"Get a succulent," they said. "It'll be easy," they said. And some people do find them pretty easy to handle, for a living thing. But it's not always true. Read on to find out what issues you might run into while caring for your new succulent and how you can combat or even avoid common struggles.
Succs Everywhere!
Succulents are everywhere these days, and that honestly makes me so happy! You can hardly go anywhere and not be presented with a cute little tray of adorable and exotic baby succulents and cacti and air plants. Trader Joe's. Home Depot. Starbucks. Target. Home Goods. IHOP. Okay, maybe not IHOP...yet. But you can find them in all kinds of expected and unexpected places. You get sucked in by the tiny little pots. You get sucked in by all the variety. You get sucked in by the ones who appear to be on the struggle bus--surely, I can help this little guy live! So you swipe up one (or two or...nevermind), shuttle your prize home, locate a nice prominent place to rest it, maybe give it a little drink, and sit back and admire it. Then a few days go by, and then a few more. If you're in one of the climates where they grow regardless (looking at you, Florida and California), the little dude may look just like he did when he jumped in your cart. Lucky you. But if you're not living on the coast, your little guy may get sick pretty quickly. So here are some tips that may help you when you first bring home your new succulent pet.
What to Look For
The first thing to do is identify what plant you have so you can figure out the care requirements. Should be easy, right? *sigh* In my experience, not many succulents -- or other plants, for that matter -- come with identification beyond something generic like "small succulent," let alone with care instructions, which is a shame. But never fear, we have the internet and a bunch of apps to help with identifying your plant. Two of my favorite apps for identifying new plants are Google's Lens and LeafSnap by Appixi. There are tons of other plant identification apps for both indoor and outdoor plants; these are just two I have used and found to be accurate and helpful--and free. Once you know what plant you have, do a quick internet search to get guidance on its care requirements. There's a lot of information out there, but here are the answers you're looking for:- Where does this little guy want to live his best life? (Environment)
- How temperamental is he? (Sensitivity)
- What does he eat and how often? (Feeding) (Hint: Those are two separate questions, and no, the answer isn't always "water.")
- What is his Cryptonite? (Pests)
- Does he play well with others, and if so, with whom? (Playdates)
Find the answers to these questions, and you're well on your way to making your new succulent pet happy and healthy in your life. This post is just a basic guide to help you get started on the path of new plant ownership. We'll be going through each of these points in future posts, so stay tuned. And BTW, most these tips work on all plants, not just succulents.