I’ve literally just been donated some succulents (I think!), know nothing about anything on this subject. But what fertiliser do I need for these… (And some are literally just in water as someone said they will sprout roots - is this right?!
I can help with two of your plants: the one you have ID’d as an aeonium and the light green jade plants in the water. I recently propagated some stem cuttings from my jade plant so I can walk you through how to propagate those. As for the “aeonium”, it could still be an aeonium, but I think it’s a very stretched out echeveria, meaning it was in a spot with not enough light for quite some time and stretched its stems out as much as it could to try to reach more light. You can’t really remedy this one, but to prevent the stretching from worsening put it in the brightest windowsill you have. If you don’t like the curled branch from the stretching, you can try chopping them off at the base of its stems and propagating them like the jades in your water. Are you new to succulents?
0 Likes And as for the jade plant stem cuttings, 1. It looks to be a Hummel’s Sunset Jade Plant or a “Crosby’s Compacta”, given the coloring. It’s a specific variegation of jade. I definitely suggest propagating those stem cuttings in soil rather than water for better success. I used Espoma’s Organic Cactus and Succulent Mix (it’s about $7-9 where I live) for all my succulents. Please avoid using Miracle Grow’s soil for any of these plants, as it stays moist for way too long, especially in more humid climates, and can very quickly lead to overwatering and root rot in the case of succulents. Create a hole with the stem of each cutting in the soil, and add a few drops of water to the hole, removing the stem as you do so, then place the stem back in. This will help the stem get water right where it needs without risking overwatering it. It’s also less maintenance than constantly changing the water out until it grows roots. Check the soil every couple of days (2-3, or when the soil is completely dry in the hole you’ve made), and repeat adding the drops of water for a few weeks until roots start to form. Once roots start to form, you can bottom water the plant (look up “how to bottom water a plant” if you’re new to this. It’s very easy and great for succulents, and helps prevent overwatering and attracting pests to the top of the soil) every 8 days at the earliest, then once enough roots have formed, every 10 days like any other jade plant. Hope this helps! Lemme know if you have any questions about any of your plants.
1 Like Here’s an example of what I mean about the stem cuttings. These are stem cuttings from my 30-year-old jade plant, and I used the method I discussed above. I wanted them to grow together rather than form their own separate plants, to give it a bushier look in time, but that’s up to you. Also, if you lose any leaves from any of your jade plants, you can simply place the broken off leaves on top of the soil, and they’ll naturally start growing roots over time.
Thank you! Yes, extremely new! Previously all the plants I’ve had have been of the artificial variety! 😂
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For fertilizer, I like using Osmocote (slow-release fertilizer) for succulents because they don’t get watered very often. For most succulents, wait until the leaves are slightly deflated-looking before watering - it might be several months before they need water. But look up info on each one since they’re all a little different Succulents also need 6+ hours of direct sun every day. I have to use a grow light for mine since I don’t get that much natural light.
2 LikesThank you 🙏
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