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Viviparous Crassulaceae
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Succulents care
Pots, Soil, Watering
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The Genus
Bryophyllum
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Succulents care FAQ - Pots, Soil & Water
Also see: New Season 2005
Pots
Soil
Watering
Fertilizing
The Water
*** POTS ***
Clay or plastic ?
This is an old question that still has no definite answer.
In any case the pot should have a rather large hole as outlet
for excess water. Damming moisture is deadly for succulents (and other plants
as well).
Clay pots have the advantage that the pots are porous and will leak
water. But the soil also dries much fast than in plastic pots. This can
be an advantage for the plants, but also a disadvantage. In summer, a clay
pot stays cooler due evaporative cooling - some gardeners say this can be a problem for the roots,
others say this is an advantage.
Plastic pots don't leak water. This can be dangerous for senstive plants.
Those pots warm up more in summer than clay pots - again, some gardeners say this is a disadvantage,
some say this is an advantage.
The choice of the type of the pot also depends on the climate.
If you live in a hot, dry region, clay pots dry up very fast and then the
pots heat up again.
If you live in a moist and/or cooler climate, the plastic pot can dry up
too slowly and roots may start to rot.
I didn't have much luck with plastic pots a few years ago, so I went the clay pot route.
This year, 2005, a friend told me, that plastic pots are the preferred type, since the
roots don't cool down due evaporation as with the clay pots.
Conclusion: Everyone has to find the right pot for himself - there is no general rule. As you've
seen there are various factors to consider, so experiment with it and after some time you'll
find the right type for you.
While visiting the collections of well respected scholars of plants and
recognizing the variety of substratum used, one might get the idea that
succulents are very adaptive.
But one has to consider that the practised care and the soil are well balanced.
Everyone has to find a substratum of his own and if found, one should not
switch to a different mixture without a good reason.
If one gets a new plant, one might consider putting it into his own mixture.
In doing this one can control pest attack as well.
If a plant grows very well in a colleague's collection, it might not grow
well in your own collection.
In general, succulents require a rather porous substratum, which
dries off a few days after watering.
Golden rule for the soil: It should not form to a compact ball when
wet!
The soil - pressed together by hand - should fall apart and be crumbly at
the slightest touch, otherwise it is missing coarse components.
The base material can be soil for home plants sold in many home stores or
ordinary soil from your garden, but it should not be too loamy.
To increase the porousity of the substratum, some material of i.e.
vulcanic origin is required. Small grained lava, pumice (Bimsstein)
or small cut burnt clay (Seramis) works very well. I used aquarium gravel
for aquatic plants sold in aquarium-shops and burnt clay gravel too.
Now in 2005 I've switched to regular cactii soil. A friend of mine has extremely
good results with plain cactii coil available in every garden market or do-it-yourself
store.
Many people think that succulents don't need much water due the thick, water
storing leaves.
This is NOT true!
Sure, they can outlast longer periods of dryness, but while being in the
phase of growing they need to be watered regularly.
How much ?
This question can't be answered so easily, since every succulent has different
needs.
If you're in doubt if you should water or not, do not water. This
applies to most plants, except very thirsty ones. In general more plants
die of over-watering than of lack of water.
During the period of growth, the plants should never be extremely
dry for more than one day. Otherwise the fine roots die and
when watered again, the fine roots must grow again. If then the plant is
watered very little again, the growth of the fine roots is stimulated again,
but below the line no water is left for the plant itself and it dies. A
vicious circle!
The main goal is to water to plant not too much, but also not too little.
During the period of growth the roots should never be extremely dry for
more than one day, not should they be drowned.
Let the soil dry enough before watering again (danger of rot!).
The length of time between waterings will vary mostly with the air temperature
and relative humidity.
Many succulents indicate the period of growth by swelling shoots and sprouts.
On the other hand the plants indicate the rest period by yellowing leaves
and drying sprouts. Do not water too much during the rest period! Give them
a good flush only e.g. once a month instead of watering a bit every week.
The cooler and darker the plants over winter, the earlier one must decrease
watering.
Never ever put plants into darkness if the roots are still very wet. Those
plants would keep growing and etiolate (-> growth of weak and thin shoots).
Stop watering until the soil has dried up, put them into their new environment,
then continue with a good flush e.g. once a month.
Similarly to soil mixing habits, one should not change the habit of watering
without a good reason.
Golden Rules:
Water until the water
appears at the bottom of the pot, but always remove excess water from
the saucer.
Permanent moisture
is not good, so let it dry up before watering again.
Give them a good
flush only e.g. once a month instead of watering a bit every week during the
rest period.
In 2005 a friend told me she fertilizes once a week with plain cactii/succulent
fertilizer. Therefore I've adopted this habbit - Bryophyllum plants which were
growing very slowly or not at all, suddenly almost exploded, producing plenty
of new leaves and plantlets!
The water should always be room-temperature!
The best would be water directly from heaven (rain ;-), but consider this
carefully, since today's rain contains much dust and acid, etc.
One can also use tap-water, but take care of the lime. Most succulent plants
prefer neutral or slightly acid soil. But watering with lime-rich water
causes the soil to become alkaline, which is not good.
If you have only a few plants to care of, just use hot tap water
and let it rest for at least one day.
A common method to acidify tap water is to stuff an old nylon pantyhose
with peat and hang it into the water for a few days. Use the stuffed nylon
about five to ten times and then recycle it.
If one has a larger demand for 'nice' water, one might consider buying a
water softener to remove lime.
Last-Modified: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:03:31 GMT
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