Handbook for growing succulents on balconies and windowsills

Stone lotus needs sun, wind and a fast-drying substrate. When growing on a balcony or windowsill, you need to choose a pot with drainage, gradually increase sunlight and avoid letting rain cause the plant to rot.

Summary: Stone lotus is most beautiful when it is bright and dry. In urban apartments, plants often fail due to lack of sunlight, watering too often, or being splashed by rain in water-retaining pots. Setting up correctly from the beginning will help the tree strengthen its canopy, reduce its height and limit root rot.

Applies to: Balconies, window sills, indoor light shelves or areas with grow lights.

Duration: 20-40 minutes to repot, monitor for the first 1-2 weeks.

Difficulty level: Medium. Need to control sun, water and ventilation.

Estimated additional costs: 50 thousand to 300 thousand VND depending on the tree, pot and mineral substrate.

What do succulents need to live healthy

Stone lotus is a group of succulent plants. The leaves retain water so the plant can withstand dryness well, but the roots and stems can easily rot if kept wet for a long time.

The three most important factors:

• Sunny: prefer bright sunlight or strong scattered light.
• Wind: pots need to dry quickly after watering or after rain.
• Substrate: lots of mineral materials, fast drainage.

If one of these three elements is missing, the tree will easily grow tall, have sparse leaves, pale color or soft roots.

Choose plants when buying

Signs of healthy succulents:

• The center of the leaf is firm, not damaged by water.
• The lower leaves have no transparent patches.
• The root is not black, not soft.
• The plant does not have aphids in the leaf axils.
• The substrate should not be too moist or have a sour smell.

New stone lotus purchased through shipping may have slightly wrinkled leaves. This is usually not as serious as soft roots or transparent leaves, as those two signs are more associated with rot.

Choose a pot

Stone lotus pots should be shallow and have drainage holes. Terracotta pots or ventilated pots are often easier to control humidity than sealed plastic pots.

Hint:

Do not use pots that are too large. Too much substrate remains moist for a long time, young roots have not yet absorbed all the water and the plant easily rots.

Mix mineral substrate

Stone lotus needs a substrate with a high mineral ratio. Can use:

• Pumice.
• Perlite.
• Akadama.
• Light gravel.
• Hun Husk.
• A little clean soil or compost.

Reference formula:

With a rainy balcony or a room with little wind, increase the mineral content. In places with strong sunlight and wind, you can keep a little organic to keep the plant from drying out too quickly.

Repot after purchase

Steps:

1. Remove the plant from the old pot.
2. Remove the pumpkin substrate around the roots.
3. Cut rotten roots if any.
4. Place the plant on a new, dry substrate.
5. Do not fill the lower leaves too deep.
6. Place the plant in bright light for the first few days.

After repotting, you should wait 2-3 days before watering. If the roots are cut, the waiting time can be longer to allow the root wound to dry and reduce the risk of rot.

Gradually increase the sunshine

Stone lotus needs sunlight, but new plants purchased from a nursery or store may not be used to direct sunlight. If exposed to strong sunlight immediately, the leaves can easily burn.

How to increase sunlight:

• First 2 days: strong scattered light.
• Day 3-5: light sunlight for 1-2 hours.
• Then gradually increase if the leaves do not burn.
• Avoid harsh midday sun when the plant is not used to it.

Signs of enough light are compact crowns, leaves that do not stretch, and tree colors are clearer. If the tree grows quickly, the leaves are sparse and the color is pale, it is necessary to increase the light or add additional lights.

Water

Stone lotus does not need to be watered on a fixed schedule. Only water when the pot is clearly dry.

How to water safely:

• Water the substrate, not the center of the plant.
• Prioritize watering in the morning.
• Irrigate enough so that the water drains to the bottom.
• Let the pot dry thoroughly before placing it back on the shelf.
• Do not let water stand overnight in the leaf axils or the center of the plant.

If you place the tree on the balcony where it rains, you need to take into account the amount of rain water. After many days of rain, watering can be stopped for a long time.

Arranged on balconies and windowsills

East-facing balconies are often easy to grow because they have bright sunlight. West direction is hot, need to get used to it and avoid heat shock. Indoor window sills often lack wind, so we must use a more open substrate and water more sparingly.

Note:

• Don't put the pots too close together.
• Place the pot high so the bottom can drain.
• Avoid locations where rainwater continuously splashes.
• If there is a lack of sunlight, use a grow light instead of watering less to "preserve the plant".

Lack of sunlight cannot be corrected with fertilizer. The tree will grow soft even if you add more fertilizer.

Checklist for growing succulents

• [ ] Choose a tree with a strong center and not a soft base.
• [ ] Use a shallow pot with drainage holes.
• [ ] The substrate is rich in minerals and dries quickly.
• [ ] After repotting, wait 2-3 days before watering.
• [ ] Increase sunlight slowly over 5-7 days.
• [ ] Irrigate in the morning, avoiding water stagnation in the center.
• [ ] Write the direction of the balcony and the time the pot took to dry.

Mistakes to avoid

Water the center of the plant and leave it overnight: stagnant water can cause heart rot or leaf fungus.

Leave the plant out in the rain for many days in a water-retaining pot: the roots can easily become black and soft.

Move the plant from shade to strong sunlight immediately: the leaves burn in patches, the plant goes into shock.

Using too much organic soil: pots take too long to dry, roots lack oxygen.

If you see wrinkled leaves, water immediately: you need to check the roots first, because rotten plants can also have wrinkled leaves due to damaged roots.

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