Mar 13, 2020 3 min read

How many times have you heard someone say, “I can’t grow anything” or “Every plant I try to grow dies”? If you fall into this category, you may want to consider a plant that requires little care. Succulents are very easy to take care of as they need little attention. A succulent is a plant with fleshy stems or leaves. When we think of succulents, we think of a cactus; however, there are other noncacti succulents.

Before you purchase a succulent, decide where you will put it and what you want from it.

All plants need light, but surprisingly not all succulents need a lot of direct sunlight, in contrast to the thought of cacti in the desert!

I have three hoya hanging baskets: one in a northern window, one in a western window and one in a sunroom. The northern and western plants do well. The one in the sunroom will, if in direct sunlight, produce flowers.

With less light, the plants grow slower, which is something to consider if you do not have a lot of space.

These plants also propagate easily. These were three of five started from a cutting a friend gave me over 20 years ago. Another succulent that we keep around is actually a member of the lily family! It is an aloe plant. As you may know, this is used in a lot of ways, including lotions, creams and shampoos.

Some other plants to consider are Crown of Thorns, Jade, Kalanchoe, Sansevieria (mother-in-law’s tongue), and Burro’s tale (a sedum).

When caring for these plants, remember that they require less watering. This is also an advantage if you are frequently away from home. Watering them frequently will kill them. Watering every few weeks in the summer and every couple of months in the winter works well.

Before purchasing a plant, read the information tag with it. It will tell you the growing conditions and the amount of sunlight the plant should have. Also, take a close look at it for pests. You certainly do not want to bring a plant into your home that will introduce issues to any existing plants.

If you would like more advice on plants for your home, you can call the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners. We are also planning a “Cabin Fever Escape” garden seminar for the public on March 21st.

The Penn State Extension and Master Gardeners of Greene County are available to help with your gardening questions at 724-627-3745.