Succulents are plants that can be effortlessly grown in an indoor environment. Because they are a delight to the eyes, you can place them in any room or space. However, it is important to know the right way to grow your plant. If you’re planning to plant a succulent but are not sure where to begin with, this blog post is for you. Here is the indoor planting guide where we discuss how to grow and take care of succulents indoors.
Best Succulents to Grow Indoors
Burro’s Tail (Sedum Morganianum)
Zebra Cactus (Haworthia Fasciata)
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia Milii)
String of Pearls (Senecio Rowleyanus)
Panda Plant (Kalanchoe Tomentosa)
Jade Plant (Crassula Ovata)
Snake Plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata)
Reasons for Growing Succulents Indoors
Succulents are popular among plant lovers. Following are a few benefits of growing plants indoors.
Helps in Air Purifying
These wonderful houseplants are useful in purifying the home air. They do the job by filtering out pollutants and keeping the indoor air clean and fresh. Snake Plant is one of the succulents which has this ability. Moreover, indoor succulents also help in maintaining air moisture. Jade Plant is noted for improving relative humidity around it.
Low-maintenance Plant
If you are a working professional or a beginner in gardening, then succulents will be a great option. They are easy plants to take care of and require less attention. Thus, you can grow these plants successfully without giving much time to their maintenance.
Brighten up the Home
Succulents bloom in gorgeous bright colors and can instantly change the aura of a home. These modern houseplants are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. A succulent can be a must-have if you want to beautify your home or office.
Require Less Space
Another reason for growing succulents indoors is their space-saving nature. They are small in size and do not demand too much space. They can grow happily in their spot for a long time if they get appropriate watering, soil mix, and light requirements.
How to Care for a Succulent Indoors?
Although most of the succulents are low-maintenance, you still need to follow recommended tips to let the plant grow in the right manner.
Let’s learn the best ways to care for indoor plants.
1. How Often to Fertilize Indoor Plants?
Succulents may need some amount of fertilizer during their growing season in spring and summer. Make sure to not add too much of it as it may harm the plant instead.
2. Transplanting Succulents Indoors
You can transplant indoor succulents in a hassle-free way into a variety of settings. While repotting, it is better to avoid glass containers. Your houseplant does not want to sit in soggy soil so it is better to not consider it as a long-term potting solution. Summer is considered to be the perfect time for transplanting.
3. Propagation Guide
If you are a succulent lover, you should try the process of propagation in which new plants are grown from the existing mature plant, enabling you to expand your collection. Indoor succulents are the easiest to be propagated through different methods such as leaf or stem cuttings, seeds, and offsets.
4. Keeping Plants Free from Bugs
Bugs can be an issue if the plant is not given proper care and attention. The most common bugs are gnats and mealy bugs. You can avoid this problem by planting your succulents in well-drained soil and ensuring that the soil is dried out completely after watering.
How to Water Indoor Plants?
An indoor watering guide is very important. Many people don’t know how much and how often to water succulents indoors. As a result, their plant cannot grow to its best potential. Succulents store water in the leaves and stems. They should be watered every two weeks for improved results.
It is advised to use the soak & dry method. Do not let the soil sit in moisture in between watering as it can lead to root rot. You can either use a knife or your finger to check the dryness of the soil.
Best Soil Mixture for Indoor Plants
Succulents grow in desert-like areas with infrequent rainfall. As a result, they are drought tolerant and cannot survive in soggy or wet soil. Indoor plants need well-draining soil to grow & flourish. So, it is best to plant them in a cactus potting mix that can drain out quickly. The drainage factors include sunlight, soil type, the container used, and airflow. You can prepare your own well-drained soil by mixing regular soil blend, pumice, and coarse sand.
The key soil factors include the following:
- Mineral Materials – Most widely used minerals are coarse sand, perlite, and gravel.
- Organic Materials – These include potting soil, compost, and leaves.
Light Requirements of Indoor Succulents
Succulents need a specific amount of sunlight. Lack of proper lighting can hamper the growth of your houseplant and can make it weak. When growing indoors, it is necessary to place your plant in a certain location & type of lighting. It may take some experimentation if you are a beginner.
Types of Lighting for Succulents Indoors
You can consider the below-mentioned types of lighting within your house:
- Direct or Bright light – It is the light that comes directly through the window without any object in between like trees or curtains. Bright light means the plant needs a western or southern-facing window. West or south-facing windows are great for sun-loving plants as they give the most intense light.
- Indirect or Filtered Light – It is partial and light sunlight. Indirect light means the plant requires a south or east-facing window. Such plants should be kept in bright sunlight for a few hours in the morning and late afternoon.
- Low Light – This is the light that is blocked by some object like a building or curtains when coming through the window. Low light succulents prefer shade instead of direct sun. Best indoor succulents for low light include Haworthia, Aloe, Gasteria, Echeverias, and Kalanchoe.
Growing Plants Indoors with Artificial Light
Indoor succulents need a certain amount of light to grow. It doesn’t matter if it is natural light or artificial. If a plant is sensitive to frost, it becomes difficult to grow it outdoors. Some people do not have the required outdoor space for growing plants. In such cases, artificial light proves to be useful. These lights can be used in place of natural light if there is insufficient lighting at home. The selection of an artificial light depends on factors like intensity, color, wattage, and duration.
Best Indoor Grow Setup
When there are not enough sun rays coming in, grow lights can be used to help the plant thrive through photosynthesis. These are supplemental lights that are available in different varieties. Grow lights help in recreating the outdoor light conditions and give succulents the required amount of sunlight. Different grow lights come with different temperatures, color spectrums, and intensities. The best indoor grow setup should be clean and well-organized from the beginning. Although the setup is a little expensive, the results are commendable.When using the grow light, keep in mind the following points:
1. Duration of setting the grow light in respect to the light requirements of succulents. For plants receiving low to moderate sun, turning the light on and leaving for 12 to 14 hours daily is ideal. On the other hand, it is better to leave the light on for 16 to 18 hours daily for plants that receive no natural light.
2. Position plants under the light in a way that doesn’t cause damage.
3. Water the succulents periodically.
4. Ensuring to manage the humidity and temperature of the grow room. Monitor before for a hassle-free experience.
Growing succulents indoors is a great idea any day. They will look adorable in any corner of your room and are definitely a conversation starter. Get these gorgeous-looking houseplants for your homes. Happy planting!
