I’d like to dedicate this post to my sister, who managed to kill the drought-resistant succulent that I gave her for her birthday last year. If you, like her, struggle to take care of other living things but still want to hop on the succulent bandwagon, this article is for you.
This spring, don’t let your plant-killing past prevent you from trying again: have another go at it, this time with succulents that are known for being forgiving to people just like you. Here are some particularly resilient succulents that you can easily take care of indoors, along with some basic tips for keeping them happy and healthy.
JADE
Difficulty level: 1/10 – Tbh it’d be pretty sad if you can’t manage to keep this little guy alive.
ALOE VERA
Difficulty level: 2/10 – A couple of specific care requirements, hit up WikiHow or something for more info
ECHEVERIA
Difficulty level: 1.5/10 – Seriously, just leave it alone. Don’t go watering it every day.
ZEBRA
Difficulty level: 2/10 – Great indoor succulent, a bit sensitive to too much direct sunlight
SNAKE PLANT
Difficulty level: 0.5/10 – In exchange for you staying as far away from it as possible, this plant actually cleans the air around you
GENERAL RULES OF CARE:
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Place the succulent somewhere it can get lots of bright, indirect light
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You can tell if it’s not getting enough light if it looks like it’s starting to stretch upwards or sideways towards where the light is coming from
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Use the “soak and dry” technique: soak the soil in the container and then wait until the soil dries COMPLETELY before watering it again
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Too much water is more likely to kill a succulent than too little
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Put the succulent in a container with drainage holes
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Soil: half potting soil and half sand should do the trick
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If you want to go above and beyond, buy some standard houseplant fertilizer and use small amounts of it on your succulent
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Now that you’ve got everything you need to become a mediocre succulent owner, get out to your local garden centre or plant nursery and buy some succulents! Or just keep this all in mind if your sister ever gets you a succulent for your birthday and you’d like to make her proud. And to my sister: if you’re reading this, I’m not trying to call you out, but I’m still not over how you managed to kill a DROUGHT-RESISTANT PLANT.
Happy spring!