You bought A succulent because it looked good: clear colors, crisp edges. Home you go, water it. For three months nothing happen with the plant. You conclude either your gardening skills suck, or the plant is dead. Nine times out of 10 the plant is just fine; it’s just growing on a different beat than other plants. If you want it to stay alive, learn its timing.
You can see where the plants spends their energy in chart above. Plants that are quick to put up foliage include sedums. These are fast growers. They get an early canopy. That’s great for newbies who want to see something happen in a hurry. A slow grower like lithops doesn’t rush things; it take its time establishing its root system. You won’t see anything happening aboveground, but down below it’s busy at work.
Learn How Succulents Grow
Pick your pace. How much time do you have? If it’s a hurry, pick a fast grower. It will put on inches a year and soon there will be mat of something. If you like projects that last, select slow growers. Some might take decades to flower. Not all pots is created equal; some plant are faster than others.
Grow lights: Light is food. If you have shade, it slows down succulents. Low light makes them stretch. Make them leggy; they lose form. They want bright, direct light most days. That make the plant tissue dense.
Soil is also important, as wet soil isn’t good for succulents. Roots must breathe. Use a gritty mineral-rich mix that lets roots get air. No rot. Overwatering is also a major cause of stunted growth. Succulent plants holds moisture inside, including in their leaves. If you soak the soil, they will stop growing roots because there is too much water. Your roots will rot. Soak and then wait until soil is bone dry before watering again. That’s the way nature does it. It promotes root growth.
Succulents have seasons. In extreme temperatures, cold or hot, they will rest and then slow way down. Not because they are distressed; it’s a strategy to survive. Conserve energy, the plants say. Fertilizing or adding extra water at this time would of killed them. Be patient. Let the milder days come. Then they’ll start growing again as the seasons shift.
Faster isn’t better. Consistent is better. What you’re nurturing is a plant that has its own timing. Sometimes a plant fills out a pot within a single season. Other times, it’s slow to do so, over multiple year. Either outcome is fine. Don’t judge the plant based off how it starts. Value the patient effort beneath the surface. When that new leaf appears, you’ll see why the wait was worthwhle.