🌵How to Plant and Care for Bare Root Succulents

What to Expect and How to Plant Your New Succulent Purchase 

succulent design by succy crafts

 

Did you purchase succulents from Succy Crafts?😁 This guide will show you what to expect when you receive your order and how to plant your new succulents if you purchased any that came bare root. But first I'll write a few helpful tips to care for your succulents.

Lighting considerations

At Succy Crafts we keep our succulents outdoors in bright indirect light in a well air circulated location protected from the rain and frost.

  • If you are keeping your succulents indoors: Try your best to keep your succulents by a window to provide them with sufficient light.
  • If you are keeping your succulents outdoors: Place your succulents in a location with bright indirect light. Over a period of weeks, introduce your succulents to sunnier areas. This acclimating process is very important. Too much sun too soon will completely burn your succulents to a crisp!!😢 This is why you need to gradually introduce them to the sun. Eventually your succulents will be able to take full sun. 

Succulents like: Morning sunlight best! Succulents should get no more than 6 hours of full sun. 

Watering your succulents

Indoors: I noticed that the succulents that I keep indoors dry out a lot faster compared to the ones I keep outdoors. This might be because of the heater or air conditioner. Rather than giving sips of water to my succulents here and there, I soak them to the point where water comes out of the bottom of the pot. Make sure to discard the water that collects in your saucers. Succulents do not like to sit in water. After the soaking, I wait until the soil has completely dried before I water my succulent again.

Outdoors: For my succulents that I keep outdoors I water them differently depending on the season. From Spring-Fall I water my succulents every two weeks. Note that some succulents will need to be watered and some will still be moist. I only water the dry ones. Purchasing a moisture meter will help you know which succulents need watering. I highly recommend this tool. In the Winter I will water my succulents once a month. Again, some succulents will need watering, some will not.

It's best to under water your succulents than to over water your succulents. Succulents retain their water inside their leaves. The succulents with chubbier leaves will need less watering, than the succulents with flat leaves. Your succulents will also let you know when they need watering, by showing signs of wrinkled leaves.  

Unboxing and planting guide

 When you receive your succulent order, it is best to unpack them ASAP! Your succulents have already been in a dark box for a few days😟 so the quicker you get them out, the less stressed they will become.😌 The photo you see below is how a wrapped 2 inch succulent will typically look.

succulent purchase guide by succy crafts

 The following photos will show you how to unwrap your succulent.

succulent guide by succy crafts

Using a scissor cut a hole at the bottom of the package.

succulent guide by succy crafts

 When you cut the hole use your fingers to gently rip the newspaper off. Try not to squeeze the package.

succulent guide by succy crafts

succulent how to guide by succy crafts

how to plant your succulent guide by succy crafts

Once you have unwrapped your succulent, you will notice it is wrapped in tissue. Open the tissue, and there you will see your succulent.

guide on how to unwrap your succulents by succy crafts

succulent order guide by succy crafts

new succulent order guide by succy crafts

unwrapping your new succulent order by succy crafts

succulent order guide by succy crafts

Now, to plant your new succy friend in a pot! My favorite pastime*👩🏻‍🌾 Notice that I didn't fill my pot all the way to the top. I like to leave a little room for my succulent. I dig a hole in the center in a funnel or cone shape.

how to pot your succulent DIY guide by succy crafts

how to plant your succulent DIY guide by succy crafts
Hold your succulent from the top and place your fingers under the leaves to not scuff the powdery coating on the top of the leaves. 
succulent planting guide by succy crafts
Time to completely bury your root ball with soil. I like to hold my succulent from the top and lean my succulent to the side and fill the gap with soil.
guide to planting your succulent by succy crafts
Once that side is filled to the base of the succulent, I center my plant and gently press my soil down to anchor down the succulent.
learn how to plant your succulent by succy crafts
I do the same process to the other side of the pot. slightly leaning my succulent and filling that side of the hole. Once I'm done filling my pot, I gently press on my soil all around my pot. You will notice that there is still some room left at the top of my pot. This is because I like to "top dress" my succulents with stones. I personally like to cover my soil with the stones and it also gives it a desert look that I personally like. This is optional.
learn how to plant your succulent by succy crafts 
top dress your succulents by succy crafts
learn how to top dress your succulent planters by succy crafts
Now that you have planted your succulent, it's time to give it a well needed sip of water. I use a watering can that has a long stem, this helps me aim at the stones only. I do not water my succulents from the top. Some succulents have a powdery coating on them, that coating is their sunscreen. It protects them from full sun☀️ exposure. Pretty cool right?!👍🏼
Sometimes when watering your succulents from the top, the water can wipe off this protective coating, and create water marks on your succulents. If your a succulent collector like myself, you do not like these water marks.😣 Keeping your succulents scuff free is essential.😁 That is why I water my succulents by aiming the water only at the base of the succulent. If I do get water on top or in between their leaves, I blow it off.😜 
how to water your succulents guide by succy crafts
learn how to water your succulents by succy crafts
succulent design by succy crafts
You're all done! Now you have a lovely little potted succulent to place with the rest of your collection. Thank you so much for your succulent purchase and taking the time to read my blog. I hope you learned something new and picked up some helpful tips to make your succulents grow to their full potential.💚  
THANK YOU & ENJOY🐝 
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16 comments

I was delighted to receive this valuable information in response to my purchasing a fairly large order. I have recently fallen in love with succulents as I can no longe do the xtensive gardening that I used to. I liv in morning he mts. Of NC and did not have the recommended exposure inside or out. Needless to say I have made every mistake possible in the process of trying to learn about these wonderful babies. A LOT of failed attempts, but I am not to be daunted. I just invested n what I hope will be the right shelving and grow lights to get through the winter in addition to various fun looking pots for the new babies. I also ordered the recommended soil and pebbles to top off. You am excited and nervous hoping I don’t kill him them all again. Wish me well

Carole Bennett

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