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Challenges Faced by a Succulent Plant Grower

by Giancarlo Perlas

If you’re a succulent plant grower, you have to know that this is not a foolproof investment. Meaning, you would have to spend time, energy, money, and skills on growing succulents whether it’s for your personal use or for a business. There are many challenges faced by succulent growers, especially when it comes to the climate and the temperature of the area where the succulents like CAL Farms Beautiful 36 of 2″ Assorted Succulents will be raised in.

Unless you can grow these plants in a controlled environment like a greenhouse, you can never be too sure if the succulents are getting the right amount of sunlight they need. Though succulents, by reputation, are easy to maintain because they need sunlight and water in minimal amount, it is not easy to manage all of them when there’s a huge batch that requires your attention.

Too Cold

There’s a number of problem when the climate in your area is too cold and you want to grow a succulent plant. When the weather is too low, that can cause the soil to moisten up and retain water. This will not be good for the plant since succulents need minimal amount of water to live long. It might drown the plants in water, so you have to make sure that the soil is very dry before winter sets in.

When winter sets in, there’s also a big possibility that the leaves of your succulents will frost. This could cause the plant to die, so you have to make preventive measures before this happens. You can cover the plants with fabric, bushel baskets, or purchased frost covers when freezing temperature is in the forecast.

Low Light

Succulents like cacti will wither and die when there is very little light in the conditions where they must grow. If you want to grow succulents but you are concerned with the amount of light you are going to get, you must choose very carefully the variants that you will grow. There are succulents that can thrive even with minimal sun or partial or full shade. These are the Portulacaria Afra (Elephant Food), the Gasteria Acinacfolia (Giant Gasteria), the Crassula Ovata (Gollum), the Aeonium Urbicum (Saucer Plant), the Agave Attenuata (Foxtail Agave), the Aloe Aristata (Torch Plant or Lace Aloe), the Echeveria Derenbergii (Painted Lady), and Sempervivum Arachnoideum (Houseleek or Hens and chicks).

Some members of the Sansevieria family even prefer low amount of light compared to the cacti. So, if it is not possible for your conditions to provide a good amount of sunlight, don’t push it and go instead with the abovementioned plants.

Non-Draining Soil

One of the huge pitfalls of growing succulents is the tendency to think of them as ordinary plants and use regular planting soil for them. Using regular soil could spell disaster for your succulents because it would not drain water properly. In fact, it might even retain water and you wouldn’t notice that your plants have drowned in them. If possible, mix the regular soil with porous media like sand or other ingredient that drains well. You can also mix your standard soil with 30 to 50 percent additional perlite.

4 Traits To Look Out For In A Succulent Plant Seller

by Giancarlo Perlas

Every now and then, we want to think about what will make our homes and office spaces look better. You can always decorate it with things you can buy in specialty stores but of course, there’s nothing like putting succulent plants in your homes and offices.

Not only will a succulent plant like CAL Farms Beautiful 36 of 2” Assorted Succulents brighten your space and make it aesthetically pleasing, it is also beneficial to your health. It’s either you want to purchase this for a friend as a gift or as a decorative piece for your home or office. Whatever your reason is, you need to find a good and reputable succulent plant seller that will give you the information you need.

Here are the traits that you should look for in a succulent plant seller:

1. Care for the Succulents

A seller must have absolute genuine care for the succulent plants. He should not only turn it into a profit-making business, he should care for the plants and want to see the best for them.

You will see this in the color, the texture, and the overall look of the succulent plants. If it’s not its usual color, then maybe it is not being watered well or it is not being exposed to the sun enough. This means that the seller simply wants to sell for a price, and not because it is important for him to find good homes for the plants.

2. Experience and Longevity

Sure, it’s nice to support local and smaller businesses, but the experience and longevity in the industry of certain succulent plant sellers like CAL Farms cannot be taken lightly. When your source is experienced in planting and growing succulents, you will most likely receive detailed information about the plant that you’re buying. You may even get the support you need on how to take care of the succulents from the seller himself.

3. Customer Service

As mentioned above, succulent plants owners need as much information and support they can get on how to take care of the plants. You need to find a seller who knows what he’s doing with the plants and who can provide you the details about how to take care of the plants in different conditions and temperatures. This seller must be willing to answer all your queries, seeing as you’re merely beginning in the succulent planting hobby.

4. Creativity

You will see this on how he designed each succulent plant in the pot. The combination of textures, colors, and plant variation will tell you a lot about how creative the person is. Can he personalize a succulent pot for you? Something that will describe who you are as a person?

Buying succulent plants should not be stressful for you. Rather, it should be an enjoyable experience because these plants will brighten anyone’s day. With the many benefits of succulent plants, you’ll never lack for reason why this is the ideal decorative piece for your home or office or why it makes the perfect gift this holiday season.

4 Reasons Why Succulent Plants Are Such A Joy To Give This Christmas Season

by Giancarlo Perlas

Are you looking for the perfect gift for your loved ones this Christmas season? Can’t think of anything unique to wrap in a ribbon and bow? How about a succulent plant? Have you ever wondered why these are becoming popular souvenirs during weddings, birthdays, baptisms, and other occasions?

It can be quite tiring to find the perfect gift for our loved ones this holiday season. As much as we want to give what they truly want—gadgets, cars, watches—these are all too expensive and might not be practical for us to give as gifts. A succulent plant, however, is something unique and truly special. You can even customize the design and the combination of plants of the succulents.

CAL Farms’ Beautiful 36 of 2” Assorted Succulents, for example, make for the ideal party favor, souvenir, or gift. This mix of succulents will surely be appreciated by anyone who receives it. This holiday season, it is particularly pleasing to receive something different from what we normally get from our friends and family.

Unique and interesting

When was the last time someone gave you an actual living thing? Succulent plants make for an excellent gift because it is unique and interesting. No one else would have thought of giving someone a plant to take care of. Maybe a dog is a common gift between boyfriends and girlfriends, but a plant is something meaningful—you have to keep it alive and store-bought dog food won’t cut it. Sure, succulents are low-maintenance plants, but there is still extra effort in taking care of it.

Romantic

Unknown to many, succulents can be quite romantic, too. Forget the usual bouquet of red and pink roses, succulent plants are actual living things that may or may not speak about how someone feels for you. There are many succulent plants that mean romance and love. The rosettes, for example, are actually some of the most beautiful succulents we’ve seen. It will brighten anyone’s day.

Thoughtful

Do you know that succulent plants are actually beneficial to the health? Like other plants, succulents give off oxygen, making it easier for those around it to breathe. Air is definitely a little better with succulent plants around. This trait shows how much you care about the person you’re giving this gift to. The thought behind the gift can be interpreted as wanting for that gift receiver to live healthier and stronger.

Creative

Who else will give anyone succulent plants for gifts? These are not exactly the most common gift out there. Most of the time, people will gift books, shirts, bags, etc. as Christmas gifts. Succulent plants show your creativity—it shows people that you actually thought about who the succulents will go to. Can you imagine giving succulent plants to someone who neither has the time nor the inclination to take care of them?

This holiday season, make sure you’re giving away something that everyone can appreciate. It’s the season of sharing, after all, and succulent plants are one of the best things to share this Christmas.

Top 5 Indoor Succulent Plants That You Can Easily Grow

by Giancarlo Perlas

If you are a forgetful gardener, succulent plants are your best bet at having a garden. These plants need almost zero maintenance and yet, they can brighten any room and they are great whatever the season may be. It’s an easy choice to take care of at home, thanks to its juicy leaves, stems, or roots that can retain water for a long period of time.

Succulents like CAL Farms 20 of 2″ Beautiful Rosettes Succulents Weddings or Party Favors or Succulent Gardens are excellent at home, whether you put them in pots or water globes. You can hang them on the foyer or by the window. They look stunning when planted alone or even as companions to other plants. They come in a wide variety of color choices. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the colors of succulent plants. They come in blue-green, chartreuse, pink, red, yellow, white, burgundy, almost black, variegated, and more.

The leaves may also be rounded, berrylike, needlelike, ruffled, or spiky. Even the cacti, which is a succulent, has that “come hither look” that seems to be characteristic of this type of plant.

1. Burro’s Tail

If you have a Burro’s Tail, plant it in a hanging basket. It will show its true beauty and gorgeousness that way. It has overlapping gray-green or gray-blue leaves that can grow as long as three feet. Burro’s Tail is a native of Mexico thus, thriving in medium to high light.

2. Christmas Cactus

To grow a Christmas cactus, you have to allow the top two inches of soil to dry out before watering. During the winter season, let it be drier. It is a bit tricky to grow a Christmas cactus because you have to watch out for the buds, which can fall off when the plant is dehydrated or when there’s too much water. To take care of this cactus, expose it to medium to high light and fertilize three times in the summer using a 10-30-10 fertilizer. This will help improve the blooms.

3. Crown of Thorns

If given enough light, this native of Madagascar can grow all-year round. It has a long, spoon-shaped leaves that appear at the ends of spiky branches and clusters of tiny flowers. Allow the top inch of the soil to dry out between watering when the plant is blooming. When it is not blooming, half of the soil must be dried out. Direct sun produces the best results for Crown of Thorns, though it can also quickly adapt to medium light. Fertilize three times in the summer using a 10-30-10 fertilizer.

4. Jade Plant

Considered as a lucky plant, the Jade Plant is an old-fashioned favorite because it is easy to grow. It is a native of South Africa and has thick stems and thick, glossy leaves with a tinge of red. The soil of the Jade Plant must be dried out before watering it again. You will kill the plant if you put too much water in it. Fertilize three times in the summer using a 10-30-10 fertilizer.

5. Medicine Plant (Aloe Vera)

For centuries, the sap of this healing plant has been used to treat a myriad of problems—from wounds to sunburns. You just have to be careful where you put the Aloe Vera because the sharp “teeth” along the leaf can cut passersby.

4 Ways How To Revive A Withering Succulent Plant

by Giancarlo Perlas

Succulent plants are low-maintenance plants, but that doesn’t mean that it requires no care at all. The thing with succulent plants is that they are very easy to maintain and grow but very hard to wilt. If you find that your succulent plants are dying, it is very likely your fault. Yes, you are to blame.

If you don’t want that kind of responsibility on your shoulders, here are some steps on reviving a withering succulent plant:

1. Adequate Watering

What succulents like CAL Farms Beautiful 36 of 2″ Assorted Succulents need is adequate water—neither too much or too little. When you drown a succulent in water, it can cause rot diseases while not watering it rightly will put the plant in “survival mode.” This means that the succulent plant may actually stop flowering.

What adequate is referring to might actually be different depending on the sun exposure and planting location, so you have to study this first and refer to the guide. Generally, a potted succulent plant under the full sunlight needs daily drink. For plants with roots in the ground and in partial shade, watering once or twice a week is more than enough.

2. Just the Right Lighting

If you noticed that your succulent plant is looking rather thin and stretched out, this means that it’s getting too little light. In order for a succulent to thrive, it needs sunlight. Although succulents are generally low-maintenance, these cannot survive without the much-needed sun.

The plant may stay alive, but it will stretch out to any light source and appear to look drawn. If the succulent is looking dead to you, it might be because it’s about to.

The solution? Move it under a light source.

3. Check the Drainage

Succulents, in order to survive, need well-draining soil. If the plant begins to wilt, you can check if the soil is properly draining by filling the top with water and seeing how quickly it drains. Make sure to use containers that drain well. Otherwise, the succulent can develop rot problems.

For plants in the ground, you can construct a basin around the plant and fill it up for the exact same purpose. You can also increase drainage by adding lava rock, sand or perlite. Excess water can drain quickly.

4. Correct Dose of Fertilizer

Succulents actually don’t need heavy doses of fertilizers and other nutrients. Except for some variants, succulents grow in poorer and less fertile soil, and they’re fine with that. And because they prefer poor soil, succulents don’t need fertilizers or at least, you shouldn’t put too much fertilizers on them. Just the right amount of it will do. If you notice that your succulents are drooping, you may be using fertilizers too much.

If you really have to use fertilizers, always pick a water soluble fertilizer higher in phosphorous than nitrogen. Generally, you need to “water down” the fertilizers before using them on the succulents. During the growing season, just fertilize the plants three or four times. This will keep all the nutrients they need intact without overpowering the plants with fertilizers.

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