Succulents are well known for being easy to care for Houseplants. They come in so many shapes and colors ranging from subtle hues of greens, pinks and even grays, making them a great addition to any homes decor. Succulents are survivors, I once left mine for 10 days while on vacation and it's still growing strong. They thrive with plenty of light and well draining soil. We're helping you get started with basic planting and care for your succulents. Then we will show you a few of our favorite ways to use them in our homes.
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Finding the perfect plant
This is a great guide to help you in selecting the perfect plant for you. Do you love a statement piece that gets your guest talking? Try a Indian Fig Cactus! It's unique, sculptural shape is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Do you have a more laid back, casual vibe in your home? Try a low-key Donkeys Tails plant! It has a subtly color with an interesting texture.
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Selecting the best container
Now that you found the perfect plant, it's time to find the perfect home for it. Picking the right container from the start is important if you want to keep your plants happy. Succulents will not thrive if the pot is too large. Look for a container that is just a little bigger than your plant. We love to use terra-cotta or ceramic pots with drainage holes for succulents and Cactus plants. Unglazed, porous containers allow excess water to evaporate. This will help prevent root rot from happening to your plants. Root rot is one of the ways to kill your succulents and usually is caused by over-watering.
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Choosing the right soil
You have your plant and its pot so now you need soil. You can use a pre-mixed soil labeled for cactus, like Black Gold Cactus Mix for your succulents or use 50/50 mix of potting soil and pumice/perlite for our succulents. This mix will vary depending on where you live. *Please remember, these are just suggestions that have worked for us. Your results may vary depending on where you live, lighting conditions and how much you water.
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Planting your succulents
Now you are ready to plant your succulents. We suggest gently removing the peat moss from around your plants roots. This allows the roots room to grow and actual be able to drink up the water. When you plant your succulent, make sure you don't plant it too deep in the pot. You want plenty of light around your plant to avoid it from stretching, causing it to lose its shape.
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Watering your plant
Succulents thrive with a deep, soil watering and then letting the soil dry completely before watering again. These plants store water in their leaves and stems, which is why they are so forgiving even when we forget to water them. We like to water our plants thoroughly about once every two weeks (this will vary depending on your area). This means to soak the soil until it begins to run out of the drainage hole. Once you see water flowing through the drainage hole, stop watering! Do not water again until the soil is completely dry. Beware of tricky soil! The top layer of your soil will often look dry while the soil near the roots is still wet. To test if your soil is dry throughout, poke a finger deep into the soil and feel for dampness. Another way (and less messy) is to stick a wooden skewer deep into the soil. Then wait a few minutes, pull it out and touch the skewer against your skin. If it feels cool or shows signs of wetness then your plant probably doesn't require water yet.
The right amount of light
Indoor succulents usually do their best near south and east facing window. We noticed our indoor succulents prefer the bright morning sunshine instead of a full sun location. Try different lighting in your home to see what works best for your plant. If you notice your plant turning or stretching towards the light, it could mean that it's not getting enough light.
Displaying your succulents
You planted your succulents and know how to care for them, so now its time to show them off. Think of succulents as living sculptures. Use them to create pretty displays in the bare spots around your home. Here are some of our favorite ways to display our pretty plants.
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We love to display them on our nightstands and end tables.
Source: Photo: Carolyn Marie
Try grouping them together as pretty centerpieces on your table (Perfect for parties too!).
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Use a pot of charming String of Pearls on the edge of your shelving, allowing them to gracefully tumble down the sides.
Visit our Pinterest board for more plant styling ideas and more. Let us know your favorite plant or care tip in the comments below. Share your plants! We want to see how you are displaying the plants around your home. Use the hashtag #abigailamira so we can see them!