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Succulents are one of the most beloved plants. These tiny plants can fit anywhere and are very easy to carry, succulents are very low maintenance plants and can thrive in extreme conditions. People love to keep these plants with them all the time and I am also one of those, I wanted to keep succulent in my car and I had no idea will it survive.
So I did some research and experimented with it by keeping them in the car. In this article, I will share my own experience but before that let’s quickly get to know Can succulents survive in a car?
Succulents can survive in a car but they cannot live for a long period. They need fresh air and less humidity to survive, so you must take the succulents out of the car for a few hours daily.
By taking care of these little things, succulents can survive. The main concern of keeping them in a car is humid or hot temperatures and these succulents do not like it. You must also choose the correct variety of succulents to keep them in a car.
Now let’s get to know everything in detail.
Types Of Succulents That Can Survive In A Car
When you are planning to keep the succulents inside a car you mostly need a small compact succulent that does not grow huge in size. There are a few best varieties of succulents that can survive inside a car.
1. Haworthia
Haworthia is one of the small succulents that look very attractive. They are also called zebra plants due to their white striped appearance. These are perfect plants to keep in a car as they are very compact in size and they measure up to 20 cm in height and 10 cm in diameter. Haworthia is also a slow-growing plant. Also, they do not need much care and attention. I prefer Haworthia over all other varieties of succulents to keep in my car.
2. Lithops
Lithops is another succulent variety that you can keep inside a car and will survive when taken care of properly. These are also slow-growing plants and are small in size. Usually, they are 8 cm wide in size. These plants have scented flowers on them and can be a great addition to the car interior.
3. Sempervivum
Sempervivum is one of the most loved succulents among gardeners. These plants bloom and then their shoots fall off to reproduce. Sempervivum is also known as the Hens and Chicks. They grow flowers which are of various attractive colors.
Sempervivum usually grows up to 4 inches tall. These are super easy to grow and are perfect for small gardens. This makes them a perfect succulent to keep inside a car.
When we are talking about succulents in a car, there can be two scenarios you might have. Firstly, you want to keep them in a car or on a dashboard to give an appealing look. Secondly, you want to transport your succulents from one place to another and for that, you are keeping them in a car.
Now let’s get to know more about both situations in detail.
1. For Keeping Succulents in a car
When you plan to keep succulents in a car or on the dashboard. You must take care of a few things.
You should always try to decrease the humidity inside the car.
Water them only when the soil is dry to avoid overwatering.
Choose the correct type of succulent variety.
Avoid keeping the plant right in front of the car air conditioner, sudden change in the surrounding temperature can damage the plant.
Do not keep them all the time inside the car give them fresh air and sun by taking them out.
2. For Transporting Succulents In A Car
When you are planning to move out of the town or want to transport succulents you should always do it correctly. Succulents can die of damage when you are planning to transport them in a car or in a vehicle. Here are a few things you should take care of while transporting them.
Do no water the succulents right before transporting them. You should at least water 2-3 days prior, transporting them.
Check if the leaves of the plants are dry, otherwise, they can rot the plant when they are packed wet.
Make sure to pack the succulents properly and safely inside a box, so that they stay safe without damage.
If you are transporting a lot of succulents at a time, then keep them in a plant tray and place them inside the box. Plant tray keeps them safe and without breakage.
Precautions During Winter
When succulents are kept inside a car during winter. It is important that you take them indoors when it gets freezing cold. If you have a hardy succulent then you can keep them in a car outdoors.
It mostly depends on the variety of succulents. Also, you must water very little during the winters and do not fertilize them as they go dormant in this season.
Precautions During Summer
During summer it gets too hot outside and that can cause sun stress in the succulents. They cannot tolerate high temperatures, so you must park the car in shade to avoid any type of stress.
When succulents are in the car, make sure that they get good airflow and that you can do by keeping the car windows slightly open. Also, water them during summer just do not overwater the plant. You can use the soak and dry method to water them.
Taking Care Of The Succulents In A Car
Succulents are super easy to grow and they do not need much care and attention. They can go days without water as they can retain the water in their leaves and stems. When you keep them in a car, to help them survive in it you must take care of a few things correctly.
1. Good Airflow
The most important thing when they are inside a car is having good fresh airflow. This reduces the humidity around the plant and will avoid any kind of fungal infection and rotting. Keep the car windows half-open to give them fresh air.
2. Watering
Watering is the most important thing while growing succulents. When I water succulents, I use the soak and dry method which is super useful in any season.
Water the plant when the soil is completely dry, this avoids the overwatering as well as underwatering problem. Make sure to take succulents out of the car when you are watering them to avoid spilling water inside the car.
3. Give Them Light
Succulents love to be in bright light. But they do not like too much direct sunlight or hot temperatures. So you should consider parking the car in a shade where the plant can get partial light throughout the day. Succulents need light to grow healthy and beautiful, give them at least 2-4 hours of partial light daily.
4. Good soil and Pots with drainage hole
You must keep the succulents in a good quality fast-draining soil. Having this type of soil flushes away all the excess water from the soil and avoids overwatering.
With such soil you should also have pots with drainage holes underneath, this type of arrangement suits them and they tend to grow healthy.
Final Thoughts
Succulents can survive in a car, whether you are keeping them for decorative purposes or transporting them. You must take proper care in both the scenario’s as mentioned in this article to help them survive. These are super easy to grow and are low-maintenance plants. Just like me, many believe that they bring luck and prosperity.
I hope you found this article helpful. Do share this information with others.
