Why succulents should be your friends

Since I’ve started college, I’ve missed my pets a lot. Even if USD allowed animals to live with us, could you imagine the upkeep and the extra responsibility? Fortunately, there are certain living creatures allowed in our temporary homes — plants!

My newest roommates aren’t just any plants, they’re of the succulent family. Succulents are plants with thick stems and leaves that help them retain water in drier climates — like cacti. In fact, nearly all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

I actually have six succulent babies. They’re named after the characters on Friends because I recently rewatched the whole series, and it was very hard to let go of those six people. Some may think “Wow, that’s a lot to take care of,” but I assure you, once they get into schedule with you, it’s so easy!

The water retaining characteristic is incredibly helpful for college plant parents who already have 1,000 responsibilities. Succulents should only be watered once a week when they’re in a hot area, and as rarely as once a month in the winter months.

Since they don’t need to be watered every day, they need to be soaked on the days they’re watered — that’s what helps these plants grow strong. If they don’t get enough water in their occasional soaks, the roots will shrivel up by drying out, and the plant won’t survive.

Because succulents like a good soak, make sure their container has good ventilation. If it doesn’t, the roots will rot from being so soggy all the time, and the plant will die a very unhappy death.

Having six succulents in different sized pots, I was worried that I wouldn’t have room on my windowsill for them to all get the light they need. I’ve found, however, that they don’t have to be moved to bigger pots to stay healthy. If plant seems droopy and unhappy, its soil should be swapped. This brings the nutrients back that the plant ate from the old soil.

The task can be kind of messy, but it takes less than 10 minutes. As soon as the plant is transferred into new soil, give it a good soak. This way, the roots intermingle with the water and the nutrients it needs, and the plant releases the stress it carried during the transfer.

Caring for these plants, and even just greeting them in the morning, boosts my mood to heights I thought I’d never achieve again after finals week. The tiny responsibility has a meditational value to it — it’s calming to know that I get to help and watch these little plant lives grow.