Opening a box of mail order succulents is exciting. Your plants have just been through a journey, though, so they'll appreciate a little extra care in their first week with you. The good news: none of it is complicated, and most plants bounce back beautifully once they're settled. Here's exactly what to do, step by step.
(Thank you @JesssSucculents for sharing your unboxing with us!)
Step 1: Unbox Right Away
As soon as your package arrives, open it up rather than leaving it on the porch or in a hot car. Succulents cope just fine with a few days in a dark box during transit, but once they're out, they'll want light and air.
Unwrap everything gently and remove the packing material (usually paper towel or tissue) carefully, since leaves and stems can be a bit more delicate than usual after being jostled around.
Step 2: Give Everything a Once-Over
Lay your plants out on a table and take a look at each one. You're checking for:
- Soft, mushy, or black spots (a sign of rot)
- Broken or crushed leaves
- Any pests tucked between the leaves
- Overall colour and firmness
Some wrinkling or softness is completely normal after shipping. Most plants plump back up within a week or two once they've settled in. If you do spot anything mushy, slimy, or foul-smelling, just trim it away with clean, sharp scissors or a blade so it doesn't spread.
Step 3: Let Them Rest and Callus
This step is easy to skip, but it makes the biggest difference.
Hold off on planting right away. Whether you've got bare rooted plants or cuttings, give them a few days out of soil and out of direct sun first. This gives any cut or damaged surfaces time to callus over, which helps them settle into soil without rotting.
A shaded spot with good airflow, such as a covered porch out of direct sun, is ideal. A few days there is usually enough. Bare rooted plants with healthy roots can often go into soil a little sooner than cuttings, since cuttings need that callus to fully form before they're ready to take up moisture.
Step 4: Prepare Your Soil
While your plants are resting, get your potting mix ready. Succulents like fast-draining soil so a simple blend is two parts mineral grit (pumice or coarse sand works well) to one part organic potting mix. A premade succulent and cactus mix works just as well if you'd rather not blend your own.
Pots with drainage holes are worth prioritising here, especially for plants that are already a little stressed from their trip.
From here, the care diverges a bit depending on what you received, so jump to whichever section fits.
Caring for Bare Rooted Succulents
Once the roots look dry and firm, they're ready to go into soil. Fill your pot with your prepared mix, make a small well in the centre, and gently spread the roots into it. Backfill around the base so the plant stands upright without sitting too deep (the point where roots meet stem should sit at, or just above, the soil line).
Hold off on watering for about a week. This gives the plant time to settle and lets the roots start establishing themselves without sitting in extra moisture too soon.
Caring for Cuttings
Cuttings just need a bit more patience before they touch soil. Once the cut end looks dry, hardened, and slightly closed over, rest the cutting on top of your prepared soil rather than burying it. Many cuttings will happily root just from sitting on the surface, and it keeps the risk of rot low.
A light misting of the soil every few days (rather than a soak) and a spot with bright, indirect light is all they need. Roots typically show up within two to six weeks, depending on the species and conditions.
Step 5: Ease Into Sunlight
Whichever type of plant you're caring for, it's worth easing them into full sun rather than moving them there straight away. Their tissue is a little more sensitive after time in a dark box. Introduce sunlight gradually over one to two weeks, starting with a few hours of morning light and building up from there. This helps avoid sunburn, which shows up as bleached or reddish-brown patches on the leaves.
Final Thoughts
Receiving succulents in the mail is a bit like welcoming home a pet who's just had a long trip. A little patience in the first week goes a long way. Inspect carefully, let cuts callus, ease into water and light gradually, and most of your new plants will reward you with strong roots and healthy new growth within a month or two.
