A potting medium that is high in sand will be beneficial for succulent seeds. To put it another way, quite gritty and exhausting. Builder’s sand or Horticultural sand can both fit pretty well. If they are out of reach, you can add perlite and grit to some normal soil.
How should soil be prepared for seeds of succulents?
Due of the small size of succulent seeds, you should do this step in a wind-free region.
- So that the seeds adhere to the soil, dampen the soil’s surface.
- Give the seeds room to grow by evenly distributing them across the soil mixture’s surface. Depending on the type of succulent you are planting, the spacing varies. When determining how far apart you should space them, consider their adult size.)
- Spread them out evenly using a toothpick. Put one or two seeds in each cell of your tray, if it is divided into sections. Don’t bury the seeds in the ground.
- Use plastic wrap or a clear lid to protect your tray(s).
- Place the trays in a well-lit area that is away from direct sunlight.
- Keep the setting at at 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Your seeds can be drowned by too much water, so keep the soil moist but not soaked. To keep the air circulating, open the lid twice daily.
How do you germinate a succulent seed?
So, now that we’ve spoken about why you should start growing succulents from scratch, if you’ve made the decision that you’d like to give it a shot, you’re probably wondering how to get going.
First off, it’s crucial to understand how different it is to produce succulents from seeds compared to other kinds of plants. In light of that, let’s examine how to start your own succulent garden from seeds.
Start with Good-Quality Seeds
Make sure you begin with high-quality seeds from a reputable source, even if it should go without saying. Succulent seeds are really tiny, as we just discussed; in fact, some species are so little that they can be mistaken for dirt or dust.
You wouldn’t believe it, but there are some dishonest persons out there who have sold people items that may be mistaken for succulent seeds.
Make sure you get seeds from a reliable supplier to prevent being conned. The easiest way to shop is online. There are many sellers who offer high-quality succulent seeds on Amazon and Etsy, but there are also some less reliable dealers on these marketplaces.
Therefore, before making a purchase, look through reviews to be sure you’re dealing with a reliable provider.
Step 1: Fill the seed starting slots
I started by placing my succulent soil into each of the planting holes in my seed-standing tray. After fully soaking the soil, I let the extra water drain into the sink through the drainage holes.
Step 2: Add seeds
I then carefully cleaned and dried my hands. The succulent seeds are really tiny, so I wanted to take precautions to prevent losing or contaminating them. In each planting hole, I placed one seed and lightly pressed it into the moist dirt.
Step 3: Provide light, humidity, and water
The germination, rhizomes, and growth of succulent seeds require a lot of moisture. Because the seed starting tray features drainage holes where the extra water may flow into, watering them is quite simple. When that tray is kept somewhat moist, you can “water them from the bottom.” You can also begin watering as usual from the top once the seeds begin to grow.
The seed tray’s translucent plastic dome, which is placed atop it, aids in moisture retention. This is crucial to ensuring the happiness of the seedlings as they emerge and preventing the soil from drying out! The recommended temperature range for indoor plants is between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, just like other indoor plants. There is also some heat retention thanks to the dome.
To see if there was a significant difference, I chose to use two different lighting setups. One of the trays is placed in a bathroom window that receives sunlight in the late morning, midday, and evening. I placed the other tray next to a window that receives morning sunlight but is also covered by a grow light for eight hours every day. (I discussed my grow light in this post about inexpensive, useful presents for plant lovers.)
Step 4: Baby them!
Continue giving your seeds water and sunshine. Within two to eight weeks, they ought to “sprout.” You can take off the topping a few days after your seeds have sprouted. They must breathe some air! As needed, keep filling the water tray. Keep the soil from drying out.
You can reduce watering once you start to see the root system truly taking shape (usually after around 3 or 4 months). Start by letting the soil to dry out in between waterings, exactly like you would with a typical succulent. Then, carefully transfer your brand-new, little babies to their respective pots.
Don’t worry if mold starts to appear on top of your seedling trays. Remove the lid so they can breathe. You can also be watering your plants excessively, so cut back. If you’d like, you can dig away a portion of the top dirt layer. Nevertheless, as you can see in the image below, it isn’t harming or stopping the seedling from growing.
Overwatering, on the other hand, can harm your seedling or result in its tiny, exposed roots decomposing once it starts to grow. Also, if your seeds haven’t germinated after a few weeks, don’t worry. Mine started sprouting after around 2 weeks, and they sprouted intermittently for weeks after that.
In the future, I’ll update this post to reflect the development of each of my succulent types. Happy planting in the meanwhile!
Can I grow succulents in normal potting soil?
In their natural habitat, succulents will flourish in sandy soil or even gravel. With this kind of soil, the succulent never has wet feet since the water can drain through.
- If you only have potting soil on hand, adding crushed stones or coarse sand will be essential because succulents demand well-drained soil.
- A succulent soil must be able to store nutrients and water and then release them when the plant requires them.
- To breathe and easily pierce the soil mixture, the roots need air pathways in the soil.
- A healthy soil should hold the succulent plant upright, encourage root expansion, and anchor the roots.
- A good succulent mixture should not contain an excessive amount of nitrogen because this will result in huge, leggy leaves.
Can succulents be grown in cactus soil?
Because cacti are a form of succulent, you can use cactus soil for succulents. When it comes to soil, what works for cactus can also work for other varieties of succulents. Cactus soil provides a well-draining, airy growing medium that is ideal for succulents and cacti.
A succulent can grow well in good quality cactus soil because it has air pockets, excellent drainage, and great nutrient retention capabilities. Ingredients including coco coir, peat moss, gritty sand, pumice, and perlite are used in several cactus mixtures.
Is seed starting mix OK for use as potting soil?
Both “seed starting mix” and “seed starting soil” are acceptable terms. Seed starting mix has as few nutrients as feasible compared to potting soil (or have controlled nutrients for specific plants).
The fact that seed soil is sterilized and has a very fine substrate is the second distinction.
Should I soak the seeds for my succulent plants first?
Despite the fact that they appear to be able to survive on the sand in the nature, succulents actually prefer other types of soil like loose dirt and rocky soil and require fertilizers to thrive. This may result in an excessive amount of water retention in a container when used alone since it compacts with time. A potting soil, coarse sand, and perlite or pumice mixture that drains well is the best potting medium for succulents. Specially designed potting soil for cacti and succulents is also a good option.
Yes. Like other plant seeds, succulent seeds can be cultivated indoors under the right conditions, such as light, moist soil, but they develop more slowly and typically don’t achieve transplant size until six to twelve months following germination.
The lowest leaves on the stem—those closest to the potting soil, like those on many other plants—will eventually dry up and fall off. There is no cause for concern because this is a normal occurrence. If a plant’s uppermost leaves start to die, it may be a sign of overwatering, pest infestations, or even disease.
Even once the seeds are procured and sown, it may take three weeks or even a year for them to germinate, much less develop into succulents of all sizes.
The succulent seeds need to be soaked in warm water for around 30 minutes or so just before you are ready to plant them. The seed coat is loosened by this process, which also initiates germination. Opuntia species need a few days of soaking in warm water since their seed coverings are very resistant. Unless the seed is really large enough to sow, you shouldn’t force it into the soil.
To germinate, succulent seed needs more light. They’ll also require access to water all the time. Watering the succulent seed is best accomplished by flooding the container from below.
While certain cacti will have very little seedlings sprout along the ribs or leaf edges of the plant, most succulents multiply via division. The plantlets can be removed once they are large enough to be handled without difficulty.
Can succulents be grown in just rocks?
It should be obvious that succulents will thrive when planted in rocks given these circumstances. They drain very well and do not retain water, which eliminates the possibility of root rot. This does not include another component of soil, though, since all plants need nutrients.
Although succulents are not particularly hungry plants, they do need certain nutrients to grow. Other micronutrients like zinc or iron are needed in smaller levels, whereas macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are essential. The plant won’t grow at all or last very long without these nutrients.
By their very nature, rocks don’t release nutrients quickly enough to keep the plants alive. They are composed of minerals, but since they decompose so slowly over time, they are not appropriate for growing on their own. Additionally, they often don’t retain enough moisture, allowing the roots to quickly dry out after draining practically instantly.
Sadly, this means that succulents cannot thrive permanently without soil in rocks. If not given regular care, they may survive for several weeks or even months on the nutrients found in the stems and leaves.
How frequently should I water my baby succulents?
Only water succulents when the soil has totally dried up. There isn’t a standard watering schedule that applies to all succulents in all environments.
Many indoor succulent growers discover that watering their plants every 14 to 21 days keeps them healthy. Use this timeline as a guide and make adjustments if necessary.
The earliest symptoms of underwatering on the leaves are the greatest time to water your succulents. To see what that looks like, have a look at the cheat sheet above.
The best course of action is to wait for a signal from your succulent before watering because most succulents are particularly susceptible to rot with regular watering.
And keep in mind how crucial it is to monitor your watering routine. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve assumed that I haven’t watered in a while, just to discover that it was only a few days ago thanks to my notes in the Succulent Tracker app (Apple | Android).
In this video, learn about a several factors that could influence how frequently you water your succulents:
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 buy 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 quickly do seeds germinate?
Others thrive better when they are started in controlled surroundings that replicate their native environments, while some seeds grow quickly. Here are some suggestions to assist you set up the ideal environment for your seeds to sprout more quickly.
Reading the instructions on the seed packet is the best approach to determine the ideal conditions for your plants. You can find the ideal planting date, the length of time till bloom, care instructions, and any unique requirements.
Presoaking seeds in shallow containers of hot tap water for 24 hours is one simple approach to hasten germination. The seed coat will become permeable to water, which will induce the embryos inside to swell. They risk rotting if you immerse them for more than 24 hours. Sow the seeds right away in some damp soil.
Stratification is the method of deceiving seeds into believing they are experiencing winter by subjecting them to a period of moist cold. If you’re planting seeds indoors in the spring, soak them first, then put them in a sandwich bag with a zip-top closure, filling it halfway with moist seed-starting medium, and then add another inch of medium on top. Place the bag in the fridge. Move the seeds into pots after their roots begin to grow.
In the fall and winter, you can keep seeds outside in pots that need to be exposed to the cold. Over the tops of the pots, scatter a thin layer of extremely fine gravel, such as aquarium gravel in natural colors. To protect them from extreme cold and stop them from spilling, keep the pots close together and bury them up to their rims. Move the pots to a protected nursery location once the seeds have begun to germinate.
In the process of scarification, a seed’s coat is punctured with a knife or piece of sandpaper to allow moisture to enter the seed’s embryo. To remove a very little piece or segment of the seed coat, you can use a tiny pocketknife or rat-tail file, or you can place the seeds in a jar lined with sandpaper, secure the lid, and shake the jar. Just before you’re ready to plant the seeds, scarify them.
The upkeep of seeds put in pots is simple. The practice of sowing seeds densely in a flat or tray and then transplanting individual seedlings into bigger pots is popular among gardeners. By sowing a few seeds in 2 1/4-inch or larger pots and then thinning them with scissors or planting them altogether in your garden, you can avoid the necessity for transplanting.
Using a commercial “soilless” seed-starting mix can help prevent seedling illness. The majority of the mixture should be placed in a big bowl and moistened with water. Fill the bowl to 1/2 inch below the rim, compact the mixture to remove any air pockets, then add three or four seeds and press them firmly into the soilless mixture. If you anticipate that they may germinate in a few days or weeks, cover them. By misting water from above or pouring water onto a tray and having the pots soak it up from the bottom, you can keep the medium moist.
Plant seedlings in containers on windowsills that face south or east so they can receive enough of light. If you don’t have enough room, you can place them indoors behind chains of fluorescent lighting that can be raised and lowered. 12 to 16 hours of artificial light each day are required for seedlings.
Use a water-soluble fertilizer once a week after the seedlings start to sprout to promote growth. Observe instructions for container or indoor plants.
Your seedlings must be “hardened off” before being planted outside in order to protect them from being harmed by the sun, wind, and inclement weather. Transfer the seedlings to a shaded location protected from strong winds. On the first day, leave them there for a few hours, and then gradually increase the time. They will be prepared to plant in the ground in approximately a week. It is ideal to plant them in the late afternoon or on a cloudy, dreary day. Both before and after planting, water the seedlings.