Tips for Growing Succulents

Succulents can be a visually interesting addition to your garden, and they are especially great as borders or for walkways. There are many different varieties, with different foliage colors and shapes, and many varieties are very low maintenance and easy to grow. They can also do well in container gardens and indoor pots, so they are a very versatile addition no matter what kind of garden you have.

They are fairly maintenance free and can add color to pots where you are growing larger trees. They also make a nice looking ground cover that may reduce the amount of weeds depending on the type of succulent you choose.

Pink flowers of a succulent plant growing in Orange County, CA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Placed in multi colored pots, succulents can look quite impressive with contrasting colors in designer gardens and courtyards. They are excellent for smaller pots where they can add color and life to patios and decks provided they get sufficient sunlight.

They also make an ideal plant for the busy apartment dweller where there is only minimal outdoor area and not enough room for larger plants.

They can also withstand winds that might damage other plants grown in these conditions. They are the ideal plant to have in window boxes and come in many different varieties, colors, shapes and sizes.

To ensure that your succulents get the very best in growing conditions, particularly if you are growing them in pots, you will need to buy good quality specially formulated succulent mix. This is generally the same type mix that you would also use for growing cacti.

Slow release fertilizer will help them to remain healthier by supplying them with necessary nutrients throughout the year, and the best time to give them this fertilizer is in spring.

They will grow better when exposed to the full sun as they don't like frosts. Over the summer months you will need to give them sufficient water and that will generally be once or twice a week.

Over the winter months if planted outdoors they should get enough water to only need watering once a month. Obviously you will need to adjust this depending on the climate they are growing in but that is a general guideline to follow. When you water your succulents you should avoid wetting their foliage if possible.