4 Key Tips for Growing Succulents and Cacti

Succulents are for plant killers. Like me.

When I say succulents are for plant killers, I mean those of us that were cursed with the black thumb. I have a really hard time keeping plants alive. I’m not sure I’ve ever kept a plant alive for more than a month.

Succulents are kind of a trendy thing these days, and I’ve come to the conclusion it’s because they’re a lot harder to kill. You see, I’m a plant killer because I tend to forget to water them (also known as forgetting I even own plants). But since collecting a few succulents and even a cactus, I think these little guys have a chance to grow into bigger guys.

In case you wondered what failure and success look like when trying to keep plants alive.

So for my fellow black thumb humans, I’ve got a few tips to help you keep those plants that you keeping buying alive.

• Buy stronger plants. By stronger I mean a little more durable to the elements. By elements I mean neglect or too much attention (I’ve also been known to overwater my plants and create some real root rot.)

• Do a little research on the plants that you do buy. Different kinds of plants need different levels of attention. This sounds like Plant Life 101, but it’s a real mistake I’ve made. Cacti and succulents don’t need nearly as much water as other plants like herbs or flowers.

• Proper water drainage is key. There’s a reason plant pots have holes in them. The plant I had before my desert friends was planted in a little jar. I tried to create a makeshift drain with rocks, but it just wasn’t enough. Turns out, not all ideas from Pinterest are winners.

• The right kind of dirt and fertilizers are actually helpful. For my succulents I use a special cactus formula that helps water drainage and absorption. Dirt is not just dirt when it comes to great planting.

  

  Yeah, one more photo of my thriving plants–for good measure, of course.

Okay so some of these might seem obvious, but the basics are super important to remember. And frankly, I always thought you could just stick any old plant in any old dirt and it would be fine. But after the fourth or fifth plant funeral, I found there’s a few more steps to consider.

Really I just wrote this post to brag that my succulents and cactus are still alive and pretty. They’re my plant babies.

What kinds of plants are you growing? Any succulent or cactus lovers out there?

Xx Crystal