Watering is the main challenge that novice succulent growers encounter while trying to keep their plants alive indoors. So much so that I’ve written a whole ebook and an entire post about watering succulents. You can read the two together here.
It’s significant! Surprisingly, succulents require a lot of water to survive. They require less watering than the majority of indoor plants do, though.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that succulents seldom ever require water, though. So, here’s the situation…
Succulents enjoy having their roots well wet, but they also dry out quickly. The soil was then irrigated once more after drying up for a few days.
Succulents can be kept alive temporarily by being lightly sprayed with water, but if you want them to thrive, you need to use the “soak and dry method.”
Additionally, be aware that during their dormant stage, succulents don’t require as much water. This typically occurs during the colder months of the year. They require less water because they aren’t actively growing.
People who think their succulents are dying because the leaves are drooping and shriveling up frequently email me. Here’s a little secret: Succulent lower leaves will eventually shrivel up and die, just like all other plants.
Only if the topmost or most recent leaves on your succulent are shriveling should you be concerned about dying leaves. You shouldn’t be concerned if it only affects the stems that are closest to the soil at the bottom.
Where should indoor succulents be placed?
Succulents thrive in hot, arid conditions and don’t mind a little neglect due to their unique capacity to store water. They are therefore ideally suited to growing indoors and are the perfect choice for anyone looking for low-maintenance houseplants. Follow these instructions for successful plant care if you’re choosing succulents for the first time.
Select a succulent that will thrive in your indoor environment.
The majority of succulents need direct sunshine, however if your home only has a shady area, choose low light-tolerant plants like mother-in-tongue. law’s A trailing variety, like string of bananas, is an excellent option if you intend to grow your succulent in a hanging planter. To learn about your succulents’ requirements for sunlight, size, and spread, always read the plant labels.
Give the plants a good draining potting material.
You should repot your succulent as soon as you get it home since nurseries always plant their succulents in soil that is overly rich and holds too much moisture. A coarse potting mix with sufficient drainage and aeration is a good place to start. You can use an African violet mix or unique cactus and succulent mixtures that you can purchase at the nursery. Add perlite or pumice to the cactus or African violet mix (up to 50% of the total potting mix, depending on your particular succulent’s moisture requirements) to further increase drainage and prevent compaction. To make sure the mixture is moist throughout, always moisten it before using.
Decide on a container.
When repotting, use a container that is at least 1 to 2 inches bigger than the nursery container and has a drainage hole. Avoid using glass containers (such mason jars or terrariums) for long-term potting since they prevent roots from breathing and over time may result in root rot. Place your plant inside the container and backfill with extra pre-moistened potting mix after filling the bottom one-third of the container with pre-moistened potting mix.
Put the succulent plant in a pot somewhere sunny.
Try to arrange your succulents close to a south or east-facing window because most succulents need at least six hours of sun each day. Insufficient sunlight may cause your succulents to become spindly or to extend toward the light.
Between waterings, allow the potting mix to dry out.
Overwatering succulents is the most common error people make with them. Watering more deeply but less frequently is preferable. Before the next watering, completely saturate the potting mix (while making sure the water drains out of the drainage hole properly). The plant can finally perish if the potting soil is left moist every day.
Succulents should be fertilized at least once a year.
Fertilizer works best for plants in the spring (when the days lengthen and new growth starts) and again in the late summer. Use a water-soluble, balanced fertilizer (such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10) that has been diluted to half the strength indicated on the container. Since succulents are semi-dormant in the winter, there is no need to nourish them. Because they are not actively growing, they do not require the nutrient boost.
How frequently do I need to water my succulents?
During the months that are not winter, when the temperature is above 40 degrees, you should water your succulents every other week. You should only water your succulent once a month in the winter (when the temperature falls below 40 degrees), as it goes dormant at this period.
A few situations constitute an exception to this rule. Because their tiny leaves can’t hold as much water as other varieties with larger leaves, some varieties of succulents need to be watered more frequently. In the non-winter months, feel free to give these small leaf succulents a water if they appear to be thirsty. When they are thirsty, succulents generally exhibit a wrinkled appearance. But always keep in mind that being underwater is preferable to being overwater.
Can you maintain a succulent indoors?
Consider succulents if you desire for indoor greenery but have had trouble growing houseplants. They make pleasant house visitors and can easily endure interior circumstances.
They have unique characteristics that help them thrive in dry indoor conditions.
expanded roots, thick stems, or fleshy leaves that enable plants to store water. Cacti, which are a kind of succulent, are well known to the majority of people. But a variety of other plants grown primarily for their eye-catching foliage also belong to the succulent family.
Succulents have remarkable textures and strong, angular leaf shapes that make them become living sculptures for interior spaces. They are excellent indoor plants since they can thrive in dry environments. Many houseplants do not thrive because dwellings, especially in the winter, provide their inhabitants with dry interior air. A houseplant’s enemy is low relative humidity. However, because they can store water, succulents can withstand dry air without suffering unpleasant consequences.
Learn how to take care of succulents inside and how to grow these low-maintenance plants.
Do indoor succulents require sunlight?
For optimal growth, succulents require at least four to six hours of daily sunlight. Plants mature considerably more slowly inside since there is less light. Succulents will endure in low light or the shade for a considerable amount of time due to their strong adaptability, but they won’t flourish there. These plants will deteriorate with time, and if they are not given adequate lighting, they might not recover. Plants that do not receive enough light will start to struggle and show indicators. They will begin to etiolate and discolor. They will elongate and appear thin, stretching and arching in the direction of the sun. The plants are physically extending their leaves in search of more sunlight. Lack of light also results in stunted growth of plants. If controlling the plant’s development is your goal, you will notice that your plants grow more slowly indoors.
How do you tell whether a succulent needs to be watered?
Succulents are better off dry than wet, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore the need to water them. In fact, the plant needs water to survive, and much like people, it will exhibit dehydration symptoms. Your succulent clearly needs extra water if its leaves are wrinkled and shriveled.
The cells attempt to bring in more water to make up for the water that has been lost as they release their stored moisture to the rest of the plant. The cells shrink as they run out of water and the plant is forced to rely on its limited reserves, which causes the once-firm and full leaves to collapse and shrivel.
What time of day is ideal for watering succulent plants?
Because they are exposed to different environments outside, outdoor succulents require slightly different watering requirements than inside plants. Generally speaking, plants need to be watered every seven to ten days during the active growing season. Sense the moisture in the soil. Before watering, the top inch of the soil ought to be touchably dry. Thoroughly water the plants until some of the extra water begins to seep out of the holes. Excess water might not always drain out of the pot depending on the type of container and soil you are using. It ought to be enough as long as you watered deeply.
Water less frequently and more sparingly, typically every three to four weeks, during the dormant season. Although not absolutely bone-dry, the plant must feel dry to the touch. Keep an eye on your plants to observe if they begin to exhibit indicators that they require watering. It’s time to water your plants when their leaves begin to shrink and feel flat to the touch rather than full.
The ideal time to water is in the morning, especially for outside plants. As a result, the plant can dry out during the hot summer months. By watering early in the day, you can ensure that the water reaches the roots of your plants and that they are well hydrated for the afternoon heat. By allowing the plants to dry up before the stronger afternoon sun strikes them, watering in the morning also helps to prevent sunburn on the leaves of your plants.
Do:
- Water flowing downward till it exits the pot’s drainage hole from above: Succulents respond well to this kind of watering, which is the norm for most houseplants. Run a moderate, constant trickle of room-temperature water over the top layer of the soil in your succulent plant using a watering can or cup that has been filled. Your indication to quit is when water begins to flow from the pot’s drainage hole. Give the plant 15 minutes to absorb the last of the moisture. After that, empty any remaining liquid from the tray into the sink.
- If your succulent’s soil is tightly packed and not appearing to be uniformly absorbing your top watering, you can try the bottom-watering method. The horticulture and owner of the Planthood store in Amsterdam, Monai Nailah McCullough, says that watering succulents from the top can occasionally cause damage to the roots. Watering it from the bottom allows it to slowly and effectively consume enough water. Put your succulent(s) in a shallow dish, plastic container, or tray that is 2 to 3 inches deep with water to bottom water them. Allow them to soak in the water for five to fifteen minutes, or until the top of the soil feels just damp to the touch. Refill as necessary.
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Don’t:
- Mist its leaves: Succulents are not among the plant species that benefit from a good misting, although some do. Mirroring a plant’s natural surroundings is essential to ensuring its happiness in captivity. Additionally, because they are native to dry regions with low humidity, succulents are unaccustomed to having wet leaves. Thompson notes that “the water can get trapped and develop fungal concerns.” There is basically no point since they aren’t used to being sprayed.
- Put it in a container with no drainage opening: Drainage holes act as a pathway for water that your plant is unable to absorb. Succulents definitely need it because they are so sensitive to overwatering.
- Use ice cubes: Some plant owners use ice cubes to give their plants a more gentle and controlled soak because they disseminate a tiny amount of water very slowly. Again, though, if the goal is to simulate the succulent’s natural desert habitat, giving them something very cold makes little sense and might even startle them.
- Water it less frequently, but more often: You should give your succulent a deep soak rather than a light misting every few days.
Do my succulents need to be sprayed?
- Utilize no spray bottles. It’s a frequent misconception that watering succulents is nothing more complicated than misting the leaves with water. In actuality, that is only effective for growing new leaves and plants. The root of adult plants is where nutrients and water are absorbed. To water softly and directly at the root ball, use watering bottles or cans with a long, narrow spout. You can control how much water you give your plants by using watering bottles that are lightweight and feature scale marks.
- Don’t water the plant or the leaves directly. If water is left on leaves for an excessive amount of time, the leaves may decay.
- When it’s hot, humid, or pouring, don’t water.
- Don’t water throughout the afternoon or at midday. The morning is the ideal time to water.
- To prevent mineral deposits, if at all feasible, use rainwater, distilled water, or filtered water. If you use tap water, let it out overnight so that some of the chemicals that have been treated can escape into the atmosphere.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about watering practices in the comments section below. We’d also like to know the efficient techniques you employ to maintain the health and happiness of your succulents.
Why are my cacti dying?
Overwatering and poorly draining soils are the main causes of succulent deaths. Succulents need the soil to dry out between waterings because they are drought-tolerant plants. Succulents get root rot in wet soil, which turns their leaves brown, black, or yellow and gives them a withering appearance.
While overwatering is the most frequent cause of dying succulents, there are several other potential causes as well:
Succulent plants typically die back when they are kept in environments that are drastically different from their native habitat.
Replicating some of the minimal rainfall, full or partial sun exposure, and stony, well-draining soil conditions will help revive dying succulents.
Succulents in bathrooms: are they possible?
Yes, you can put succulents in the bathroom, although some succulents will do better there than others, is the quick response to the topic.
The bathroom is frequently the last location people consider decorating with plants when they bring them inside.
This is so because restrooms typically feature high levels of humidity and little natural light. The majority of succulents, though not all of them, are naturally resilient and may flourish in normal toilet circumstances.
The finest succulent plants for bathrooms with indirect light, filtered light, or low light circumstances are those that enjoy partial to full shadow and high humidity.
Do succulents like humidity?
Some species of the very adaptable succulents, which don’t all enjoy humidity, can take in the excess moisture in the bathroom air and store it in their leaves and stems.