Succulents enjoy direct sunlight, but if yours is always in the same position, only one side is probably receiving enough of it. Langton and Ray advise often rotating the plant. Rotating succulents will help them stand up straight because they like to slant toward the sun. (Leaning might also indicate that they need to move to a more sunny area.)
Succulents can they get too much sun?
Although photosynthesis requires sunshine, certain plants might receive too much of it. While some succulents can be grown in full sun (defined as 6+ hours of direct sunshine each day), not all of them can, and some may even suffer from too much sunlight. Sunburned leaves will appear brown or black and could start to shrink or callus. Moving your plant to a location with less exposure or intense light is the best technique to treat sunburn on that plant. While untouched areas of the plant will continue to be in good health, sunburned leaves will never fully recover.
By observing other leaf symptoms, you can tell sunburn from rot. A plant that has recently been exposed to the light will still have big, thick leaves that have started to turn black or brown but may still be glossy. Older sunburns will be dry, shriveled, or even fully desiccated, and they will be black or brown in color. The appearance of rotted and overly wet leaves will be mushy and wrinkled.
If a plant at the store or one you own has sunburn, it probably wasn’t properly cared for and was exposed to too much light at some point rather than being sick and dying rapidly. Remember that burnt segments frequently shrink up, so even though the plant may not seem attractive, it may still be healthy and continue to grow for many years. The easiest approach to avoid purchasing plants with sunburns is to only purchase them from local, independent nurseries and vendors rather than big-box retailers, where this kind of damage is more likely to be visible.
These advice should aid you in identifying and treating any problems that may exist with your succulents. For you to always bring home a plant that can be your companion for years to come, we’ll be showing you things to avoid when shopping for plants and succulents in our upcoming post!
Do succulents prefer intense sunlight?
On the east side of my home, where my succulent collection is located, it receives direct sunlight from dawn till around 1:00 in the afternoon. There is a lot of sunlight here!
I’ve discovered that in order to keep the roots cold and the foliage lush, I need to water my plants every other day when the temperature is above 90.
The succulent leaves still get heated despite this constant watering, and I’ve had some, but rather severely. It can be unpleasant when the bright light and hot temperatures combine.
Most succulents will tolerate full sun for the majority of the day if you progressively expose them to it (raising an hour or so every few days).
To shield them from the direct sun, I recently put some shade fabric. Even though it’s still well above 90 degrees outside, the space around the succulents is significantly cooler thanks to the shade cloth.
Additionally, without direct sunlight, the plants’ leaves don’t get as hot and are less prone to burn or exhibit signs of excessive heat.
Haworthias, for example, prefer bright indirect sunlight all day long. On the other hand, the majority of cacti can withstand full sun during the day without any shade. This is why it’s crucial to be aware of the varieties of succulents you own.
The phenomenon known as “blushing,” which occurs when some succulents are exposed to bright sunshine, causes the leaves to occasionally turn a deep red, as with this Aloe ‘Crosby’s Prolific’.
Simply placing your succulents in a location that receives bright shade for the majority of the day is an excellent alternative. They should ideally be in a spot that receives a few hours of early sun but is otherwise shaded for the majority of the day.
Direct sunlight during this time can be an issue because afternoon temperatures are typically higher. On the other hand, morning sun is cooler and less prone to result in sunburn.
For many succulents, extreme heat can be exceedingly difficult. Succulents are often thought of as desert plants, however not all of them thrive in a very hot desert environment.
For more advice on how to keep succulents looking fantastic during a heat wave, see the video below:
What succulents can withstand direct sunlight?
Greetings from the Succulent Series. We’ll show you which succulents grow best in full sun, partly shade, and full shade in a special three-week series. This week, we examine the resilient yet attractive species that can thrive in direct sunlight.
Join us for a very hands-on tour of succulents that grow in full sunlight. We demonstrate which succulents will flourish and how to arrange them in a large pot or in your garden so that they look attractive.
Decide where you want to plant your succulents in step one. Although any area in your garden that receives lots of sunlight would work, we chose a sizable wooden planter.
Step two: Depending on the size of your area, choose some boulders. The succulents are wonderfully anchored by them, and they also add height, texture, and aesthetic appeal. One was all we had in our exhibit.
Choose your succulents in the third step. We mixed a variety of
- Cotyledons,
- Graptopetalum
- Pachyphytum
- Copperstone Sedum
- The Lampranthus-Vygies
- tiny aloes
- A. P. Parry
- Agave Echeveria
- Plant known as the panda, Kalanchoe
Step four is to cover the space with soil. To get an excellent aerated soil for your succulents, supplement with high-quality cactus and succulent mix.
Five: Set your boulders in place. It makes sense to utilize stones that are pretty large in a larger garden bed, but the size you choose is entirely up to you. Cover the base of the rock with earth to make it appear as though it has always been there rather than brand new.
Sixth, surround the stones with your chosen plants to form eye-catching plant clusters. Keep in mind to use plants of various hues, heights, textures, and sizes to add aesthetic appeal.
Considering each plant’s growth is important. Some plants will expand in height (cotyledons), width (echeveria agavoides, aloes), and length (long stalks), all of which require pruning (graptopetalum, sedum, pachyphytum).
Step 7: Add gravel or stones to the area to give it a finished appearance. It is both useful and aesthetic because a thick coating of gravel stifles weed growth as well.
Care tips
Give everything a little watering to help the chosen succulents establish after you have planted them and done with the pebbles. Like all succulents, they don’t require a lot of water.
The bottom outer leaves of some succulents, like Echeverias, may wither and die. If this occurs, gently take them out. The plant is content as long as its inner leaves are developing normally.
There are other choices…
Be aware that other succulents will also thrive in hot, sunny locations besides the ones mentioned above. These will work nicely, too:
- the kalanchoe luciae
- many cotyledons
- sempervivums
- variations of senecium
- jade plant, crassula ovata
- campfire with crassula
- hybrid gibbifloras of Echeveria (most succulents with tender soft fleshy leaves are NOT sun-hardy, but the Agavoides and Gibbifloras are)
- most aloes
- burnt euphorbia sticks (needs a large area to grow, as they grow tall)
- Eugenia milii
- Theo Zwartkop
- many agaves (not Attenuata)
- various sedums
- Graptoveria (especially Fred Ives)
What’s the key?
Having fun is the key. Everybody has a distinct approach to gardening; some choose to use only rocks and very few plants. Succulents have the advantage of being incredibly tolerant; they tolerate neglect and eventually develop into stunning, low-maintenance settings.
In the summer, where should I keep my succulents?
Summer is coming up quickly! Additionally, proper watering is crucial for happy, healthy succulents as temps climb.
There is a widespread misperception that succulents require little or no water. Given that such fat leaves store a variety of reserves for the plants, there is some validity to the statement “require very little.” However, because of their reserves, they require less irrigation overall than other plants. The truth is that succulents like water, and they prefer to be deeply irrigated, once their reserves have been somewhat depleted.
Frequency
You should water your succulents roughly once a week if you are keeping them outside or in a greenhouse throughout the summer. The soil should be getting close to being completely dry, but not for too long.
Technique
Make sure to water established plants until their deepest roots are submerged in water. As a general rule, keep watering until water begins to emerge from the pot’s bottom. Deep watering will encourage strong root development, which will make the plants healthier. A less established plant and a shallow root system are the results of frequent, superficial watering.
But succulents don’t like to stay in moist environments for too long. Drainage is crucial, thus. In the ground, adding some pumice to your soil will improve drainage. A well-draining potting mix and a container with a drainage hole will work for your container garden.
Here is an illustration of two identical haworthias that were cultivated using various watering techniques. Lightly watered on the left, intensively watered on the right till the water flowed out of the bottom of the pot. The end result is that the haworthia on the left is smaller and its root system is less established. The haworthia to the right is full, has a solid root structure, and is beautifully colored green.
Timing
The optimum time of day to water succulent plants in the summer is in the early morning before temperatures rise. You may prevent hot water from sitting in the crown of your plant and perhaps scorching it by avoiding watering in the afternoon when temperatures are at their highest.
If watering in the morning is not possible, watering in the evening is an option. This is a bad idea to do in the cold, though. In the colder months, keeping the plants damp all night makes them more vulnerable to fungus. To be safe from such cultural concerns, we err on the side of keeping our plants a little dry over the winter.
Exposure
Remember that, like us, succulents require a little more sun protection during these hot summer months. If their leaves are left in the sun for an extended amount of time, they will burn. We advise keeping your succulents in a position with dappled shade from a tree or under an awning for partial shade.
The health of your succulent depends on water. A vigorous plant that is more resistant to pests and disease will result from good root health and good watering. Additionally, the other living organisms in your garden need on water. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are just a few of the pollinators that depend on the water we water our plants with.
How frequently do succulents need to be watered?
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 succulents burn in the sun?
Now that summer is in full swing, your succulent plant’s health is really in danger from sunburn.
Succulents, which are renowned for their love of sunlight and minimal water, can get sunburnt much like people do. As our skin’s natural defenses work to shield itself from the harmful UV solar rays, tanning takes time.
Your skin turns red as a result of your skin’s reaction to being overburdened. With succulents, the situation is much the same. If your succulents exhibit yellowish or brown discolouration, they have been sunburned.
Do succulents survive the summer outdoors?
Since there is more sunshine outside during the summer, your succulents can get burned by excessive heat or sunlight. Furthermore, it is undeniable that succulents grown outside are frequently more frugal than those grown indoors. Outdoors, of course, there is more sunlight and greater ventilation, which provides the perfect environment for these plants to develop.
Your succulents should be moved to a completely covered area, then slowly moved into a location with more light. While larger succulents with sturdy roots may endure prolonged sun exposure, it is best to keep newly planted greens in a shaded area for longer. Keep young succulents in the sun for a few hours every week.
Additionally, they thrive best in the morning sun, particularly on hot days. Bring all of your indoor succulents outside for the season, but keep an eye out for any color changes or bleaching that could indicate sunburn.
Reposition them back to a shaded area if you notice any of these symptoms. Move your plants to a more sunny location where they will receive enough sunlight if you see that they are stretching out toward the sun.
Do succulents require daily watering?
Only water succulents when the soil has totally dried up. There isn’t a standard watering schedule that applies to all succulents in all environments.
Many indoor succulent growers discover that watering their plants every 14 to 21 days keeps them healthy. Use this timeline as a guide and make adjustments if necessary.
The earliest symptoms of underwatering on the leaves are the greatest time to water your succulents. To see what that looks like, have a look at the cheat sheet above.
The best course of action is to wait for a signal from your succulent before watering because most succulents are particularly susceptible to rot with regular watering.
And keep in mind how crucial it is to monitor your watering routine. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve assumed that I haven’t watered in a while, just to discover that it was only a few days ago thanks to my notes in the Succulent Tracker app (Apple | Android).
In this video, learn about a several factors that could influence how frequently you water your succulents: