[Succulent Time🌵] The Great Summer Survival Challenge! 6 Tips to Protect Your Succulents | Fukuoka Cut Flower Farmer Tannic Monster

Hello, this is Tannic Monster🦖🌵

It's that time of year again—the scorching summertime.
It's a challenging season for both plants and humans, but...

My main concern is my succulents.

At first, I also said goodbye to many of them in the summer due to leaf burn, root rot, and drying out🥹

But!
It is precisely because I went through all that trial and error that I now know the "real tips for surviving the summer."

In this article, I have compiled the summer survival experience of Tannic Monster, who fearlessly pushed through in a greenhouse without shade netting!

With this, you can survive the summer too!🔥

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🕶Tip 1: Shade at all costs! Burnt leaves won't recover!

If you accidentally leave them in direct sunlight, those plump leaves will melt into a mushy mess...

So, shade netting is a must-have piece of equipment.
You can find them at 100-yen shops, and a 30-50% cut rate is fine.

Succulent🌵 "Loving light and loving direct sunlight are two different things!"

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🕶️Tip 2: Social distancing between pots

Packing them tightly in midsummer is a guaranteed path to death by humidity.

Space out the pots and place them on blocks or plant stands to improve airflow.

Also, if your Sedum starts getting too bushy, don't be afraid to prune it back!

Succulent🌵 "Good airflow equals higher survival rates; this is common knowledge in the succulent world."

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🕶️Tip 3: Introducing the secret weapon—Biostimulants!

Does that sound unfamiliar? But they are amazing.

Biostimulant materials are like (legal) doping for the plant world.

They skyrocket their stress tolerance against heat and dryness🔥

Succulent🌵 "It's legal, so please let me dope up."

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🕶️Tip 4: Watering timing = The key to victory!

Watering at noon = A boiling hot bath hell.
That's why you should only water in the evening or at night!

And it's no good to water too much, but it's also no good to cut it off completely...

The correct answer is—

👉 "Just before the soil dries out completely."

By the way, I am in the "plenty of water even in summer" camp (lol).
Perhaps because they were in a greenhouse, my plants would shrivel up immediately without water.

So, this really comes down to repeating the cycle of observation, experimentation, and note-taking!

Succulent🌵 "Don't take your eyes off me—no, no!"

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🕶️Tip 5: Protect their lives with water-retentive soil!

To control watering, the power of the soil is also super important.

It might be controversial, but as someone who waters frequently, I use a blend with high water retention.

🌱Example mix:
• Vermiculite
• Akadama soil (small grain)
• A little bit of peat moss (be careful not to add too much)

However, don't sacrifice "drainage"!

Succulent🌵 "This sense of balance is like the Michelin guide for succulents."

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🕶️Tip 6: The forbidden secret technique—"Refrigerator Summering"

"Not confident in outdoor management?"
"Want to protect your favorite ones at all costs?"
Then...

Evacuate to the refrigerator!

Succulents actually survive surprisingly well in cool places.
I have confirmed they can survive for 3 months, whether they are cuttings or potted.
And surprisingly, they don't get leggy.

The vegetable drawer (around 5°C) is best. The key for cuttings is to wrap them in paper towels and keep them on the dry side to prevent mold.

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🕶️Summary: Failure is a rite of passage for succulent lovers

Summer is a survival game for succulents.
But you get stronger with every loss!

・Avoid leaf burn with shade netting!
・Airflow is life! Prevent humidity!
・Water during the cool hours!
・Power up with biostimulants!
・Protect them from the roots up with water-retentive soil!
・The ultimate secret technique: the refrigerator!


Through repeated failures, I finally figured out the "summer survival method that works for my plants."

I believe succulents are beings that teach us the "joy of observation and trial and error."

I hope your succulents make it through the summer safely too🌱

If you have a method that worked for you, please let me know!🙏

This summer, I won't let anyone die.
Why don't you join me in aiming for a complete summer survival victory?🌵🔥

Thank you for reading until the end!

Click here for information about Takase Flower Garden💁‍♀️