How to Care for Bear Paw Succulents
- 1). Pot the plant in a good soil mixture. Cornell University recommends using 2 parts garden soil, 2 parts sharp builders sand and 1 part peat. If you have any broken clay pot pieces available, add these or small gravel to the pot’s bottom before filling with soil. This provides for better drainage. You may need to repot your bear paw every 4 years into a slightly larger pot.
- 2). Water your bear paw succulent regularly during the hot summer months or about once a week. An excellent drainage system is necessary, as roots left in standing water quickly die. Clay pots with drainage holes are adequate. During the winter months when the plant is dormant, water it sparingly once a month or just enough to keep the plant from shriveling or wilting.
- 3). Fertilize your bear paw during periods of active growth, such as the warm summer months or April through August. Do not fertilize the plants during the dormant winter months. Central Arizona Cactus recommends using a 20-20-20 houseplant fertilizer at one-fourth the strength used for common houseplants. Compost can also be used, as well as commercial cactus food.
- 4). Monitor your plant for pests, such as mealybugs or scale, and remove infestations with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol. Infested plants do not properly grow and may be weakened by viruses that sucking insects sometimes transmit.
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