With the chilly weather outside, the grass *literally* isn’t greener on the other side of your window. Everything seems grey, and even the plants look lifeless.
While spring is slowly coming around the corner, the tunnel of winter can feel never-ending. I don’t know about you, but the winter months always make me want to brighten life up with indoor plants.
A few years ago, I visited a local plant store, picked a succulent, and named it Jelly Bean. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before it grew mould and died. I tried to figure out where I went wrong, but the internet overwhelmed me with conflicting advice and technical terms that were too complicated for me to understand as someone who had never kept plants before.
Now, with more experience, I’m here to share tips that have worked for my current collection of healthy succulents. I’ve also gathered advice from a friend who successfully manages over 15 thriving succulents.
Here are four tips to follow for keeping your indoor succulents healthy.
- Watering and Fertilization
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How much should you water or fertilize a plant is usually a main concern for new plant owners. Since succulents’ natural environment is areas with hot climates they’re not used to getting over-watered.
Thinking I was doing good for Jelly Bean by giving it plenty of water was where I went wrong. A trend I’ve noticed is that succulents are happiest when watered only once their soil is dry — usually about a week but can vary.
In the winter, my friend mentioned that succulents don’t like being watered as much since they preserve more water during this time of year.
As for fertilization, neither I nor my friend fertilize ours. If you are going to use fertilizer, very little is probably best, since it can cause more growth than the plant can handle because of lack of sufficient sunlight.
- Positioning and Humidifiers
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It may seem odd to put these two tips together but they actually go hand in hand. It’s often thought that the closer succulents are to windows with natural light the better.
This is true when the temperature becomes warmer, but not year-round. It’s best to avoid leaving them by the cold window in the winter and instead leave them a bit farther away from a window sill in a naturally lit room.
Now, a humidifier isn’t a magical tool but will surely help make the room they are in feel more like their habitat if you do need to keep them close to a window.
- Repotting
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This last tip wasn’t something I knew before either, but I learned that I should avoid repotting or soil changes in the winter.
Repotting should be done if your succulent is sprouting new growth, and the pot is getting tighter or the soil is simply getting old.
In the winter these drastic changes of a new pot could shock the plants who are already experiencing stress from the cold. However, something I have noticed is that succulents generally don’t like being moved around to different places.
Before getting your succulent pick out the perfect spot and let it settle in their cozy home.
- Propagation
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An interesting thing about succulents is their ability to propagate, which basically means they can regrow from cuttings or leaves. Just by placing a leaf in water or soil, you’ll start to see growth after a few days.
The biological reason behind this is that plant cells aren’t specified for specific parts; the cells of the leaf can become root cells when deemed necessary. This is perfect for growing new plants from ones you already have!
Please note neither me nor my friend are experts, these are simply popular common trends that have worked for us. Plants vary, so some things may not work for you and your plants. There are many resources available online for further information.
Happy winter gardening!