I suggest investing in a pot or planter that you can stand to look at every day if you’re growing succulents indoors! After all, indoor plants play a significant role in the dcor of your house.
Personally, I absolutely adore keeping my succulents and indoor plants in pots that are either ivory-creme or crisp white, like the ones in this post. I believe it highlights the succulents while blending in nicely with our furnishings and other elements.
Always keep in mind how crucial it is for the root system of your succulents to choose a pot with a drainage hole. Succulents may last for days, even weeks or months without water because they store water in their leaves and stems. They are resistant to drought because they can store water in this way.
In order to prevent the roots of your succulents from sitting in moist soil, a drainage hole allows excess water to flow from the pot.
Actually, one of the main causes of dying succulents is too much moisture. Succulents’ roots will eventually decay if they are left to sit in wet soil, which will result in a dead plant. Simply put, succulents don’t require that much water.
Planting succulents in a container with a drainage hole will benefit them. They’ll repay you by developing into thriving, healthy plants!
A excellent place to start is with a decent cactus mix or soil blend designed specifically for succulents. Succulents require good drainage and air circulation to thrive, and this soil will offer both.
It’s time to fill your container with your succulent or cactus mix once you have it on hand. (If you want to prevent soil from leaking out, you can cover the drainage hole with some mesh.)
Fill the pot with enough dirt to allow your succulents to protrude above the rim. Simply add extra dirt to raise it if the leaves touch below the rim.
TIP:I almost never remove soil from a succulent’s roots before planting it. This isn’t required in my opinion. I just remove the plant from its plastic container and place it, soil and everything, in its new pot.
I’ve been doing it this way for years and don’t see any reason to alter. I’m aware that many gardeners remove the roots from their existing soil, but I find that my plants do better when I don’t. Only when I’m doing crafts with live succulents do I do it.
One of the most fascinating aspects of gardening is that everyone develops their own preferred method of doing things, even if there are undoubtedly some rules you should abide by. If it functions for you, that’s fantastic! Continue your wonderful work. To each their own, as the saying goes.
Simply plant each succulent near apart if you want to create the appearance of densely packed succulents. As long as the base of the plant is sitting over the lip of the pot, as seen in the photo, tuck in each plant wherever it looks good. (The image is from my Instagram page, where I share pictures of succulent arrangements and gardening advice.)
Consider this process as being artistic. It takes art to make lovely succulent or flower arrangements! It’s best to mix and match your succulents while paying attention to color, texture, and height if you want to create a pleasing arrangement.
Succulents don’t seem to mind growing so closely together, so I never worry about that. Additionally, they remain compact when grown in this manner, which I appreciate. They can continue to grow in this manner in the same pot for up to a year before you need to consider relocating them once they outgrow it.
Particularly for my indoor plants, I particularly prefer smaller succulents than ones that appear overgrown. You have a choice: you can plant one, two, or a lot of succulents in a pot. I have engaged in each one and have enjoyed it equally.
Before planting, try arranging your succulents above the ground to see if you like how they appear together. After that, you can start planting or moving things around.
Simply dig a hole in the ground for each plant and surround its root systems with soil to plant it.
How to Water Succulents After Planting
Don’t water your succulents right away after repotting them, despite what you might assume. Before giving them their first drink of water, I advise waiting about a week.
Any roots that were harmed during the transplant or who previously had damage could get infected or rotten if you water them after planting. It will take a few days for those roots to callus over or heal, preventing them from absorbing water that would cause them to decay.
Use a tiny watering can to hydrate your succulents if you only repotted one or two of them. However, if you planted them the same way I did in the image above, you’ll benefit more from using a watering squeeze bottle because it will allow you to apply water more precisely.
To make sure the succulents in the container receive adequate water, you should water them regularly using a watering syringe or a watering squeeze bottle, as seen in the image below.
TIP: If this is your first time growing succulents, you should know that you need ONLY water the soil, NOT the actual leaves.
The soil requires moisture, not the leaves, because the roots will absorb the water and transfer it to the leaves, where it will be stored.
It’s acceptable to get the leaves wet if you’re growing succulents outdoors and have them planted directly in the ground because the sun will soon evaporate the water. You don’t need to be concerned about your leaves rotting from too much water exposure.
Size
Choose a pot that is just big enough for the plant to grow in, but not too big. The circumference of the appropriate pot is 5–10% greater than the size of the plant. Choose pots with a maximum excess space around the sides of an inch or two. The delicate roots will spread if the pot is too big before the plant has a chance to develop. There won’t be any room for the roots to spread in a pot that is too tiny.
Style
The ideal pot should not only complement your style and decor but also the physical properties of the plant. Tall pots look excellent with upright-growing succulents, like aloe. Low-growing cultivars, like Echeveria, look fantastic in little pots. Not to mention spillers with trailing growth tendencies like String of Pearls. Spillers in shallow pots or hanging plants look fantastic and grow well.
Material
There are many different types of materials for pots. The most prevalent materials are wood, terracotta, metal, ceramic, and resin. Terracotta or ceramic pots work best for succulent plants. Both of these materials allow for proper air and water circulation because they are both breathable. Just keep in mind that both ceramic and terracotta are weighty, especially after adding soil and plants.
Pick resin or plastic pots for larger plants, especially ones you plan to move around. Your back will thank you for using those lighter pots as you move or reposition plants.
Drainage
Before you plant and cultivate succulents, the most important thing to understand is that they don’t like a lot of water. Even before you develop a watering schedule, this is relevant. Without adequate drainage, water that accumulates at the bottom of a container without anywhere to go may cause root rot in your succulent.
The ideal pots for succulents, regardless of design, are planters with drainage holes in the bottom. Since many succulent planters lack drainage holes, you can use any of them as long as you keep in mind to water succulents sparingly and keep an eye on them frequently.
Can I grow succulents in an undrilled bowl?
Being a container enthusiast and a plant junkie, I occasionally come across a pot that I just must have (yes, without a doubt!) that doesn’t have a hole in the bottom. Drilling holes or planting with a lot of drainage materials are your two possibilities.
I routinely drill drainage holes into the bottom of pots to add or make them. The shiny red one has a fairly thick bottom, and I didn’t want to risk it splitting. My Hatiora, also known as Dancing Bones or Drunkard’s Dream, initially inspired me to work on this project.
It was past time to plant this epiphytic cactus because it had only recently been sitting in its grow pot within the ornamental one. In a year or two, I’ll need to repot it, but for now, it’s good.
Update: After spending over 5 years in this red pot, it was recently repotted into a pot with a foot made of terra cotta and one sizable drain hole. It is depicted in the video. So long as you supply drainage materials and hydrate them appropriately, succulents in pots without drain holes can survive.
When should I repot my succulent plants inside?
Evergreen succulents have always captured my heart. Succulents are low maintenance plants that thrive in containers because to their unusual forms and thick leaves; I have a large collection of these well-liked varieties.
Repotting succulents every two years is a good general rule of thumb, if only to give them access to new, fertile soil. The beginning of a succulent’s growing season is the optimal time to repot it because it provides the plant its best chance of surviving. My gardeners, Ryan and Wilmer, took advantage of the snowy weather earlier this week to repot many succulent plants and propagate a variety of cuttings. Here are some pictures of the steps we took.
In times of drought, succulents, sometimes known as fat plants, store water in their fleshy leaves, stems, or stem-root systems. Because of their eye-catching shapes, succulents are frequently planted as attractive plants.
I needed to repot a few of the succulents in my collection either they had outgrown their pots or I wanted to relocate them into more attractive clay containers.
He stamps my name and the year the pot was produced on the reverse side. When I host big events in my home, they invariably look fantastic.
To aid in drainage, a clay shard is placed over the hole. Additionally, I like using clay pots because they permit adequate aeration and moisture to reach the plant via the sides.
We always keep the shards from broken pots; it’s a fantastic method to use those parts again.
Wilmer carefully takes a succulent from its pot without damaging any of the roots.
Wilmer then conducts a meticulous test to determine if the pot is the proper size for the plant. He picks a pot just a hair bigger than the plant’s original container.
Prills are the name for osmocote particles. A core of nutrients composed of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is covered by the prill’s beige shell.
For the finest drainage, we mix equal parts of sand, perlite, and vermiculite for succulents. The correct soil mixture will also aid in promoting rapid root growth and provide young roots with quick anchoring.
Wait a few days before watering the succulents after repotting to give them time to become used to the new soil.
Wilmer shifts to the following plant. This one too need a little maintenance attention. He picked up any fallen leaves.
In order to promote new development, Wilmer lightly pruned the roots after manually loosening the root ball.
Wilmer inserted the plant into the pot after adding some Osmocote and a little amount of potting soil.
The pale blue-gray leaves of Echevaria runyonii ‘Topsy turvy’ curve upward, are prominently inversely keeled on the bottom surface, and have leaf tips that point inward toward the center of the plant.
Echeverias are among the most alluring succulents, and plant aficionados greatly respect them for their brilliant colors and lovely rosette shapes.
An aeonium is a succulent with rosette-like leaves that grows quickly. Aeonium is a varied genus that includes little or medium-sized plants, stemless or shrub-like, and plants that favor sun or shade.
Succulents should be placed on a table so that they can get enough of natural light even when the sun isn’t shining directly on their pots.
Moreover, propagation is fairly simple. Here, Ryan uses sharp pruners to cut a three to four-inch portion of stem off the mother plant.
There should be about a half-inch of stem showing. A handful of them are ready to be planted here.
Ryan provides plenty of space for the plants. There will be plenty to use in mixed urns during the summer if all of these take root and grow into succulent plants. Four to six weeks following planting, new growth should start to show, at which point each plant should be repotted independently.
Inside my main greenhouse, all of my priceless plant collections are kept on long, sliding tables. They all have such lovely looks. Which succulents are your favorites? Please share your feedback in the spaces below.
How To Grow Succulents | Succulent Plant Care Info
Sempervivum, Jovibaraba, and Sedum are winter-hardy plants that can grow in zones 3–9.
Light:
The majority of succulent species require from half a day to a full day of direct sunlight. It is advised to find some afternoon shade in particularly hot places. Succulents planted in excessive shadow will extend outward in search of more sunlight. Enough sunlight will help succulents grow into gorgeous, vibrant plants.
Planting:
Plants should be gently removed from their containers and planted, making that the soil level is maintained at the same depth as it was in the container.
Keep in mind that most of our plants came straight from the cold frames where they were shielded from the harsh sun and drying winds. For the first week, give your plants and garden décor some shade and cover to gradually adapt them. Every few days, extend the length of the day by a few hours. This will make it possible for a smooth transition.
A layer of pebbles or pea gravel sprinkled on the soil surrounding the plant will be beneficial to your succulents. Additionally, it is highly ornamental.
Soil:
Succulents require soil with good drainage. Make sure the place has good drainage and is not in a low region that would remain wet before planting in the garden. You can buy cactus soil for container gardening or add sand, gravel, or volcanic rock to your potting soil for enhanced drainage. You should have a drainage hole in the container you are using for planting, or you can fill the bottom of the container with crushed rock before adding the planting medium. Spreading gravel or tiny pebbles on top of the ground can add a lot of style.
Watering:
After planting, water the area thoroughly and wait a short while before watering again. Wet feet bother succulents, who don’t like them. Water whatever you do thoroughly. They will require less water once they are established.
Fertilizer:
Succulents generally require relatively little fertilizer. During the growing season, they only require monthly watering and a balanced fertilizer.
Flowering:
Each type of sedum blooms at a different period and in a variety of pink, red, and yellow hues.
After the second or third year, Sempervivums will flower. From the middle of the main rosette, which has a cluster of flowers, a flower stalk will emerge. Sempervivum blooms are open, starry, and typically pink. They are carried above the plant on a stem with several blossoms. Fortunately, there are always chicks born earlier from the base that grow in a ring around the mother plant to continue for subsequent years. The monocarpic crown that generates the flower head dies off after flowering. Twist the stalk off gently once the blossom fades, then plant a chick where it was.
Winter maintenance:
Typically, established succulents in the garden do not require winter protection. Snow frequently provides protection for chilly locations. Balsam boughs can be used as a light winter mulch in cold climates without snow cover, but this is typically not necessary.
Shipping:
When your plants are delivered, gently open the package as soon as possible. Once you have unpacked your things, water your plants properly and let them drain well because we ship plants on the dry side. Early-spring shipping succulents could have some dry edges and a lackluster appearance. This is typical, and their color will deepen when exposed to sunlight. Sempervivums change color with the seasons, and each variety has a certain time of year when it is at its most vibrant.
Uses:
Succulents can be used in countless planting scenarios. The most interesting containers and troughs are those with a variety of colors, textures, and behaviors. Succulents make lovely plants for rock gardens. There is always color since there are so many different bloom times.