Where to Get Succulents
There are several ways to get succulents for your home, depending on your budget, time limitations, and what type of succulent you want. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages.
Purchasing a Plant at a Nursery or Retail Store
Buying a plant in person at a retail store is the typical way to obtain succulents. There are nurseries and garden centers that will often carry a wide variety of succulent plants, especially in the spring and summer. Depending on where you live, there might even be a store that specializes in cacti and succulents. Hardware stores usually have a selection of indoor and outdoor plants that almost always includes at least some of the more common succulents like aloes or jade plants. Even some grocery stores and home goods stores sometimes have a few succulents for sale.
Advantages
Buying a succulent in a store is convenient, and you can inspect the plant in person. You can make sure the plant is healthy and isn’t infested with insects before you bring it home, and you can choose which individual specimen you like best. And, you don’t have to wait; you can have the plant in your home that same day.
Disadvantages
If you are looking for a specific type of succulent, it may be difficult to find it in a retail store. Prices can be high in some stores.
Buying Succulents Online
There are so many succulents being sold online these days! You can buy from individuals, commercial growers, and even major retail stores. In most cases, shipping is fast and secure, and you can receive a healthy succulent without even leaving the house.
Advantages
It’s possible to find the exact type of succulent you want, which is helpful if you have your eye on something rare. You don’t have to go anywhere, which is great for people who don’t live near a garden center. It is easy to shop around and compare prices.
Disadvantages
You are not able to inspect the actual plant you’re going to purchase before sending your money, and it can sometimes be difficult to know if your seller is trustworthy. There’s a risk of the plant being damaged (especially in winter) or lost in transit. You have to wait for the plant to be shipped to you.
Propagating and Trading Succulents
Since it’s so easy to propagate succulents, this can be a great way to grow your succulent collection at little to no cost. Some cities have plant swap groups where neighbors can share their cuttings or plants that they’ve propagated, or you could just ask for a leaf from a friend’s plant and use that to grow your own.
Advantages
This is by far the cheapest way to get succulents. For many people, there’s also a satisfaction to seeing a full plant that grew from a single leaf. You may even make new friends by swapping plants.
Disadvantages
Propagating succulents takes time, so you need patience with this method. It may be difficult to find specific succulents that are on your wishlist.