that has been properly diluted. Additionally, desert cactus like wintertime temperatures of 50–55 F (10–13 C). Only when the roots completely fill the pot do desert cacti need to be repotted.
Cacti in the forest are significantly different. Typically, they produce lovely, dangling flowers at the tips of segmented stalks. These stems resemble chains of supple leaves. They have been bred to grow over trees, which is why they grow in this manner. Although they are accustomed to shade, they do require intense light. They require light, well-drained, lime-free compost that is also misted with lukewarm, gentle water. In 50 to 55 F, they can relax (10-13 C.). After the winter, give them a little water, feed them once a week with a little fertilizer, and put them in a room with greater temperatures.
There are at least 50 different plant families that can be categorized as succulents. In the summer, they should receive unlimited irrigation, but only when their compost starts to dry out. They can endure wintertime temperatures of about 50 F. (10 C.). Every few weeks during the summer, you should fertilize with a well-diluted fertilizer because they prefer fresh air to humidity.
Succulents, woodland cactus, and desert cacti can all coexist in the same garden. They provide beautiful presentations for your collection of indoor plants. Even if they don’t require much care, you still need to be aware of their likes and needs.
Growth needs
There are so many different kinds of succulents. A general rule of thumb is to select succulents with comparable requirements if you want to arrange them. They will coexist peacefully and preserve the ensemble’s aesthetic for a very long time.
For instance, Graptosedum California Sunset grows best in the summer, whilst Crassula (Jades) prefers the winter. So planting them together wouldn’t be a good idea. You should take into account the growing season, hydration requirements, lighting requirements, and soil requirements while choosing succulent combos.
Agave, Echeveria, and Sempervivum are several succulents that go dormant in the winter and look fantastic together. Aeonium, Aloe, Graptopetalum, and Kalanchoe may come to mind if you want to group the summer-dormant succulents.
Height
In addition to the succulents’ characteristics, height and color must also be taken into account in order to arrange them harmoniously. You should have a thriller, filler, and spiller in your layout.
Use tall succulents to provide height to the thriller and enhance the overall design. As filler around them, use shorter succulents. To finish the arrangement, add a few “spiller trailing succulents.” The recipe is straightforward, and you can always add your own spin to make it appear appealing to you.
Color
Choosing a theme for your succulent arrangement is simple. There are a variety of succulents that may make your succulent arrangements appear fantastic, whether you want them to be colorful or monochromatic.
Monochromatic, similar, and complementary color combinations are the three most common types.
You must group succulents with the same colors but various shades together for a monochromatic arrangement.
When using similar settings, you will group colors that are adjacent to one another on the color wheel (orange, yellow, and green).
Contrasting colors on the color wheel are required for complementary color schemes (red and green).
Where do you plant succulents and cacti?
Nowadays, cacti and succulents are highly popular indoor plants, therefore taking good care of them is crucial. They occur in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, ranging from the small to the enormous. Because they share traits that enable them to endure in arid conditions, cacti and succulents belong to the same category.
The majority of succulents and cacti are endemic to desert environments. They will therefore thrive in conditions with lots of light, good drainage, hot temperatures, and little wetness. However, some cacti and succulents, like Schlumbergera, enjoy semi-shady and wet environments because that is their natural habitat.
The easiest way to take care of cacti and succulents is to try to mimic their natural environment. The essential factors you should take into account when taking care of your succulents and cacti are listed below.
Light, temperature and ventilation
It is advisable to arrange cacti and succulents in a bright area because they do best with good light sources. A place that faces south will get plenty of light. But be careful not to place them in direct sunlight since the strong light may cause the plants to turn yellow. The best kind of light for growing cacti and succulents depends on the species that you are using. For instance, forest-dwelling epiphytes like Rhipsalis require some shade, whereas an Echeveria requires strong light.
It is ideal to keep the plants cool at night, between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius, during the fall and winter. The plants will survive in high temperatures, but they require sufficient ventilation in the spring and summer.
Compost
Since Westland cacti and succulent potting mix has included girt and sand for the best drainage, it is a good compost to use. Additionally, it has the ideal quantity of nutrients for your succulents and cacti.
Watering and feeding
It’s a popular misperception that succulents and cacti just need a tiny bit of water. Although their leaves and stems can store water, allowing them to survive in dry environments, they will not grow in environments with little water. Your cactus or succulents’ ability to develop successfully depends on regular watering. Underwatering results in shriveling while overwatering stunts growth.
Instead of using tap water to water plants, use lukewarm rainfall. This is because the minerals in tap water can settle on the leaves and accumulate in the soil. Additionally, minerals obstruct the plant’s access to vital nutrients.
Spring and summer
The plants need to be watered at least once a week during the growing season. Give the soil a good soak when watering, letting any extra water run away. Every time you water the compost, give it a little time to dry out.
Utilize Westland Cacti and Succulent Feed, a recommended recipe to use, to feed your plants once a month. They create more robust growth that is more resistant to disease and has superior flowering thanks to it. Simply take a 5ml quantity of the feed from the dosing chamber and mix it into 1 liter of water.
Autumn and winter
The plants enter a period of rest at this time. Reduce watering so that the potting mix dries out in between applications. The type of succulent and the environment it is in will determine how frequently it has to be watered. Winter-flowering cactus should be kept warm and watered frequently now, whereas desert-dwelling cacti don’t need to be watered. Cacti and succulents don’t need to be fed during this time.
Re-potting
The optimal time to repot cactus or succulents that are pot-bound is in the spring. To replant:
- Before carefully taking the plant from the pot, water it and let it drain. Use folded paper to shield your hands from the spikes.
- To avoid damaging the roots, remove the old soil from around them with a thin stick, like a chopstick.
- The new container, which has a slightly larger diameter, should be filled with potting soil before placing the plant inside of it.
- The remaining potting mix should be added to the pot and compacted.
- To stop the rotting of injured roots, stop watering for a few days.
The finest care for your succulents or cacti comes from maintaining these conditions. The most crucial thing to keep in mind when taking care of your plant is that you are trying to mimic its natural environment!
Can you pot succulents alongside other plants?
Succulents are ideal plants for beautiful plant arrangements due to the variety of their look. There are so many incredible succulents to pick from, and they come in a variety of forms, sizes, colors, and textures. Which succulents can you grow together, though? Continue reading to discover how to create stunning succulent arrangements by combining various succulents.
How to Combine Succulents
Although almost every species of succulent can be combined with another, there are still a few things to keep in mind when creating succulent arrangements.
When planting succulents together, the most crucial factors are the care requirements and development duration. Succulents will work together very well if they all have the same maintenance needs and grow in the same season.
For visually beautiful succulent arrangements, other factors including color, shape, and texture are essential. These requirements, which are equally crucial, determine which varieties of succulents will be combined.
Care Requirements
Succulents are often low-maintenance plants. All of them can retain water in their components (leaves, stems, or roots), and the majority of them can withstand droughts very well.
But some succulents require more moisture than others. While some people like full light, others benefit from partial shade. Succulents can go dormant in the summer or the winter. Tender succulents are less tolerant of the harsh conditions, while hardy succulents can withstand frost and freezing temperatures.
You should think about the following when grouping succulent plants:
- criteria for water
- criteria for light
- temperature
- growth period (or dormancy period)
For instance, succulents with thinner leaves typically require more water than succulents with thicker foliage. You run the risk of losing one of those succulents if you plant them together and water them equally. If you decide to plant them together, attempt to offer succulents that thrive in water a “direct dose” of water while keeping other succulents dry in some other way.
Planting varieties of succulents that are dormant during the same time is crucial when making succulent arrangements.
Some of the summer-dormant succulents include Graptopetalum, Aeonium, Aloe, Crassula, Gasteria, Graptoveria, Pachyphytum, and Haworthia.
Succulents that hibernate in the winter include Echeveria, Sempervivum, Agave, Adenium, Euphorbia, and Lithops. Planting succulents from the same category together will produce the greatest results because different succulents become dormant at different times of the year.
Color
The color of succulents is one of its greatest qualities. Except for deep blue, they appear in practically any color. Additionally, a lot of them have the capacity to alter their hue in response to the surrounding surroundings (hot temperature, sunlight exposure, etc.). They are even more beautiful due to this quality!
Even while each succulent is lovely on its own, by grouping them according to color, you may make stunning arrangements. Basic color theory is the finest formula for making a succulent arrangement that works.
Succulents in complementing colors can be used (the opposite colors on the color wheel, such as green and red, blue and orange, and purple and yellow). Since many succulents naturally contain reds and greens, making this type of arrangement is not too difficult.
A monochromatic color scheme necessitates succulents of the same color but in various tones and hues. For instance, different shades of green succulents allow you to create arrangements with greater texture by using several succulent species. A monochrome arrangement with a single accent of a different hue is a fantastic choice.
In succulent arrangements, an analogous color scheme—three hues that are adjacent to one another on the color wheel—is frequently employed. An equivalent color scheme that gives you several possibilities for choosing succulents is yellow, yellow-green, and green.
By the warmth of their color, succulents can be interestingly combined. For a cold-toned arrangement, match blue-green succulents with purple ones; for a warm-toned one, pair yellow, orange, red, and yellow-green succulents.
Succulents that are variegated or have some form of marking add added interest and are acceptable in succulent bouquets.
Shape and Texture
Utilizing a variety of plants with various heights, forms, textures, and unique characteristics results in a fascinating variance in succulent arrangements (like hairs). The alternatives are practically limitless: you can select from tall, upward-growing plants like Sansevieria or Aeonium, rosette-forming plants like Sempervivum or Echeveria, cascading (trailing) plants like several varieties of Sedum and Senecio.
For a more intriguing pattern, experiment with succulents of different heights. Alternately, you could use succulents of the same height to create a uniform pattern while experimenting with different colors and textures.
A few succulents have wonderful texture. For instance, the white markings on Gasteria, Aloe, and Haworthia provide a beautiful texture. Any variety of cacti, with their distinctive stems and spines, give fantastic texture. The genus Euphorbia features a variety of growth patterns and textures.
Succulents are well-known for their plump leaves and unique stalks, but some of them also produce beautiful blooms. A flowering succulent added to the arrangement will produce a stunning display while it is in bloom.
Pots and ContainersAn Important Part in Succulent Arrangements
Pots and containers are the last but not least! As enjoyable as arranging succulents can be picking the ideal container and experimenting with its size, shape, color, and texture.
When selecting a pot for a succulent arrangement, seek for a pot with hues, textures, and shapes that either match or contrast interestingly with the succulents in the arrangement. Making a sensible choice when selecting a container is important, as are different top dressings like pebbles or crushed stone.
Cactus mix is required for succulents?
Start with a simple cactus and succulent soil mix, or even an African violet mix, both of which are readily available at most garden centers, for the best potting soil for succulents. Then experiment with different combinations of ingredients to discover the one that will enhance drainage, make watering easier, and last a long time without compacting.
Organic matter is a key component of any potting mix for succulents. The primary component of most potting soils, peat moss, is difficult to moisten and rapidly dries out. A small amount of finely crushed bark can be used to make water enter more quickly. Coir, which is formed of fibrous, shredded coconut husks and decomposes extremely slowly, is an excellent substitute for peat moss in handmade mixes. Coir is simple to moisten when it dries out, unlike peat. While compost can also be utilized, it decomposes quite quickly.
The other key component is an inorganic material that keeps the mixture crumbly and airy by allowing water to easily soak into and then drain out of soil. Perlite, crushed granite, pumice, chicken grit, calcined clay used to promote aeration and compaction in turf fields, or non-soluble cat litter are a few options that are all preferable than coarse sand. Any of these will significantly improve drainage and remain intact as the organic matter eventually breaks down.