Optimizing Nutritional Requirements of Containerized Succulents to Hasten Greenhouse Production

In the United States, cacti and succulent production increased by 79% ($83.3 million USD) from 1998 to 2014 and is expected to continue. To date, at least 17 genera of succulents are available for commercial greenhouse production, but plants are slow growing and finishing of marketable plants vary between 2 to 4 months. To shorten production time and produce marketable plants, greenhouse growers must optimize production inputs and cultural requirements such as maintaining an optimal substrate pH and providing proper fertility thus, maximizing plant growth. For most greenhouse crops, optimal soilless substrate pH is between 5.8 to 6.2, but succulents are native to mineral soils with a pH ranging between 5.6 to 9.0 and vary in nutritional content. Thus, production of containerized succulents may not be optimal and nutritional cultural information is limited. Furthermore, nutritional deficiency and/or toxicity symptoms have not been extensively documented or reported for succulents. Therefore, it is proposed to address the research objectives and establish grower recommendations for optimal substrate pH, optimum fertility source, application rate, and time of application, and leaf tissue nutrient sufficiency ranges and standards of succulents grown in soilless substrates during container production.