A first-hand guide for beginners on how to care for succulents

“Life is like a succulent, full of pricks, but incredibly beautiful.”

There is nothing quite like buying and maintaining succulents as a special memento for our homes. But with many varieties around, choosing can be a tough task! We usually think that succulents are easy-to-grow plants, but some people struggle to take good care of them.

To avoid such a situation, here are some tips for beginners to maintain their succulents even if you do not have a green thumb!

WHAT ARE SUCCULENTS? WHY THE CRAZE?

Succulents are everywhere and popular these days. They are stylish houseplants that are affordable and easy to maintain. Whether they are used as decorations in weddings or interior design magazines, succulents have become the hottest trend right now, and why wouldn't they be?

• Succulents are a group of plants with fleshy leaves or stems adapted to storing water due to their thriving in warm and dry climates. They grow in some of the most diverse shapes, colours and textures.
• You may be familiar with a few common succulents such as jade plant, aloe vera plant or holiday cacti. However, most people associate succulents with 'Cactaceae', the cactus family. But, it is worth noting that while all cacti are succulents, not all succulents are cacti.

 GUIDE TO MAINTAIN YOUR SUCCULENTS:

If you are choosing succulents for the first time, here's your basic guide to know about growing them:

1. Use containers that drain while planting succulents: Ensure that you plant your succulents in containers that are easily drained as these babies don’t need a lot of water to thrive. 
   
   
2. Low-nutrient soil for succulents: It is essential to mix your soil with some perlite or pumice to obtain low-nutrient soil beneficial for cacti and succulents. The soil must drain if you want your succulents to stay adequately moist, as they do not like to be overwatered. There are specialised succulent potting mixes available as well. 
   
   
3. Lots of sunlight: Provide the succulents with plenty of natural light (sunlight) while keeping the containers away from drafts or frosty windows. While succulents do require some sunlight even in winters as they become dormant, it is necessary to ensure that they need around a half a day or full day of sunlight, which depends on the plant variety.
   
   
4. Warm environment: Keeping succulents at a warm temperature is generally not harmful. They can survive in temperatures between 40 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for a long time without any harm. A dry, illuminated and cool environment is necessary to induce the formation of flower buds on various desert plants. For bud development, night-time temperatures between 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit are sufficient.
   
   
5. Careful watering: Overwatering your succulent and leaving the soil soggy will be harmful to them and ultimately, your plant will die. Even misting them is also not a solution. It is vital to ensure that every one week, your succulent plant gets plenty of water (also depends on plant type). While watering a succulent, be sure to let it drain fully before watering it again. You may water once a month in winters if the soil is completely dry.

We hope that these tips help you to raise beautiful succulent babies. Happy gardening!