Succulents are one of the most versatile plants you can grow indoors, but they can also be difficult to keep alive. Here’s how to grow your succulents indoors without killing them!
Research your plant
Succulents are definitely one of the most popular houseplants today, and they can be found in almost every home. But if you’ve never owned one before, you may be wondering how to grow succulents indoors. Indoor succulent care involves choosing the right potting mix and ensuring proper drainage to prevent root rot. Here’s what you need to know:
Choose the right pot.
You’ll want to choose a pot that allows for drainage when growing succulents indoors. Succulents need this so their roots can breathe and keep the soil moist, but if you’re using an old clay pot, it might be too heavy for your succulent. You can use a plastic container instead, but make sure you water deeply in it before adding any water at all—you don’t want moisture sitting on top of the soil! Be aware that a plastic pot will keep the soil moist longer than an unglazed clay pot so make sure your soil is dry before you water again.
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If you do go with clay or terra-cotta pots, make sure they’re shallow but wide enough because succulents like more room for their roots to firmly support them in the soil.
Prepare the soil.
Succulents are generally fairly slow-growing plants, but they do best in a well-draining, mainly inorganic soil. Indoor succulent care involves choosing the right potting mix and ensuring proper drainage to prevent root rot.
Suitable soils for succulents include:
- Soil formed by decomposed granite (this type of soil is light and porous, which makes it ideal for root growth)
- A mixture of potting soil and pumice (you can add some coarse sand if you want the plant pot to be heavier)
Related Guide: Succulent Soil: Ultimate Guide & 4 DIY Recipes to Keep Your Succulents Happy and Healthy
Be mindful of light exposure indoors
Succulents indoors need bright light, but don’t overdo it. The best place for your succulent is somewhere that gets bright, indirect sun all day long (and preferably filtered through shade cloth or a trellis). If you don’t have room for this, consider moving the plant inside when the weather starts getting cool in spring or fall. One of the biggest challenges in caring for succulents indoors is providing adequate light without exposing them to direct sunlight.
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Using Grow Lights for Indoor Succulent Care
Succulents indoors are popular plants, due to their low maintenance and unique appearance. However, without the proper lighting, these plants can struggle to thrive. Using grow lights can provide the necessary light for succulents indoors, even in the darkest of rooms. In this section, we will discuss the benefits of using grow lights, the different types of grow lights available, and how to use them effectively to care for your succulents indoors.
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Why Use Grow Lights for Succulents Indoors?
Succulents are native to desert and arid environments, and therefore require a lot of sunlight to survive. When grown indoors, it can be difficult to provide them with the amount of light they need through natural means alone. This is where grow lights come in. They can mimic the natural light that succulents would receive in their native environment, allowing them to thrive indoors.
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Types of Grow Lights
There are a few different types of grow lights available for succulents indoors, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
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LED Lights
LED lights are energy efficient and have a long lifespan. They are also available in a variety of spectrums, including red and blue, which can be beneficial for succulent growth. However, they can be expensive.
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Fluorescent Lights
Fluorescent lights are also energy efficient and have a long lifespan. They are also relatively inexpensive. However, they can be difficult to find in the red and blue spectrums needed for succulent growth.
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights
HID lights are the most powerful type of grow light, but they also consume the most energy and can produce a lot of heat. They are not recommended for small indoor gardens.
Setting Up and Using Grow Lights
Once you have chosen the type of grow lights you want to use, it’s important to set them up correctly in order to provide your succulents with the right amount of light.
Positioning
The succulents should be positioned close to the lights, but not so close that they will burn. A distance of about 12-18 inches is ideal. It’s also important to rotate the plants occasionally to ensure they receive light on all sides.
Scheduling
Succulents require a lot of light, so it’s important to provide them with as much as possible. A schedule of 12-14 hours of light per day is ideal. However, it’s important to monitor the plants for signs of stress or over-exposure, such as yellowing or wilting leaves.
Using grow lights is an effective way to provide the necessary light for succulents to thrive indoors. By understanding the different types of grow lights available, setting them up correctly, and monitoring the plants for any signs of stress, you can ensure your indoor succulents receive the care they need to flourish. Remember to also consider other factors such as temperature, humidity, watering, and fertilizing in order to provide a complete care for your succulents. When caring for succulents indoors, it is also important to provide adequate ventilation and air circulation to prevent mold and other issues. With the right care and attention, your indoor succulents will thrive and add a unique and beautiful touch to your home.
Be very careful with your watering schedule
Succulents indoors still need to be watered deeply—or at least until the water drains out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot—but infrequently: weekly if you’re lucky during summer; monthly if your climate is milder; once every few weeks during winter months with low humidity levels (for example). These watering timelines are simply a recommendation on when to CHECK to see if your succulent needs watering at that time. Don’t actually water them until the leaves are showing signs of dehydration. You won’t kill them if you overwater them once, constant overwatering can cause your succulent to die!
When in doubt, don’t water. You can always revive an underwatered succulent, but once it is overwatered, it will rarely recover. When caring for succulents indoors, it is important to avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot and other problems.
Repot your succulent every few years.
Succulents indoors are easy to grow, but they do need to be repotted every few years. If you notice that your succulent is outgrowing its pot, then you can repot it into a larger pot or divide the plant into smaller pots.
Succulents are perfect for the beginning gardener, but you have to treat them right.
Succulents are perfect for the beginning gardener, but you have to treat them right. If you’re going to grow a succulent indoors, it’s important that you know how to care for them properly.
Succulents are easy to grow and require very little maintenance. The problem with most beginner succulent gardeners is that they give their succulents TOO MUCH attention.
Where to Buy Succulents Online
Conclusion
Succulents indoors are a great way to add life and color to your home, but they require special care. They’re especially helpful for people who live in apartments or condos because they can be grown indoors without using too much space. Displaying succulents indoors can also help to reduce stress and improve mood by bringing a touch of nature into your living space. As long as you follow our advice about research and pot selection, you should have no trouble growing succulents indoors at home!