Succulents--Propagation & Care

Hello everyone!

I’d like to write to you a little about succulents, their care, planting, and propagation. More and more home owners are turning to succulents for low maintenance, water conserving gardens. Succulents come in beautiful colors, shapes and sizes. Leaf succulents are almost entirely composed of water storage cells covered by a thin layer of tissue (ex. Aloe). Stem succulents are fleshy stems and contain water storage cells overlaid by tissue, and leaves are almost entirely absent (ex. Haworthia). Succulents are easy to propagate . . . I enjoy propagating them for my container garden and to give to friends.

Propagation Basics: All that is needed for succulent propagation is a sharp, sterile garden knife or pruners, planting medium and pots. You can sterilize by diluting bleach with water—1 part bleach to 4 parts water is what I use. Sterilize your tool in this solution after every cut. Succulent cuttings should also be potted in either pure sharp sand, vermiculite, fine grit or a soil that drains well. Find a clean comfortable and easy to use work area.

Many varieties of succulents can be propagated from pieces of the stem. Using a sharp knife or pruners cut just below the stem joint, or where a leaf or bud joins the stem, making sure to leave the mother plant looking good. Remove any leaves from the bottom of the stem joint. You can pot the cutting immediately by dipping the cut end in rooting hormone/fungicide powder and planting in appropriate media, or you can allow the cutting to ‘cure’, a process in which cuttings are allowed it to dry for a few days so that the tissues seal and callus over at the wound. Leaves can also be cut off a mother plant and planted or allowed to cure. After removing the leaf, place it against the edge of the pot with the stem end touching the soil. They will soon begin to root and leaves will begin to form. The other way is to dip the base in root hormone and pot in soil, although I find that more leaves rot this way than root. You will have to research your particular plant to find out what propagation method can be used.

Many succulents also produce small plants (offsets) at the base of the mother plant. These offsets can usually be pulled or cut off the main plant, allowed to dry and potted up. I’ve had success not waiting for them to dry out by using root hormone. Try both ways to see which works better for you. After cuttings are potted, they should be kept in a well ventilated bright place and should be watered sparingly to avoid rotting.

Watering & Fertilization: While succulents are native to dry areas and usually grow in poor soils, they still need to be watered and fertilized. How often should you water? There is not one correct answer as it all depends on the climatic condition your plants are grown in. Most succulents are photosynthetically active, growing, about 1/3 of the year. A good watering once a week in hot weather and once a month in the dormant season is a good place to start as you learn your plant’s needs. You can also let the soil completely dry out and then water . . . if in doubt, don’t water. Overwatering is the biggest problem gardeners run into when beginning to grow succulents. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer at about ½ to ¼ the recommended rate or better yet an organic fertilizer. Succulents grown in containers require regular feeding. Soil in containers will eventually become leached of nutrients. Regular feedings in small amounts or even applying compost is a good way to keep your plants looking healthy. What is the best soil for your succulents after they are past the initial rooting? Most retail potting soil is too rich in organic matter for these plants. Most gardeners and growers mix their own soil using a 50/50 mix of potting soil with either pumice, washed sand, small pebbles and vermiculite. This mix allows for the soil to drain well and keep the plant from rotting.

There you have it, the basics of propagation and caring of succulents. Just remember its all about having fun and trying different methods until you find what works for you.

Ron Mosqueda, Laboratory Teaching Assistant, Environmental Horticulture Dept, SBCC