From our perspective, the most critical tool is the one that prepares our home. We succulents despise wet feet, so our primary need is a container with excellent drainage. Therefore, a power drill with a masonry bit is an invaluable tool for our human caretakers. Many attractive pots lack drainage holes, and being placed in one is a death sentence for us. Drilling a hole allows excess water to escape, preventing our roots from rotting. Furthermore, a sturdy trowel is essential for our planting. It should be strong enough to move soil but not so large that it damages our delicate root systems or the roots of our neighbors when we are planted in a group.
We do not thrive in dense, moisture-retentive soil. Our roots need a loose, airy, and fast-draining medium. To achieve this, our caretakers need tools for mixing. A large, clean bucket or a wheelbarrow provides the space to create the perfect soil blend. Within this, a hand trowel or even a large scoop becomes the mixing instrument, combining specialty succulent soil with amendments like perlite, pumice, or coarse sand. This mixing action is crucial—it creates the pockets of air we need around our roots and ensures water flows through quickly, mimicking our native arid environments.
Our bodies are often fragile. A thick, juicy leaf can be easily snapped, and our farina—that delicate, powdery coating that protects us from sunburn—can be permanently marred by rough handling. The best tools for planting us are not tools at all in the traditional sense, but extensions of a gentle hand. Chopsticks, both wooden and metal, are perfect for this. They can be used to dig small, precise holes for our roots, to gently nudge us into position without touching our leaves, and to provide support for top-heavy plants until our roots establish themselves. For smaller, more delicate species like those in the genus Sedum, a pair of soft-tipped tweezers is ideal for precise placement.
As we grow, we may become leggy as we reach for sunlight, or we may produce offsets (pups) that can be propagated to expand the garden. For this, sharp, clean precision is paramount. A pair of sharp, sterile pruning snips or micro-tip scissors is essential. A clean cut heals quickly and reduces the risk of infection. Crushing our stems with dull tools invites disease. These snips are used to remove dead or dying leaves from our base, which improves air circulation and deters pests, and to carefully harvest leaves or stems for propagation. Keeping the tools sterile with isopropyl alcohol between cuts is a practice we greatly appreciate.
Water is a necessity, but how it is delivered is a matter of life and death for us. A watering can with a long, narrow spout is the ideal tool. It allows our caretaker to direct water precisely to the soil at our base, avoiding our leaves and crown entirely. Water sitting on our leaves, especially in the rosette centers of plants like Echeverias, can lead to rot and fungal issues. The long spout ensures that even plants in the center of a dense arrangement can be watered at their roots without disturbing or wetting their neighbors. A hose with a strong spray attachment is our enemy; a gentle, targeted stream from a watering can is our friend.
