Planting succulents: how to do it

Succulents are one of the most popular plants for gardening enthusiasts, both in interior decoration and in gardens and exteriors. Its success is due both to its beautiful and striking shapes, aesthetically very attractive, and to the great resistance that most of its species offer. These are plants that are not very demanding in their care. One of the greatest qualities of these plants is their ability to store water in its different parts, thus making them very resistant to drought. Also, when it comes to nutrients, they don’t tend to be picky either. If you also like them and want to learn how to plant succulents in your own home, join us in this article that will serve as a practical guide to plant them successfully.

How to plant potted succulents

When it comes to planting succulents, both in a pot and in the ground, there are two options. The first is to plant from seed, that is, sow as is done with the vast majority of plants. This is a process that does not offer special complications, but since succulents are usually very slow-growing plants, the most common is to opt for the second option, which is to transplant succulents from a sucker or cutting .

Succulents tend to produce suckers or daughter plants at the foot of the original plant, which are very easy to separate and transplant, so this is a very common option when multiplying or reproducing succulents . Their cuttings also tend to root successfully, making the method convenient and very simple. Before planting potted succulents it is important to make sure we have everything we need and then follow these steps.

1. Prepare the pot: you can use pots and containers of any material, but the most recommended with these plants is clay. This material allows a good circulation of air and even water, helping to avoid one of the biggest dangers of succulents: excess humidity. For this same reason, it is vital that the pot also has drainage holes through which it can remove excess moisture.
2. Mix the substrate: it does not need to be very rich in organic matter or nutrients. The important thing is that it is light, loose and offers the best possible drainage. You can use special substrates for succulents, but if you prepare the mixture, a base of gravel or sand in the pot and a significant part of coconut fiber in the substrate are great options. Also, adding some perlite will help too. 
3. Prepare the succulent: when planting a new plant or when transplanting, carefully extract the succulent or sucker from its original pot, taking special care with its roots, which are fine and delicate. In addition, it is advisable to try to clean as much of the old soil as possible, especially if you have just bought your succulent. It is probably unsuitable soil for it, and it is advisable to free its roots and untangle them as much as possible. If you see rotten or bad roots, use properly sanitized pruning shears to cut them.
4. Plant the succulent: fill the pot with the substrate and plant the succulent in it, ensuring that the first leaves are not in direct contact with the ground, to keep them away from moisture. A shallow layer of rocks or gravel will help in this regard as well. In addition, if you are going to try to get a cutting from leaves or branches, you can improve its chances of rooting by leaving it in water for a week before planting it, so it will begin to develop roots and be more prepared for the earth.
5. Wait to water: after planting it, allow a couple of days before watering so that the roots have time to recover.

How to plant succulents in soil

Outdoors, the process is not that different. Follow these steps for succulents in soil :

1. The soil is very important, so you should prepare a layer of at least 20 cm of substrate for succulents so that the plants do not have problems developing or accumulating moisture. Also keep in mind that it is not too attached to other plants that you have in this field, respect several cm of distance between each one.
2. It provides a superficial layer of volcanic rock or some other material that isolates the aerial part of the plant from the soil moisture.
3. Be sure to remove old soil from the roots if you transplant or cuttings, such as potted succulents.
4. Plant the succulent making sure to set the roots down and slightly stretched out.
5. Fill with more substrate until the plant stands on its own and is straight, but remember that if possible it is necessary to avoid that the first layer of leaves touch the ground.
6. Don’t water until a few days later, especially if the soil in the soil was already a bit damp. And so you already have a succulent planted in the soil of your garden.

Succulent care – a basic guide

Now that you have your succulent planted in a pot or soil, follow these tips to care for succulents :

• These plants are very resistant and their undemanding care makes them very suitable for beginners or gardening enthusiasts but without much time. However, there is one point that cannot be overlooked: succulents do not tolerate excess moisture. Watering them too much or providing them with poorly drained soil will cause rotting of the roots of the plant and, quite possibly, that we lose it.
• Don’t water your succulents until the substrate is dry.
• If the pot has a drainage plate, remove the excess water after watering and never leave it accumulated.
• Be careful not to get its leaves wet when watering them.
• Locate the plant in an area where it receives light, but not during peak hours if you live in a climate with very strong sun.