So my sister's boss gave her a small pot with a couple succulent plants for Christmas yesterday. Any tips for taking care of them?
Oh, sure! Succulents are not that picky, but they are built for extreme environments, namely very sunny ones. So make sure your succulent gets a lot of light. If it is an echeveria (the quintessential ‘flower’ type) or any type with long fatty leaves, they may start drooping if they don’t get enough light, or having a lot of empty stalk between leaves (”leggy” it’s called). They’re also phototropic, so if it’s not getting full sun exposure, it may start growing toward a sunny spot. This is especially true if you have it in a window. I’ve found most success with growing them in sunny, sunny windows indoors until they’re big enough to go outdoors, where they can get full sun exposure.
That being said, don’t keep them outside if it’s freezing. Especially because winter is dark, if you’re really dedicated to keeping them alive, look for a grow lamp, there are plenty on amazon, and set it up to light your succulents indoors so they stay lit but warm in the winter.
As for watering, you really do not need to water them that often. I mean, don’t not water them, as I have a few times because I forget, but don’t over water. Keep them in a well-draining pot in well-draining soil, water until the water passes out the bottom of the pot, and don’t water again until the soil at the base of the plant is bone dry.
Give it more light than you think it needs - if it’s droopy or “leggy” (big spaces between leaves) give it more light
Give it less water than you think it needs - if the leaves get thin or wrinkly, give it more water. If you give it too much it can lead to root rot.
Water when the soil is very dry
Pot it in a pot with a draining hole/holes
Rocks, as a general rule, do nothing. Don’t feel compelled to pot with any rocks.
Keep them out of frosty weather, indoors in the window with the most light or a grow lamp, preferably
Watch them grow! Echeverias grow fairly quickly, while crassulas and others grow more slowly. Either way, they add some nice greenery to your deck/house/porch/thing.