Updated at: 01-12-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

Succulent fertilizer may be of interest to you. Many people believe that succulents don’t need fertilizer. Succulents, like most plants, will benefit from fertilization on a regular basis. Make sure you know when and how often you should fertilize!

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Succulents, like all plants, require nutrients in order to thrive. However, few people realize that succulents require fertilizer!

Fertilizer will help them grow fuller and create nicer colors, even if they can acquire some of the nutrients they require from the soil.

Commercial Fertilizers

Succulents can be burned if you apply too powerful of a fertilizer on them. Succulents, on the other hand, benefit greatly from regular application of the correct fertilizer.

How Often Should You Fertilize Succulents? | Succulent Alley

The Miracle Grow Cactus Fertilizer can also be used as directed on the bottle. The first few times you utilize commercial choices, dilute them to avoid burning. Make sure they are balanced (such a 10-10-10).

Manure Tea Fertilizer

Cindy Davison of The Succulent Perch gave me a bag of Haven Brand Manure Tea during a photo shoot during the winter. This is a great fertilizer for succulents, and I use it all the time.

The idea of utilizing dung tea as a fertilizer is fantastic: it’s like using compost or manure, but you don’t get messy and it doesn’t stink. Succulents enjoy it because it’s a natural way to feed them.

Succulents grew significantly larger and healthier thanks to this treatment, which is completely safe for them.

You’ll pay $12.95, which includes shipping, for three bags. Only in the United States can you get it.

Preparing manure tea

After you remove the tea bag from its container, place it in a 5 gallon bucket (or any large bucket you have).

Make sure the bucket is nearly full. While you’re filling the bucket, swish the tea bag around in it. According to the instructions, 1 to 5 gallons of water should be used. I used five liters of water in total.

For a few days, leave the tea bag submerged in the water in the bucket. Instead of fishing the bag out later, I left its thread hanging out of its bucket because I didn’t want to deal with it again. Pin

2 to 3 days (or even longer) later, Open the bucket, remove the tea bag, and brew the tea. You are now ready to start fertilizing!

Using manure tea

Succulents won’t be burned by the tea, even if it spills on top of the leaves. I used a large watering can to place the tea in and generously watered my succulents as I normally would.

I only fertilized my outside succulents once and only watered them with the tea once. I’ll explain why a bit later. This is what the plants looked like before the manure tea fertilizer was applied…

However, the succulents appeared to be in good health, if a little scarce. I was eager to observe the results of the fertilizer. How quickly the fertilizer made a difference was just astonishing!

Within a month, I noticed a noticeable change in the container’s density of succulents. Their health was excellent, and they were all getting pretty huge.

This is what the succulents looked like two months after the fertilizer was put in:

I love how full this rain gutter succulent garden is and I’m confident the fertilizer really helped. In the yard, a few other planters look terrible (since they didn’t receive fertilizer).

Succulents won’t be burned or over-fertilized by utilizing the manure tea because it is a moderate form of fertilizer (but still quite potent!).

The Miracle Grow Cactus Fertilizer can also be used if you choose, although I wasn’t as impressed with it. Many of our readers, on the other hand, have had wonderful success with it.

How often do succulents need fertilizer?

How often should you fertilize succulents now that you know about a wonderful fertilizer? With manure tea and regular watering, you can fertilize succulents up to once a month, but most of the time they’ll do good with one spring fertilization.

This is the time of year when many succulents are ready to take advantage of the extra nutrients. Fertilizing in the fall is a good idea if you have predominantly winter-growing succulents.

Don’t use slow-release fertilizers for your succulents if you’re not using manure tea. Because of their great potency, these are more likely to harm succulents than help them flourish. I suggest diluting a water-soluble fertilizer by half the suggested concentration.

Fertilizing indoor succulents

Indoor succulent fertilizer is a subject on which I’ve vacillated. In the end, I opted to fertilize mine only once a year in the spring, and I’m sticking with it (when the days are getting longer).

The fertilizer causes succulents to grow more quickly which can cause a lot of stretching if your succulents aren’t getting enough light.

How to Fertilize Your Succulents - UnusualSeeds

Adding fertilizer to your succulents will encourage them to grow more fast, which can result in a lot of straining.

Alternative Fertilizer Options

It is possible to utilize other organic materials as a fertilizer in the garden. Eggshells, for example, can be pulverized or used to brew tea.

Pour boiling water over the shells after they’ve been well rinsed to remove any yolk or white residue. Overnight soaking is recommended, followed by morning straining to remove the shells. Succulents can benefit from a calcium boost from “eggshell tea.” Succulents require nitrogen, which this does not include, thus you may have to use another fertilizer to make up the difference.

Other animals’ feces can also be used:

Now is the time to order some manure tea and get started on fertilizing your outdoor succulents! Because of their size, I’m sure you’ll be delighted with how well they fill in. If you’ve ever fertilized succulents, I’d love to hear about it!

Sharing this content on social media or email is also a great way to spread the word about it.

Get fun new pots for your succulents!

Your succulents will love a fresh set of pots.

Succulents were the inspiration for these lovely pots…

  • In order for water to easily exit, there should be a drainage hole
  • To expedite the drying process, a shallow depth.
  • Preventing water damage to your counter or shelf with a tray
  • When you’re unable to water your succulents, you’ll be able to entertain yourself with these adaptable decorations!

Decor that can be moved and swapped out whenever you’d like to show off your succulents and other interests, as well as your mood for the day.

For your favorite holidays, you can choose from a variety of seasonal designs as well as endless options and combinations.

These succulent planters come in a variety of colorful styles!

Do Succulents Need Fertilizer?

Succulents, like all plants, require nourishment to thrive.

Fertilizer is not necessary for succulents that are propagated on a regular basis (every one or two years) and fed a nutrient-rich substrate. However, if this is not possible, regular nutrient intake in the form of fertilizers would tremendously benefit your plants.

In spite of the fact that they may get part of their nutrients from the earth, fertilizers will help succulents grow faster and produce more vibrant hues.

Succulents might suffer from chemical burn if you use a fertilizer that is too strong. The development of your succulents will be substantially improved, though, if you use a good succulent fertilizer on a regular basis.

What Fertilizer is Best for Succulents?

If you are looking for the right fertilizer for your succulents, you can either:

  • you need invest in special succulent and cactus fertilizer
  • either apply a lesser concentration of the so-called “general fertilizer” for decorative plants, or use one of these “universal fertilizers.”
  • For succulents, build your own natural fertilizer.

Because there are so many varieties of succulents, it is difficult to design a fertilizer that would work for everyone.

It is possible to use a conventional fertilizer at a lower dose if the particular fertilizer for succulents is unavailable.

If you want to fertilize your succulents once a month, you can use a regular fertilizer such as type 8-8-8 (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium), which you can dilute about two or three times the recommended quantity on the package.

Phosphorus and potassium, especially phosphorus, are essential for the growth and development of succulents.

Before discussing which fertilizers are best, it may be more convenient to warn you about the ones you should steer clear of..

What Fertilizers to NOT Use

  • Nitrogen-rich fertilizers should be avoided. As a result, plants are more susceptible to common pests if they have too much nitrogen in their environment. You should never surpass a nitrogen concentration of 15 in the fertilizer you use (the first number of the three used to define fertilizer concentration).
  • Because of the risk of burning the leaves and roots of plants while using chemical fertilizers, it is not advisable to use these products (although they are usually the easiest to get).

How Often Should You Fertilize Succulents?

However, once a year is usually enough to properly fertilize your succulents, even with homemade fertilizer like manure tea or a monthly application of commercial fertilizer.

Only once a year should you fertilize your indoor succulents. A lack of light causes plants to stretch and become unsightly and feeble as a result of fertilizer-induced growth in succulents.

You may help your succulents retain their compact size and nutrients by relocating them to a bright, well-shaded area outside shortly after fertilizing. If you choose to keep them indoors, make sure they have as much light as possible. Even a grow lamp could be an option.

When Should I fertilize my Succulents?

Spring is the best time to feed your succulents. This is the time of year when many succulents begin their growth phase, and they will need those nutrients.

So, if you have a winter-active succulent variety, I’d suggest fertilizing in the fall.

Why Should You Fertilize Succulents

Succulents require necessary nutrients that earth isn’t delivering in order to grow huge and beautiful. Food that is nutritious and good for us is essential to our well-being as humans. The same nutrients are required for the healthy development of these plants in a comparable manner. You may be surprised to learn that many people believe that succulents don’t need to be fertilized at all, but that’s not the case. As a supplement, it will provide the necessary nutrients for a healthy development.

How To Fertilize Succulents

Always use organic fertilizer when fertilizing succulents. Fertilize succulents according to their needs, using the correct ratio of fertilizer. It’s best to use a diluted fertilizer solution because it will reduce the risk of the plant burning.

Whenever you fertilize your plants, apply diluted fertilizer (I use manure tea) in a bucket or other container that will be used to water them. After it begins to run out drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, slowly pour in more solution. As a result, we can be certain that the roots are receiving the proper amount of fertilizer as well. As a result, you should think about using this fertilization approach for plants: after fertilizing them, wait a few days or a week before watering them again. This will allow the plant to absorb all of the fertilizer’s nutrients.

Fertilizing Indoor Succulents

For a long, I was unsure whether or not I should fertilize my indoor succulents, but after some trial and error, I’ve finally hit the sweet spot for indoor succulent fertilization. My plants have thrived since I began fertilizing them once a year. In order to fertilize indoor succulents, you must first realize that fertilizers supply nutrients to plants so that they can grow properly. Consequently, you should always fertilize succulents prior to their growth season. During the spring and fall, the majority of succulents produce new growth. So why not use spring fertilizer to help the plant grow quickly and well? When it comes to fertilizing my indoor succulents, I’ve found this method to be really helpful.

It is possible for succulents to stretch if they aren’t getting enough sunlight because of their rapid growth. So, after fertilization, don’t forget to place them in direct sunshine. It’s a good idea to move your succulents to a location that gets some sunlight after fertilizing them. When succulents are kept indoors, you can try to grow light for them. This will prevent the plant from extending.

Manure Tea Or (Succulent Fertilizer Ratio)

Succulents benefit greatly from the usage of manure tea, which is one of the best organic fertilizers I’ve seen. Even if used in huge quantities, it will not harm the plant. It’s safe for our plant and doesn’t leave a bad odor behind. Within a month of employing manure tea, your plant will be thriving and gorgeous. Let’s learn how to make manure tea together.

You’ll need these items to make manure tea.

  1. Infuser
  2. a container for collecting waste
  3. A cover for a bucket.
  4. Water

Take a teabag out of the packaging first thing. Place a tea bag at the bottom of the bucket. Until the bucket is totally full, continue to pour in the water. Take anything that can completely cover the bucket, such as a large cap. then let the tea bag in the water for a few days to allow it infuse more (minimum of 2 days). Manure tea can now be used after the cover has been removed. Now is the time to feed your succulents with a fertilizer.

Learn how to fertilize succulents | Succulents and Sunshine

How To Use Manure Tea For Succulents?

Succulents can benefit greatly from using manure tea. Just like watering your succulents, you just need to fill a watering container with the manure tea and then pour it over them. Because manure tea is mild enough not to burn a plant and even if you use it in high proportion, even if you use it in huge quantities, the leaves and the plant will not be damaged.

Using the manure tea once a month to irrigate your plants will yield positive benefits within a month. When I’ve done this several times, my succulents have grown beautifully and healthily within a month. As a result, I find manure tea to be a good organic fertilizer for succulents. There is nothing better than the mildness of manure tea, but it’s still the finest in terms of results. Also, our succulents will not be burned at any cost.

Types Of Fertilizers

You should be familiar with the following types of succulents:

1. Natural Fertilizer (Organic Worms)

It is possible that the nutrients in these organic worms would be good to your succulents. If you want to use organic fertilizer on your succulents, invest in some of these worms. They are quite beneficial and provide a plant with a plethora of nutrients. These worms are capable of adjusting the soil’s pH level and are believed to be extremely beneficial to the environment.

2. Grow Better Organic Fertilizer For Succulents And Cactus

Your succulents will thank you if you use this product. Second round of organic fertilizer will be needed in two months following the first one. Succulents will flourish in their growing season thanks to this fertilizer, which gives all of the nutrients they need to thrive and blossom.

For this fertilizer, you can either mix it into the potting soil or apply it as a top dressing to the soil, according on your preference. Both of these approaches have merit.

3. Miracle Grow Succulent Plant Food

This is a liquid fertilizer, which is great for succulents because it’s convenient and quick to use. Succulents can benefit greatly from Miracle Grow succulent plant food since it provides a quick boost to their health, which I have found to be really helpful.

The following are just some of my personal recommendations for you, and I am not affiliated with any of them. You can get these on Amazon if you’d like.

FAQ’s

What fertilizer for baby succulent?

Use natural DIY fertilizers like compost tea, liquid humus, or manure tea to feed your newborn succulents. Many experts agree that these are the greatest choices for infant succulent plants.

This method is completely safe for newborn succulents, and it allows them to develop into much larger and healthier plants than they would have otherwise.

Because most people can’t make these at home, the quickest option is to go to the garden center or buy it online and get a ready-made bottle of this particular fertilizer.

Is osmocote good for succulents?

Amazon is the primary source of Osmocote fertilizer. Succulents can be a huge assistance when it comes to adding fertilizer to your plants, as they can:

Final Thoughts

It’s always best to go with manure tea first, as it’s organic and doesn’t have any adverse effects. Keep in mind that succulents will require fertilizers from time to time, so be sure to supply them with what they require. And then there’s the growing and caring for of these lovely plants.