Caring for Succulents
25 Succulent Mistakes and Solutions
My what-not-to-do’s are simple to avoid, but not necessarily easy to remedy. A smart succulent owner learns what can be expensive to fix, might cause prized plants to look dreadful, and could even kill them.
Read MoreOh, No, My Succulents Froze!
Oh, no, my succulents froze! Not good: This morning the birdbath was solid ice and lemons had frozen on the tree. Even those succulents I’d covered have patchy areas indicating damaged tissue. Those not covered (above)
Read MoreYour Spring Succulent Checklist
Do these now to avoid problems and maintain plant health. Links below take you to detailed information here on my site. And hey! Do visit my *Succulent Propagation Page—it’s newly updated with basic-but-essential info.
Read MoreWater pH for Succulents
Giving succulents water with an alkaline pH can inhibit the plants’ ability to take up nutrients, leading to less vigorous growth and yellowing. Urban and residential water tends to be alkaline (has a pH higher than 7, which is neutral).
Read MoreWhen Aeoniums Get Leggy
When aeoniums get leggy, cut off the tops, leaving an inch or two of stem, and throw the rest of the plant away, roots and all. Replant each rosette as a cutting. Insert it into the soil, so it sits just above the ground. The best time
Read MoreLate Summer Succulent Care
Excessive heat and sun can do as much damage as winter frosts. Use the summer care tips here and in my video to keep your succulents healthy when late-summer heat hits.
Read MoreSucculents for Hawaii, Florida, Tropics
Will succulents grow in tropical climates like Hawaii and Florida? You might assume so, considering succulents like the same conditions we do when on vacation: Plenty of sunshine, not too hot, breezy and balmy. However,
Read MoreSucculent Lovers’ Favorite Tools
Do you own the favorite tools of your fellow succulent lovers? Consider: We differ from other gardeners in that our prized plants can turn on us. Cacti, agaves, euphorbias and even aloes can act like dogs who resent having their nails trimmed. (I don’t know about yours, but my Chihuahua is a two-person job.)
Read MoreYour Autumn Succulent Checklist
This autumn succulent checklist will help you keep your prized plants snug and healthy during the fall and winter months.
Read MorePost-Summer Succulent Concerns
After a brutal, early-September heat wave, I address ten common, post-summer succulent concerns. You’ll see them in my a new six-minute video: Post-Summer Care for Succulents (6:49). It’s a candid, warts-and-all, behind-the-scenes, damage-control tour.
Read MoreLate Summer Succulent Care
These late-summer care essentials for succulents come from my own experience with growing hundreds of varieties for decades in my inland Southern CA garden. Excessive heat and sun can do as much damage as midwinter frosts. Here’s what I do routinely every year.
Read MoreDon’t Let a Heat Wave Ruin Your Succulents
You have two options for protecting your succulents from heat waves that follow cool weather:
1. Move them. Of course this is only possible if they’re in pots. But don’t forget to do it! When sudden heat and sun hit, succulents that haven’t had time to acclimate may sunburn. There’s no reversing the resulting brown or beige patches.