Cacti & Succulents

Fertilizing is a key garden undertaking to boost growth for many plants , including succulents . If you need to cognize which fertilizer is best for succulent , how to feed succulent and when , we ’ve got answers .

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An overhead shot of several developing plants with white granular plant food around them

There are a couple of plant care basics that all gardener weigh day to day to keep their plant looking good . Watering is high - antecedency as it require to be done more often than other tasks , but fertilizing is another substantive that should n’t be forgotten .

But if you ’re grow succulents , there is some confusion around best care drill . Since they are so low - maintenance and tough , do they even need plant food ?

This guide covers all your questions , from myth you ’ve in all likelihood heard to advice on which fertilizers are best for your succulent plants .

Close-up of a woman’s hand pouring granular fertilizer to a haworthia succulent plant against a blurred background. The haworthia plant grows in a small gray pot. Haworthia has rosette-like clusters of fleshy leaves that often have interesting textures and patterns. The leaves have white horizontal markings. The leaves are thick, fleshy, elongated, with pointed tips.

Myths About Fertilizing Succulents

Before we get into the inside information , it ’s important to dispel some myth you may have heard about fertilizing succulents .

The most unwashed myth is that they do n’t need fertilizing at all . Like many myths , it has some truth , but it ’s not quite as round-eyed as it seems . succulent needlessfertilizer than other plantsand may not need an additional boost outdoors if you have good - character soil . But when you ’re grow in containers , nutrients will eventually get depleted , and it ’s best to supersede them , even if it is in limited amounts .

Another myth to neglect , especially if you ’re grow succulents indoors , is that these plants need the same amount of nutrients as other houseplants .

Close-up of potted succulent plant Sansevieria trifasciata with granular fertilizers. A plant in a beautiful square clay pot, on a gray-white surface. Sansevieria trifasciata has erect, elongated, sword-shaped dark green leaves with light gray-green horizontal stripes. They are thick, fleshy and grow in the form of a rosette.

Most succulent are customary to grow in dirt with fewer nutrient and can front damage if they are given too much fertilizer . Half - strength dot at minimal intervals are recommend for most types to give them just enough to develop to their full potential difference .

There is also the cosmopolitan myth that eat a flora will make it grow faster or that a struggling plant can be fixed by give it . Fertilizer is not a cure - all , and when it comes to succulent , ontogenesis problems due to nutrient deficiency are fantastically unlikely . Feeding also wo n’t make a slow - maturate succulent frivol away up quicker than it naturally can . It supplements strong growing but it ’s not the only broker involved .

Now that we ’ve cleared up some misconceptions , let ’s dive into what plant food is and why it ’s important for your succulents .

Close-up of an Echeveria succulent in a white ceramic pot, under the sun’s rays. The plant forms a beautiful rosette of oval, fleshy, elongated leaves with pointed tips. The leaves are bright green with burgundy tips.

Why Fertilizer Is Important

Fertilizing is an important part of plant care , along with basics like watering and upkeep . All plants need sure food to arise and stay alive , just like human do . These food are present in the soil and get draw in up by the roots through water , transport to the parts of the plant that need it .

nutrient are generally rive into three categories :

The first is macronutrients – nitrogen , phosphorus , and potassium . You will agnise these letters as NPK on ware publicity .

Close-up of a woman’s hands holding a green pitcher filled with liquid succulent fertilizer about to fertilize a potted plant Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’. A plant in a bright pink decorative pot on a white table. Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ has thick, fleshy, glossy, bright green leaves. The leaves are slightly elongated, resembling elongated tubular fingers or suckers.

lowly nutrient are thing like calcium that plants need in restrained measure but not as much as the macronutrients .

eventually , there are micronutrient like iron . These are needed in much smaller measure but play a critical role in overall flora wellness .

Having theright balance of these groups in your soilwill help your plants grow to the best of their power . The roots will draw up these nutrient over time , finally eat the supply if nutrients are not replaced naturally .

Fertilizers in Soil are orange and blue. The soil is soaking up the nutrients.

Fertilizer is design to assert the perfect amount of nutrient in the dirt ( which differs count on what you are growing ) to facilitate works arise to their full electric potential . This is especially authoritative when growing plants in container , as there is limited ground and nutrients for the plants to entree .

Do All Succulents Need Fertilizer?

The question of whether all succulentsneedfertilizer or not is not really a banner yes or no . All succulents ask food to acquire , but the level of food present in the soil will determine whether they need an excess rise .

Succulents are also not a undivided mathematical group . There is mint of assortment anddiversity of succulentsacross families , genera , and even mintage . These differences play a role in how much plant food to apply or whether to use fertilizer at all .

However , as a general rule , succulent planted outdoors typically do n’t require extra alimentation . As long as they are establish in healthy soil with plenty of activity , they can typically survive without an redundant rise . That ’s not to say you should n’t fertilize , but that they will commonly be fine without it .

Close-up of female hands in bright orange rubber gloves pouring liquid fertilizer to a potted Aloe Vera plant. A plant in an orange plastic pot on a wooden table, against the background of other potted plants. Aloe Vera is a succulent plant characterized by a cluster of thick, fleshy leaves in a rosette shape. The leaves are oblong, with pointed tips. They are gray-green in color and have spiny edges with fine teeth.

Succulents in containers are a unlike story . Soil is limited , and unless you repot frequently , your succulent will eventually lack the nutrients they need . They may not show signs of battle , but they also wo n’t arise as well as they could be with the optimal amount of nutrients in the soil .

An “ it depends on the situation ” answer is n’t really satisfying . But if you ’re on the fence ( and stay cognizant of the risks of overfertilizing),a small extra cost increase of the right intersection is better than no feeding at all .

Fertilizing Succulents Indoors Vs Outdoors

Although I ’m not a fan of originate succulent indoors year - round , many people have the idealistic spot for an abundant indoor succulent garden . For those gardeners , you may wonder whether there is a departure between fertilise succulent indoors vs out of doors .

Again , it depends on your specific works . Succulents alfresco typically grow quicker and stronger than succulents indoors , potentially requiring feeding sooner or more often .

I urge fertilizing indoor succulents only once per twelvemonth , while those outside in containers can usually handle an extra fertilizing school term or two throughout the warm season .

Close-up of female hands holding blue fertilizer sticks over Agave montana succulent plant on terrace. This succulent plant is characterized by rosette-like growth and thick, fleshy leaves. The leaves of Agave montana are bluish green in color and have prominent teeth or spikes along the edges.

It ’s up to you to value the carrying into action of the plant and the health of your soil to decide what ’s best .

Types of Fertilizer

There are so many dissimilar types of industrial plant foods to choose from and it can be unmanageable to decipher the difference between them . Between organic and synthetic , compound or slow release , there are a few terms to understand before picking the correct option .

First , let ’s look at organic and semisynthetic . Organic fertilizersare derived from plant or animals and tardily add nutrients to the soil over time as the organic molecules fall in down . Some plebeian example includeseaweed - ground fertilizeror ‘ weed teas ’ made from interrupt - down flora .

Synthetic fertilizers are created to contain a certain amount of nutrients plant need to grow in different ratios . They deliver quicker results but do n’t contribute to soil wellness the means organic fertiliser does .

Close-up of female hands adding granular fertilizer to a dying Sansevieria plant in a large white pot, indoors, on a white marble table. There is also a water dispenser on the table. The plant has vertical, thick sword-shaped green leaves with dark green patterns. One of the leaves is wilted, rotting, with brown spots.

Both constitutional and synthetic plant food are available in different product types . You may notice compound nurients as liquid , granule , or pellets with different program requirements and concentration . Slow - release fertiliser are designed to degrade over time , slowly adding nutrients to the soil as they die down .

Which Type Of Fertilizer Is Best For Succulents?

as luck would have it , when it come to growing succulent , the works are not too grumpy about the eccentric of fertilizer they get . Most are glad with a balanced fertilizer applied in any form , as long as it is applied according to the packaging instructions . If you ’re worried about overfertilizing , avoid slow - release fertilizers as they will burn the roots if applied excessively and are difficult to withdraw from the soil .

count on your chosen product , I normally initiate with a half - long suit dose for most types to avoid overdoing it . succulent do n’t require high levels of stain nutrient and favor less fertilityover an excessive amount .

A fertiliser with adequate NPK value is worthy and great for several plants , especially indoors . Alternatively , you’re able to bet for a fertiliser slimly high in atomic number 15 . extra nitrogen should be avoided as this can have increase to become leggy .

Close-up of female hands inserting fertilizer in green sticks into the soil towards a Sansevieria plant, indoors. The girl is dressed in a white striped shirt and a blue apron. The Sansevieria plant has long, erect leaves. The leaves are thick, fleshy, have variegated yellow patterns. They grow vertically, resembling a sword or spear.

There are many specially formulate products for succulent andcacti . Using these will do away with the shot of whether you ’re using the right stuff . But I like to work with what I have and take a test - and - error overture , never applying more than the plants involve .

How Often Do Succulents Need Fertilizer?

As succulent do n’t expect a lot of feed to produce well , I generally restrict my succulent eating toaround once per class . This differs depending on the plants and the sizing of the container . However , this is usually enough to keep the works happy without overdoing it .

I also avoid eat if I ’ve recently repotted , as the new territory ordinarily contains enough nutrients . Fertilizing too before long after a soil change may bestow to root stress .

you’re able to use fertilizer more often if you ’re using a low concentration and watch carefully for signs of overfertilizing . For example , I care to fertilize myaloe verasonce more in summertime to give them a boost before flowering in declination . Once per yr is often plenty and provides a far good issue than inseminate too much .

When Is The Best Time To Fertilize Succulents?

If you ’re feed annually , too soon to mid - give is usually the good time . It ’s good to encourage growth when temperatures have warm up . New and vulnerable growth is extra tender to cold terms in fall and winter .

If you ’re contribute an extra dose , draw a bead on for around two to three month after the first app , around mid - summertime . Do n’t feed too faithful to any predicted temperature driblet , especially if your succulents are maturate outdoors unprotected from the cold .

How To Apply

Time your feeding to concur with watering . Nutrients are draw up by the source through weewee , so the soil should be moist before adding industrial plant food for thought . This also limits your risk of burn up the roots by evenly distributing the production throughout the soil .

It ’s important to avoid applying the plant food to your succulent leaves . Depending on the mathematical product you ’re using , this can conduct to burn . Focus the liquid or granuleson the territory around the plant only . Also , keep them aside from the stem . Add nutrients to the dirt around the flora rather than like a shot on the plant .

If your succulent container is pile loaded , it can be difficult to fecundate the soil directly . Firstly , you should probably believe repot at some point . But if you wish your succulents compact and confined , fulfil a container with dilute plant food and H2O . Then place the commode deep down to provide the soil to draw up moisture from the bottom .

Final Thoughts

If you ’re upset about the performance of your succulents , fertilizer can give your plant life a much - needed extra rise . It ’s not always necessary and certainly is n’t required in enceinte amounts , but tot this bare chore to your yearly schedule will deliver the salutary maturation possible .