The most popular methods for propagating succulents include cuttings, offsets, leaves, and division. Growing succulents from seed is a fun and instructive approach to grow more plants. The sole way to propagate some succulents, including Dudleya, Lithops, Echeveria, and Cacti, is from seed because it is the most feasible method. Since many succulents do not offset as freely as others, this is the case. Succulents are frequently available in smaller sizes in nurseries. Because they are cultivated from seed, different succulents don’t typically come in 2″ pots, or if they do, they might cost more.
A gratifying and enjoyable method to learn about a plant’s whole life cycle is to grow succulents from seed. Getting seed is the initial stage in this procedure. Online sources for succulent seeds can be difficult to locate and are frequently unreliable. Collecting seed from your own collection is the greatest method to ensure that you are receiving what you expect.
The maturity and cross-pollination of your mother plant affect your ability to gather seeds. It could take the plant several years to flower if it is a young one. All three genera—Aeonium, Greenovia, and Agave—are monocarpic, which means a rosette will only bloom once throughout its lifetime and that it can take longer to be able to collect seed from them. Aeonium are quick-growing plants that, once planted in the garden, will eventually bloom annually from various offsets.
Many succulents require cross-pollination, which is the transfer of pollen from one plant of the same species to another. If you do not notice pollinators visiting your plants or if your collection is kept in an area that is not accessible to pollinators, you will need to manually pollinate them with a little paintbrush. Note: Cuttings from the same plant that are genetically identical succulents will not result in the production of viable seed. The fruit will begin to grow and mature, which is a sign that pollination has taken place.
How to Gather:
Seed capsules should be fully ripe and dry before collection in order to ensure the best viability. Some fruits, like Aloe spp., will naturally split open and disseminate. In this instance, it’s crucial to gather the seeds before they fall to the ground or are carried away by the wind but before the seed capsule becomes dry or brown. Use a small net or sock to catch the flower stalks, or place a dish or tray underneath.
the image above Green describes an unripe Glottiphyllum nellii fruit (left). a hard, brown, dried, and ready to be harvested seed capsule (right).
Place a paper bag over the inflorescence, cut the stem, and turn the bag upside down to gather minuscule seeds like those of Aeonium, Dudleya, and Echeveria without losing them to the breeze.
NEVER take seeds from natural ecosystems. If you don’t have a permit, this is termed poaching and is against the law.
Aeonium ‘Ballerina’ seed not yet ready for harvest (left) and Aeonium ‘Thundercloud’ seed ready for harvest and planting are shown in the image above (right).
Processing Seeds:
The capsules may simply be opened by hand, allowing the seeds to be processed. Smaller seeds can be treated by first separating the seed from the capsules with a small grinder, and then using a mesh filter to separate the seed from the chaff. You can remove the seeds from hard seed capsules, such as Mesembs (Lithops, Glottiphyllum, etc.), by putting them in a Ziploc bag or paper bag, pounding them with a hammer, and then removing them by hand.
To avoid having them suddenly blown away by a gust of wind, always process seeds indoors.
How to Keep Seeds Safe:
Seeds should be kept in dry, protected settings in paper bags or seed packs. Heat and humidity severely impair viability. Make sure the seeds are totally dry if you intend to store them in plastic bags. Seeds that are prematurely picked will perish in glass or plastic due to an overabundance of moisture. Name of the species, time and place of collection should all be written on the packaging. When stored properly, seeds can be kept for many years without losing viability.
Growing numerous plants from your own seed is a sustainable method. The color and structure of leaf can vary widely due to genetic variety. The real fun starts now, and you might even be able to come up with a unique list of choices.
Succulents may produce seeds.
Sempervivum is one succulent that might take years to bloom and generate seeds. The time it takes for the seeds to even germinate after they are harvested and sown, let alone develop into full-grown succulents, can range from three weeks to a year.
How do cacti make seeds?
You may have started your collection of succulents by purchasing a little plant from the garden center or a clipping.
There is no reason why you shouldn’t gather some seeds and use those to create your very own succulent crop.
To save your own seeds, there are a few things you should know. First, the seeds must be fertilized, which in this case doesn’t mean feeding them plant food. Instead, it means bringing the two parts of the seed together, just as in all other types of life.
The plant’s ovum, or eggs, must be pollinated by—you guessed it—pollen.
After that, they transform into seeds that can be sown for growth. A plant does not necessarily produce seeds just because it produces blooms.
Therefore, you either assume that function with the aid of a paintbrush to spread the pollen, or there must be one or more insects.
Bees, butterflies, and a variety of other insects take care of this for plants outdoors, but if your plants flower indoors, you’ll need to take care of this part yourself using the paintbrush technique.
The majority of succulents appear to create a stalk or spray with a succession of flowers that open all the way up.
Many plants have this cunning little characteristic that is intended to entice insects back over a week or two so they can consume the nectar or, more likely, distribute pollen accidentally.
Depending on whether the flower is pollinated—some necessitate cross-pollination with pollen from a different plant—will determine this. When you push the tiny seed pods between your finger and thumb, they will feel firm and appear a little thicker.
This will show that the seeds have formed, as will the tint (a light tan color).
Depending on how meaty the stalks and blossoms are, this may take a week or longer. They are surprisingly wet for a plant that can endure such dryness.
Because the seeds are so tiny and will fall out when the seed pods ripen and dry up, it’s a good idea to place the entire stalk into a paper bag after they feel dry to the touch but before they break and release the seeds.
Shake the bag sometimes for a week or two, and then look to see if the dust is indeed seeds.
If you want to store the seeds properly, place them in a pill bottle, preferably with one of those little silica gel packets from vitamins or prescription medications to keep them dry.
The majority of succulents, especially the sensitive varieties, can be sown right away. The winter sow strategy works best for the hardy ones.
What will you do with all of these gorgeous tiny plants you now possess? Here are some alternatives:
Is it difficult to cultivate succulents from seed?
You can move your seeds securely to new sites after they have developed into large enough plants.
Growing succulents from seeds isn’t particularly difficult, but it does require the right tools and some patience, just like growing any other kind of plant from seed does.
You should be able to produce your own succulents as long as you are patient and adhere to the aforementioned instructions.
How do seeds from succulent plants look?
It ought to be obvious, but choosing seeds from a reliable supplier will make a significant impact! Many succulent seeds resemble dust or dirt, making them easily mistaken for other objects.
The Walawala Studio store on Etsy is my go-to place to get succulent seeds. They have a wide variety of seeds, some of which are more uncommon species, and the seeds are of the highest caliber.
Great seeds are also sold by other retailers on Amazon and Etsy. Just make sure you read customer reviews before you buy. It will take some time to determine whether succulent seeds are what they claim to be, even though they are not particularly expensive.
How are sedum seeds obtained?
Care must be used when handling sedum seeds. They are incredibly small, thin, and light. You can either purchase them in packets or gather them from your current sedum. Cut off several seedheads when flowering is complete and they are beginning to turn brown rather than green in order to harvest your own seeds. To give the seedheads time to dry, place them in a paper bag and keep the bag in a cool, dry place for at least a couple of weeks.
When they are fully dry, take them out of the bag and thresh (separate the seeds from the seedheads with your fingers) them over a very fine screen (positioned over some sort of bowl), which will let the seeds fall through while holding the other detritus on the screen. Put the seeds in a plastic bag with the name of the sedum and the date they were harvested after you have all of them. Although you can keep the collected seeds in your refrigerator for up to a year, you can sow the fall-blooming sedum seeds the following spring.
When it’s between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring, it’s the best time to plant seeds. Always use a sterile, fine-textured seed-starting soil blend. Press the seeds into the soil after slightly moistening it, but do not completely round them.
When using flats, plant the sedum seeds in rows and put the container somewhere where it won’t be exposed to wind or cold gusts (either can dislodge the tiny seeds). Typically, germination takes two to three weeks, but during that period, the soil must remain moist.
How long does it take for succulent seeds to sprout?
It could take your seeds anywhere from a few days to several weeks to start developing. The kind of succulent, the temperature, and the lighting affect this. It could possibly take a year for certain types to grow.
What should you do when a succulent blooms?
Keep a look out for aphids crawling around your bloom stem or flower as it grows. They are especially drawn to this variety of fresh growth. They should be sprayed with a horticultural soap or a product containing 50 to 70 percent alcohol. For this reason, some succulent growers remove the stalk now.
If your interesting bloom prompts you to take extra precautions, adhere to some or all of the advice below:
The more sunlight you can gradually provide will hasten the flower’s bloom because succulent and cacti flowers love it. Although certain succulent plants can withstand excessive heat, be careful when the temperature is in the high 80s or 90s. It is always best to get to know your succulent plant and learn specifics about its bloom and preferred level of heat. High heat is not necessarily a problem because the majority of the plants in this group bloom in late spring to early summer. Dry areas have longer-lasting blooms in general.
If feasible, start increasing the amount of sun your plant receives every day when you notice a bloom stalk or flower emerging on it. Add more gradually until it spends the entire day in the sun. Find the brightest, sunniest window in your home if you’re growing plants there. Set them up there. Make sure to watch out for burning leaves and pads.
According to some professional advice, flowering succulent care entails additional watering and fertilizing. When you water, soak the blossoming succulent plant. When the top two inches (5 cm) of soil are dry, rewater the area. With until the blossoms start to fade, keep up this watering routine.
Increase your fertilization to once a month from once per season. Use a high phosphorus fertilizer, the middle number on the three-digit fertilizer ratio. Additionally, instead of increasing feeding by a quarter, increase it by a half. Continue feeding the blossom until it starts to wither.
These are all possible maintenance advice that can lengthen the vase life and advance flower blooming. Alternately, you might ignore the blooming plant and let nature take its course. Flowers can occasionally thrive on neglect, much as these intriguing plants can.
Gather fading blossoms and put them in a small paper bag if you wish to try producing more plants from seed. Tiny seeds are present in dried flowers.
Succulent plants produce seeds, right?
Your succulents will still produce lovely blooms without pollination, but they won’t develop any seeds. Unpollinated flowers will just wither and die off without developing any seed pods.
How may a succulent puppy be harvested?
Cut off the baby at the stem’s base using a sharp knife. If the other babies haven’t yet grown big enough, leave them linked. When a baby plant is still connected to its mother plant, it often grows bigger more quickly.
Set the baby on a dry surface to “heal” or callous over on the cut end for about 24 hours after being removed from the stem. Before planting, the raw end needs to completely dry out.
Can succulents be grown in normal potting soil?
I’ll address some of the most prevalent queries concerning succulent soil in this section. Ask your question in the comments section below if you can’t find it here.
Can you use regular potting soil for succulents?
For succulents, you could probably use ordinary potting soil. It might work quite well, especially if you frequently forget to water your plants or if they are small. However, make sure the soil thoroughly dries out in between waterings to prevent them from rotting.
What happens if you plant succulents in regular potting soil?
Succulents planted in normal potting soil run the danger of being overwatered. Your succulents may quickly decay if the soil absorbs too much moisture.
What is the difference between potting soil and succulent soil?
The components and consistency of succulent soil and regular potting soil are different. Succulent dirt is permeable and created to drain very rapidly, unlike regular potting soil, which is composed of organic ingredients that hold onto moisture.
Making my own potting soil helps me save a ton of money, plus my succulents thrive in it. Your succulents will flourish now that you are aware of the ideal soil to use and have my formula for creating your own.