How to grow Succulents

Growing Succulents

Low water, high impact

Succulents are some of the most versatile and forgiving plants you can grow. With their fleshy leaves, striking shapes and wide range of colours, they bring structure and interest to gardens, patios and indoor spaces alike. Many are drought-tolerant, making them ideal for water-wise gardening.

Given the right light and excellent drainage, succulents are easy to care for and incredibly rewarding.

Get the 'Grow How'

Succulents thrive on simplicity. Bright light, minimal watering and free-draining soil are the foundations of success.
Planting Procedure
Fertilising and Care
Pests and Diseases
Garden Uses

THE BASICS:

Drainage is the most important factor.  Whether planting in the garden or in containers, succulents must never sit in wet soil.

Quick Tips:

  • Plant in bright light or full sun, depending on the variety
  • Plant slightly raised if garden soil is heavy
  • Good drainage is paramount for most succulent plants.
  • Create a sub-base of rubble, rocks and boulders and build a raised bed or rock garden over this, using a mixture of topsoil with sand or grit added.
  • Prepare the soil before planting by removing clods and larger rocks.
  • Add superphosphate or bone meal at the recommended rates and dig in.
  • For planting in pots and containers, use a mixture of commercial potting medium (3 parts) and river sand (1 part).
  • Adequate drainage holes covered with a layer of crushed stone or broken bricks (crocks) is very important.
  • Do not bury succulents too deeply.
  • Plant in the desired manner before watering well to settle the soil in place.
  • Once established, succulents require very little supplementary watering.
  • Some succulents grow easily from cuttings planted directly into the garden, offering an easy means of establishing groundcovers.
  • Level out the soil around the plant and then proceed with the next aloe.
  • Once planting is complete water well to settle the plants in.

KEEP THEM HAPPY:

Succulents prefer a light touch. They grow slowly and don’t need frequent feeding or watering.

Quick Tips:

  • Water only when soil has dried out completely
  • Reduce watering significantly in cooler months
  • Rotate potted plants for even growth
  • In many instances, a layer or covering of grit, sand or ornamental pebbles placed on the soil around the succulents shows them off well.
  • For plants in gardens, feed every 8 to 10 weeks with a balanced garden fertiliser – a 3:1:5 formula works well.
  • Smaller plants in pots and containers are best fertilised with a water soluble plant food every 4 to 5 weeks.  A 3:1:6 formula is recommended.
  • During periods of high rainfall, some succulents may require shelter to prevent “drowning”.
  • Small or low growing succulents need to be weeded regularly to prevent competition from unwanted weeds.
  • Vigorous plants in mixed succulent groupings need to be pruned to prevent them from overwhelming neighbours.

 

GOOD TO KNOW:

Most issues are preventable with good care.  Overwatering and poor airflow are the most common causes of problems.

Quick Tips:

  • Avoid wetting leaves unnecessarily
  • Ensure good airflow around plants
  • Remove affected growth promptly
  • Fungal diseases can be a problem, especially during extended periods of wet weather.  Spray with a suitable fungicide when problems are detected.
  • Root rot can cause plants to die off if drainage is poor.
  • Collar rot caused the stem to die off where it enters the ground.  A top dressing of gravel or stones helps to prevent this.
  • Caterpillars, beetles and grasshoppers chew the fleshy leaves and in some instances, stems.  Treat with a systemic insecticide (only suitable for use on non-edibles).

 

GREAT FOR:

Succulents offer endless design possibilities.  Their shapes and textures make them standout plants in many settings.

Quick Tips:

  • Perfect for water-wise and low-maintenance gardens
  • Ideal for pots, bowls and containers
  • Excellent for rockeries and modern landscapes
  • Excellent pot and container plants, either as individual specimens or miniature gardens.
  • Perfect for rock gardens.
  • Ideal for dry flower beds under roof overhangs.
  • Good for hot, dry banks.
  • Many types are at home in indigenous gardens.
  • Some make good groundcovers when planted en-masse.

 

Shopping List

  1. Tools for digging and preparing soil for planting.
  2. Compost and bone meal for enriching the soil.
  3. Rocks and pavers for hard landscaping.
  4. A range of healthy aloe plants.
  5. Decorative gravel or pebbles for surface mulch.
  6. Hose pipe or watering can.
Take the Shopping List with you

DISCLAIMER:  The information presented on this website is intended solely as a general guide. We neither endorse specific plant varieties over others nor claim expertise in stock performance. All information is believed to be accurate, based on private inquiries and experiences, and is provided in good faith. Blackwood’s, including its employees, disclaims any responsibility for harm, loss, cost, or damage arising from the use or reliance upon any information on this website, especially if any part of the information proves to be inaccurate or incomplete. Please note that the displayed photos are not representative of current stock but are used for illustrative purposes only.