Stressing out succulents to enrich their color is commonly heard of, but most people do not want to risk hurting their plant.
This technique is actually very easy, and not at all harmful to the succulent if done correctly.
The first thing to know about stressing your succulent is why it is okay. Succulents do best when kept more on the dry side, as apposed to being wet. Succulents can not sit in wet soil for more than a few days. So, letting that soil dry out COMPLETELY before watering again is a must for keeping your succulent happy.
Once you let the soil dry out, and you are ready to water again, let the soil stay dry. Doing this will start to "stress" your plant. Now, the reason I used quotations around that word is because it sounds bad and harmful to the succulent, when actually it is not.
Something to remember when doing this is that it doesn't happen over night. Some succulents take up to weeks and some take only a few days. Knowing the type of succulent is helpful.
Incorporating cooler temperatures will also enhance the color on some succulents. An ideal place for practicing this technique includes;
-A Three seasons room that DOES NOT freeze in the winter.
-A spare room that the heat vent can be closed
-A cool basement or garage that has adequate lighting and does not freeze in the winter
Not all succulents change color when being stressed. Make sure your succulent will do well being stressed, by doing some research before hand.
If you start to see the bottom leaves on your succulent dry out and fall off, that's a big indicator that it needs water. Thoroughly water and start the stressing process again.
Succulents that are older and more mature do better with stressing than ones that are newly sprouted or planted.
Provided down below is a list of succulents that do well with being stressed.
For any questions about stressing your succulent or succulents in general, please email us!
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