How to Grow Echeveria From Seed

Combine 3 parts seedling compost with 1 part medium-grit sand to create a soil mix suited to growing echeveria seeds. Fill 3-inch-deep starter pots with the soil mixture. Leave the top 1/4-inch of the starter pots empty.

Pour 1/4 cup of water into each starter pot to moisten the soil. Pour it in small increments so it has time to soak in before adding more.

Insert a tongue depressor to half its depth into the center of each starter pot so that the top 3 inches are above the surface of the soil.

Sprinkle the echeveria seed onto the surface of the soil. Try to spread the seed as evenly as possible but do not be concerned if it's not perfect, since the seedlings will be thinned out after sprouting.

Spread a very thin layer of fine sand over the echeveria seeds to hold them in place. Tamp the sand firmly atop the seeds using the flat of your thumb. Mist the sand with a spray bottle to further settle it.

Slip a 1-quart plastic bag over the top of each pot so that it rests atop the tongue depressor. Fold the open ends of the plastic bags under the bottom of the pot to hold in moisture and warmth.

Place the starter pots on a warm, bright windowsill where they will receive at least six hours of bright, indirect sunlight each day and temperatures above 70 F. Apply supplemental bottom heat to the pots using a propagation mat, if necessary.

Water the echeveria seeds whenever the top 1/4-inch of soil dries out slightly. Use a spray bottle to lightly mist the surface of the soil when it feels dry. Avoid overwatering the seeds.

Watch for germination in four weeks. Remove the plastic bag as soon as the seeds germinate. Thin the seedlings two weeks after sprouting so that there is a slight gap between each plant.

Keep the echeveria seedlings in their original pots until they are big enough to handle without damaging them, which usually takes three to four months.

Scoop out and transplant the echeveria seedlings into individual 3-inch-deep starter pots filled with succulent potting mix once they are sturdy enough to handle.

Keep the individually potted echeveria seedlings indoors near a large window or outdoors in a warm, sheltered spot until they mature, which can take anywhere from one to two years.

Transplant the echeveria seedlings into a permanent bed or planter once they take on a mature form with a dense whorl of thick leaves arranged in a rosette pattern.