In this article let’s try to address the following questions about the succulents in the rainy season. Do succulents do well in rain? Should I leave my succulents out in the rain? How to protect succulents from too much rain? Should I leave my succulents out in the rain?
Why to take care of succulents in the rainy season?
Rainy season; these are the months every succulent gardener is scared of, for there is a common notion that succulents don’t like water; however, the exact truth is they don’t like to be in the standing water. With days of heavy precipitation and centimeters of rainfall (a scientific term to measure the amount of rain in an area), excess moisture is evident. So is the stress line on the foreheads of succulent lovers, how to take care of succulents in the rainy season.
Apart from that, some more scares haunt the succulent health like bugs and fungi infestation, rot, freeze due to sudden temperature drop at nights, etc. Chances of these problems increase with the extra moisture in the air and fluctuating temperatures. It is sometimes bright with harsh sun rays, and suddenly the weather goes cloudy and dark.
Methods to take care of succulents in the rainy season
It is preferred to follow some methods and procedures to avoid these things from happening, on the first. And to help with that, ‘The Plant Prince PH’ has listed some methods that you should include in your gardening habits, and they also introduce some tips that can be followed during the rainy season to prolong succulent’s survival.
1. Keep your small succulents in a tray
This will help you move them quickly across the garden if any emergency or other. As, at the time of sudden rain or bad weather, you will be urged to move your succulents to a safe place as soon as possible. And keeping your small succulents in a tray will save you precious time and effort in that situation.
Keeping succulents in a tray also looks good, as the feel of a better arrangement is visible. Also, having a tray will help you put similar succulents together, helping provide them with the needs and care easily, like fertilization pruning, watering, sunlight, etc. It also saves space, as haphazardly put succulent pots consume more space.
This tip is quite useful for the people living in apartments, who love to have a small collection of small succulents in their balconies. And face the difficulty of rain and bad weather at the towering heights of their residential buildings.
2. Invest in a UV plastic sheet for succulents in the rainy season
This method is quite useful for gardeners who own large succulents because moving them in bad weather can be challenging or not possible. A UV plastic sheet will keep away the rain but allow the sun brightness to a significant extent. The UV sheet also serves the purpose of stopping harmful UV rays of the sun from burning the soft tissues of the succulents.
You can also use a polycarbonate sheet instead, as it is more stringent than the UV plastic sheet. It is a firm structure around your succulents that will help them avoid afternoon sunrays also. Allowing the airflow to the maximum and extra-wide structure will also save the succulents from slanted showers.
3. Groom your succulents in the rainy season.
This means you should take care of fallen debris near your succulents that may give rise to other complications like fungal and bug infestation. It mostly consists of old leaves that are rejected out from the lower side of the plant. These leaves can also cause lousy airflow, which hurts the fluent growth pattern, as it will interfere with their breathing and photosynthesis process. Decaying and dead leaves can increase extra moisture around them, a welcoming sign for the pest infection or other lethal problems.
Moreover, we should look after the succulent core; it should also be clear of dead leaves. These decaying leaves will initiate the rotting, which can be very harmful to its existence.
4. Follow weather forecasts
The only motive here is to make gardeners aware and prepared for future weather conditions. If we have some know-how of future situations, we can make proper arrangements in advance. Several apps available on the internet are capable of predicting the weather forecast for a region. One can easily use these apps without any expertise; some apps on the play store are free.
If we are prepared in advance, it will save us valuable time and effort in an emergency. We can also care for our succulents well if we know what weather issues they will face in the future.
5. Infrequently water succulents in the rainy season
To avoid extra moisture, as excess humidity in air and showers makes the soil wet for more periods. Excess moisture can give a path to fungus and pest infestation or rot, lethal for the succulents. Therefore, skipping water days is a must in the monsoon season; this will adjust the total water intake with monsoon showers.
For example, one can try 10-15 days of the watering period if he waters them once a week earlier. But, if you are worrying that you may misjudge the water intake and underwater succulent. It will be a relief to know that under-watering is better than over-watering; your succulents can cope with low water intake for a significant amount of time.
6. Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Increases the oxygen level when it gets absorbed in the soil. Higher oxygen levels make the roots healthy and robust. Hydrogen Peroxide also fights and prevents fungal infection and mold.
For mixing it into the soil uniformly, one can mix it with water in the ratio of 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of water if he is opting for a 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution.
7. Invest in good pots
To avoid over-watering and prevent root rot, and that is possible if we choose pots with drainage holes. Along with overwatering, lousy airflow is also an issue in the rainy season. Porous pots like terracotta and clay are the right choice for this period, as they allow proper air and moisture circulation through the porous walls. It helps the soil dry out quickly, helping in prolonging the life of the roots.
8. Use a gritty soil mix
Which is well-drained, and doesn’t hold or retain the water on the surface; the reason is the same; it can lead to succulent rotting and fungal or pest infections. Please avoid using the soil mixes like clay, which get thick and dense when they contact water. They hold more water than gritty soil mixes that allows passage for extra water to seep out.
9. Remove water that pools in leaves
Stagnant water is the primary cause behind rot. It would be best to take care of the center area of the succulent and empty all the water pool near it. As it is the prime part of a succulent above the soil responsible for new growth, and if it starts rotting or showing signs of sunburn, some severe issues may haunt the succulent in the future.
10. Avoid touching the farina of succulents in the rainy season.
A hydrophobic layer on the leaves of the succulent, and repels water. Using some insecticides, fungicides, or alcohol may harm this layer, which plays a crucial part in keeping away water pools in the rainy season. This layer is also responsible for preventing sun damage, which is also a significant issue in the rainy season.
These tips can be understood even better with the help of a video:
A visual explanation will help even more in carrying out the right methods. A detailed go through this video will help you make your succulents feel dry and warm during this season.
Some extra tips to take care of succulents in the rainy season.
Use the rainwater to water the succulents as it has a lower pH value, which is favorable for the succulent leaves and other parts. One can also store this water in some containers for future usage.
Elevate the potting area if you have a succulent outdoor garden, can use a height of about 5-6 inches, which is enough t accommodate the whole root length. In case you don’t have extra soil in your garden for creating a raised garden bed, you can dig some trench around the potting location and move that soil to prepare a raised garden bed. Or you can dig another area in your garden for extra soil as per your needs.
The rainy season also witnesses harsh sun rays in days as the dirt and pollution have washed off by showers. Also, it observes sudden temperature drops significantly at night time, which can lead to freezing. Bedsheet and frost cloths are excellent options to avoid this occurrence and are readily available in nearby stores.
Final Takeaway on succulents in the rainy season
These tips are put after observing the succulent gardening habits and experiences and have been approved and favored by many people. And it’s quite positive that you will also benefit from them, so consider them for this rainy season; waiting for your feedback here!