For Springtime Growth
If you’ve followed the tips and guidelines in my Winterizing Succulents e-Course, to keep your succulents happy through the winter, you may wonder what happens next.
Your succulents may be dragging a bit in early March, when spring looks like it’s finally going to arrive soon, but you don’t know what they need to be in tip top shape for potting into crafts and containers.
The first thing to do is to closely inspect all your plants, checking the undersides of all leaves, and making sure there are no pests.
Do this even though it is one of the things I recommend in the fall. Insects and pests are tiny, and may not be obvious when you bring them inside after a long hot summer.
Spending time indoors, out of your watchful eye, could be just what they need to explode into a full out infestation.
The next thing to do is water the soil, and the top of the plant, to wash off dust and debris, and start the process of re-wetting the soil.Â
I recommend Sunshine Mix #4, which contains a water holding polymer. You may have used a different soil mix that is harder for the water to soak into, and it just runs out of the bottom of the pot.
If this is the case, it’s okay to thoroughly soak the soil, as long as it drains completely.
I recommend using tepid rain water, or even drinking water that is free of chlorine and other minerals.
More on watering here.
If your plants are leggy and searching for more light, trim them off.
If possible, use the cuttings to propagate – you can always trade them for something you don’t have, or pot them up in clumps to make a nice full basket or pot.
Give your plants the maximum light you have available. They’ll need it now, to make them compact.
Once they start to show signs of coming to life, this is when to fertilize them. I use compost tea, or some type of diluted liquid fertilizer, or worm castings sprinkled on the surface of the soil.
Within the first month out of dormancy, succulents tend to plump up their leaves, and it’s only after they get enough light and warmth that they’ll start to push out new growth.
