How not to suck at succulents & cacti

There are two types of people in this world, those who don’t kill succulents & cacti, and those who do kill succulents & cacti. I believe the biggest difference between these people are south facing windows.

Succulents & cacti are easy to keep plants when in the correct environment (I suppose this can be said of all plants), but what I mean by ‘easy’ is that they require minimal maintenance once established in the correct place. The biggest killers of these species are over watering and not enough light.

When purchasing a house plant of any kind, it’s important to think about the natural habitat of that plant and whether realistically you can replicate that environment at home enough to allow the plant to survive. Nowadays, we have become overly concerned with the way plants look and purchase them based on their aesthetic rather than whether they would genuinely survive in our homes.

A much healthier way to shop for plants, would be to consider exactly where in your home it would go, how much light you can offer it, how much you would like to water it, what the humidity levels are, etc. Once you’ve thought about this, you should match the plant to the environment you can offer (you wouldn’t buy a Great Dane if you lived in a studio flat at the top of a 5 storey building).

'When purchasing a house plant of any kind, it’s important to think about the natural habitat of that plant and whether realistically you can replicate that environment at home enough to allow the plant to survive.'

Of course, there are plants out there that are hardy enough to survive in a range of conditions in our home without being overly considerate of their needs (cue the ZZ & snake plant lovers), but succulents & cacti are not this kind of plant. So what do you need to offer to ensure your succulents & cacti thrive? See my 5 quick tips below:

Lots and lots of sunlight!
As you have probably seen recently on Green Planet, although these plants live in a variety of habitats, almost all are subject to drought & sun. Ideally, you need a south facing window with at least 4 - 6 hours of direct sunlight a day (there are some species which prefer a shadier spot - Mistletoe or Christmas Cacti for example and younger plants may be susceptible to sunburn. If you would like to chat about your cacti/succulent plant please feel free to email me). As a rule of thumb, a well established succulent or cacti will do well in direct sun.

Of course they may survive in bright, indirect lighting conditions, but often these plants will become leggy as they try to reach for the light. To avoid that awkward lean, rotate the plant regularly to ensure all sides are receiving enough light.

Minimal water!
It’s difficult to suggest how often you should water because it will be based on the size of the plant, the amount of light it’s receiving, type of soil it’s potted in, amongst other variants, but these plants require minimal watering. They are drought resistant and can cope for long periods of time without any water at all because they store water in their leaves.

One good tip is to look at the plant itself, are the leaves/ stem plump or slightly withered and wrinkly. If the latter, it may be ready for a drink, if it’s still plump and the leaves look healthy and full, I would leave alone. If in doubt, let it drought!

From my experience, I water thoroughly and then allow the soil to dry completely before watering again.

Lower humidity levels!
Whilst both succulents & cacti can survive in higher humidity levels, if you want them to really thrive I would place them somewhere with drier air. Avoid bathrooms & kitchens which both normally have higher humidity levels and opt for a bright, warm spot away from cold draughts by doorways.

Soil!
Cacti & succulents generally have shallow root systems that are susceptible to root rot. They will not do well in soil with excessive organic matter as it holds on to excessive moisture and does not allow aeration of the roots. Instead, they require a sandy, well draining mix full of inorganic matter such as perlite & gravel. Most plant shops & garden centres offer pre made Cacti & succulent soils mixes at reasonable prices (we currently offer Ninja Soil mix). However, if you would like to mix your own, you will need approx 50% potting soil & 50% sand & other mineral mixes such as perlite to ensure proper drainage and airflow.

Pests!
These types of plants are susceptible to all usual house plant pests, but particularly mealy bugs and especially when the soil is kept overly moist. Mealy bugs appear as fluffy white cotton and although the damage to the plant may take a while to be visible, the infestations can move in quickly. 

Mealy bugs infestations if caught early enough can be easy to remove. If you are a patient person, you can use an earbud dipped in rubbing alcohol you can remove the visible mealy bugs from your plant, if you are impatient you can decant the alcohol into a spray bottle and spray the plant instead. Other techniques include using diluted dish soap, buying ladybirds to eat the mealy bugs or most shop bought pesticides.

There you have it plant lovers, my quick guide to keeping these beauties alive within our homes.