5 Steps To Water And Take Care Of Your Succulents

So many times, I’ve heard “I can’t even take care of succulents”, “It’s the lack of attention that makes me kill them”.

Succulents are so noble that once you understand how they live you will never kill another one. Discover the essential steps to properly care for your succulents in this easy-to-follow guide. Keep your plants thriving with these expert tips from your local florist.

1) How much Sun do succulents need?

Succulents require around 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Harsh light burns them, not enough light rots them. Indirect means that there has to be something like a mesh between the sun and your plant, a window works good enough.

Keep succulents away from air currents, and not lower than 40-30F.

2) How much Water do succulents need?

Add around 4oz (1/2 cup) of water every 10-15 days or more depending on pot size. Wait until the soil (2 inch deep) feels dry. Depending on the temperature and humidity of their surroundings this will vary greatly.

The most important thing to know about succulents is that they keep a lot of water in their leaves and their roots are very thin, and if you add too much water, they will drown because they will drink more water than they need. Their soil needs to actually get dry before you add more water.

If the stem is mushy or rotting, it's probably overwatered. If the leaves get puckered, the plant needs more water.

Do not let them stand in water, if the container doesn’t have a drainage, flip it upside down after watering it (holding your succulents while doing it so they won’t fall out) and let all the excess water drain out.

3) Does Humidity hurt succulents?

As mentioned before, succulents have a lot of water in their leaves. So, if their surroundings are very humid, they will need less watering.

Make sure your plant’s soil is completely dry and the base of your plant is not mushy before you add more water.

Humidity won’t hurt your succulent as long as you don’t overwater it.

4) Do I need to Fertilize succulents?

Fertilize once a month during their active growing cycle (spring), beginning in the spring when temperatures start to warm up and the fear of frost is over.

Choose a fertilizer recommended for cacti and succulents and follow the package directions, or choose any all-purpose, balanced liquid fertilizer and mix it to ¼ strength of what the directions indicate. Keep in mind that if you use a liquid fertilizer, it is like adding water so avoid watering your succulents right after fertilizing them.

5) Do succulents need to be Preened?

Whenever you see a dry or dying leaf at the base of your succulent remove it gently. If the leaves fall on their own but are not rotten or dried, the plant might be wanting to propagate, leave it where you found it and the leaf might grow its own roots eventually, creating a new plant.

Remember, the most important aspect about succulents is the lack or excess of water you provide, find a happy balance depending on their surroundings and they will live a happy and long life.

Do you know any other tips to help you succulents live a healthier life? Let us know in the comments below. If you're looking to send succulents in Gaithersburg, Maryland, make sure to reach out to us or visit your nearby and reliable florist.

The Origin of Exotic Flowers

Which exotic flower is your favorite? Mine is the orchid, they come in so many forms and colors! Like the Phalaenopsis, or the Cymbidium. Let's get a little into the origin of "exotic" flowers.

Cymbidium Orchid

Vanda Orchid

Originated from the Latin word ‘exoticus’, which in turn comes from a Greek word; the concept of exotic refers to every person, animal, flower or object of a nationality other than that of who observes it, especially when it is something or someone who arrives from a faraway territory.

Within the framework of biology, it is customary to use the idea of exotic to describe the species, group, community, or subspecies of both fauna and flora that can survive and reproduce without needing to be in its natural territory. That is, of the place that the flower or animal in question comes from, and without the direct introduction or the care of man.

The exotic, both for human culture and for nature, encompasses everything that comes from a strange place. Keep in mind that the rarity depends on the person who is considering the issue. For example: a kimono may be an exotic dress in Brazil, but something quite common in Japan. The kimono, therefore, is not exotic by itself, but becomes exotic if a different culture examines it.

In this sense, it is worth mentioning that the human being tends to be especially attracted by the different, the unknown, and this almost ingrained sensation in our species can be expressed in two very opposite attitudes: rejection, for fear of leaving our comfort zone, or an imperative need to approach.

This almost instinctive attraction to the foreign is responsible for the success of the Japanese series in the West, and North American music in the East. And explains why tropical flowers such as anthuriums, orchids, birds of paradise, gingers, and proteas are also known as exotic flowers, because they are only naturally born in the tropical parts of our world.

They not only look different from regular roses or daisies with their intricate shapes and colors, but also need a different care. They need warmer temperatures, and higher air humidity than our ‘normal’ Western flowers.

Check out our selection of exotic floral arrangements there are different options, like our Exotic Beauty or the Bella Giornata.

Why Sending a Gift Basket is a Great Idea?

Are you wondering if a Gift Basket is the right gift you need? Gift baskets are more interesting than what you can imagine. Even though we may think of gift baskets as a modern way of giving a gift, they have history that goes way back, throughout years and cultures. They go back to ancient Rome and to the XI century.

On the other hand, baskets are curious items because most of them, are handmade. Even nowadays, the making of a wicker baskets is almost impossible to be done entirely by machinery, it requires human hands in most parts of the process, and they use techniques that remain and have been used throughout time and cultures.

Handmade things require attention to details, which is why wicker baskets are such a good container for gift ‘baskets’, it gives a special frame to the whole creation.

In some places, people have turned the making of baskets into art. Nowadays, there are many Native American groups who are known for their art of elaborating special baskets which they use to harvest berries at the end of spring and beginnings of summer.

Each item that goes into Tognoli Gifts’ baskets can be personalized to fulfill the recipient’s likes. Furthermore, Gift Baskets can be finished with the favorite colors of that special person in terms of wrapping and bows and tailored to special occasions by choosing a theme such as maternity, home warming gifts, birthdays, and more.

You can choose items such as chocolates, cheese and crackers, fresh fruits, or gourmet items, according to the event you want to celebrate, including anniversaries or weddings.

So, stop hesitating and pick the one that best fits your needs, if you want to take something out or add something in, give us a call and we will make it happen.