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.
Do indoor succulents require direct sunlight?
It might be challenging for succulents to receive adequate sunlight inside. They typically require 6 hours each day of bright, indirect sunshine outside.
However, indoors, you should put your succulents close to a window that receives light throughout the day. Place your succulents close to the brightest window or area of your house or office if this is not an option.
Watch this video to learn more:
How are succulents maintained indoors?
Succulents may not need much attention, but they do need a few essentials to survive:
- 1. Provide plenty sunlight. Succulents require adequate light—at least six hours each day of direct sunlight. Maintaining succulents outside can be quite simple. However, if you have a succulent indoors, you must keep it in direct sunlight near a window. A plant that is slanting toward the light is not receiving enough sunlight, yet a plant with burnt areas on its leaves is receiving too much direct sunshine.
- 2. Use proper water. Depending on the season, succulents might have different water needs. Succulents should be irrigated if their soil dries completely during the growing season, but excess water should be avoided. When a succulent’s roots have time to dry out in between waterings, its lifespan is increased. In the chilly winter months, succulent plants go dormant and require less water. Only water your succulent as often as necessary because overwatering the soil is one of the main reasons of most development problems.
- 3. Use the proper soil and pot combination. The appropriate container and potting soil can make all the difference, whether you’re growing your own succulents or purchasing one from a nursery. Your succulent planter needs to include a drainage hole if it is going to be an outdoor succulent. Proper drainage allows moisture to escape, allowing the soil and root systems to dry and prevent rot. Use well-draining soil instead of standard dirt if you have an indoor succulent. It is coarser than regular soil, enabling more air to pass through and encouraging evaporation rather than requiring to be drained. To increase aeration, perlite and pumice can be added to some potting mixtures.
- 4.Remember to fertilize. The periodic fertilizing is beneficial for even low maintenance desert plants. To give your succulents a boost, use a diluted, water-soluble all-purpose fertilizer a couple times a year. Although it’s not entirely required, if you notice that your soil needs some help, add a little fertilizer.
- 5. Examine your plant life. Pest hazards are more likely to affect a succulent indoors than outside. Make sure your plants are periodically checked for gnats or mealy pests. These insects are a sign that your plants are receiving too much water or fertilizer. Mealy bugs can lay hundreds of eggs and consume the plant juices that serve as their host, gradually harming your plant. Rubbish alcohol can be sprayed on your succulent’s leaves or soil to effectively kill mealy bugs and their eggs. Check the leaves and soil of the succulent before bringing it home from the nursery to make sure no bugs are present.
How frequently should succulents be watered indoors?
Indoor succulent plants probably need to be watered once a week. They require ample time for the soil to dry out in between waterings so that the water may be stored in the leaves. Use the following methods and advice while watering succulent plants inside.
- Use an irrigation system with a little pour spout.
- Fill the succulent plant’s center with water until it is completely submerged.
- Allow water to completely drain out of the pot through the perforations. Make careful to empty any water that seeps through the soil if there is a saucer underneath the plant.
- Since there won’t be enough heat and fresh airflow for the leaves to dry when planted indoors, avoid soaking the leaves to prevent rot from the top down.
- Dry the soil completely in between waterings.
Which side of the sun provides the optimum light for succulents?
Our great friend and succulent specialist Sara claims that succulents are the camels of the plant kingdom—the most resilient plants you can discover. Hearts of gold on the inside, tough as nails on the outside. Despite the fact that these plants are as tough as camels, regular care is still required.
Before meeting Sara, I recall purchasing a cactus from an unreliable retailer, planting it in soil (a grave mistake; see our planting instructions here), placing it in the middle of the room with little light (How could you, Ashley? ), and watering it whenever it appeared sad (that is wrong too, check out our basic care tips here). Don’t worry if you are caring for your succulents in this manner. Where you are now, I was once. All it needs is a passion for the plant and a desire to learn.
Why are my Succulents Dying?
Beyond the fundamentals, Sara has taught me that not all succulents are created equal. Have you ever felt that some succulents in your home are more successful than others? While some types prospered, others died a protracted, painful death? It can be because succulents like low light or high light environments in your home. Yes, different succulents prefer different kinds of light. The unknown
High Light Succulents
Succulents grown in high light are typically more colorful than those grown in low light. These are the stunning flowers that have pink, crimson, and purple undertones. Since the majority of succulents are high light plants, they require at least six hours of sunlight each day. The ideal windows for these plants are those that face south, but if the west window is not overly shaded throughout the day, they can also tolerate the heat from that window. Additionally, they enjoy the sun’s rays and can survive outside in weather above 40 degrees. Nevertheless, if they have spent a lot of time indoors, remember to gently them into the sun. Even while succulents enjoy the sun, they too can get sunburned. Just visualize spending a hot summer day in the open air on a beach without any protection from the sun. Yikes! When transporting your succulents outside, keep this scorching image in mind.
A high-light succulent will start to stretch in search of light if you place it in a window that doesn’t receive at least six hours of good sunshine. Sometimes people confuse growth with stretching. Don’t be fooled by this. Your succulent is likely requesting more light if it suddenly grows longer and its leaves start to spread wider apart than previously.
Low Light Succulents
In comparison to succulents grown in bright light, low light succulents typically have a darker green tint. They also frequently resemble aloe more than flowers. These succulents have lovely textures and shapes despite not having vivid reds and purples.
Low light succulents prefer morning to afternoon indirect sunlight. This means that a reduced light succulent can still thrive in your home even if you don’t have a South facing window that gets a lot of sunlight. Although they don’t need as much light as their high light relatives, low light succulents still need light! Put these fellows close to an East-facing window so they can get three to four hours of direct sunlight every day. Again, give a succulent more light if it is growing swiftly and beginning to lean.
The Right Succulent for Your Home’s Light
The following time you’re seeking to adopt a succulent, try to choose one that will thrive in your house and in the available light. It will be much nicer for both your plant and you (no stress about destroying it) (no stressing about being killed). Ask one of us Ashleys about the high vs low light succulents if you buy for succulents at Retro Den (which everyone in the world should do). We’ll be happy to point them out to you. We are the kind of people who behave in that way.
Please have a look at our easy-to-care-for plant guide for some lower light plant choices if you believe that your home does not have enough light for even low light succulents.
What occurs if succulents aren’t exposed to sunlight?
Succulents generally require at least 4-6 hours of sunshine each day to thrive. They enjoy being in places that are sunny and bright. Lack of sunshine will cause difficulties in succulents such elongation or etiolation, when the plants extend for more light. Weak stems and low growth are the results of this procedure. Lack of light causes succulents to lose their bright coloring and turn pale or back to a drab green tone. Plants that receive enough sunshine will display their whole spectrum of brilliant hues, showing their genuine beauty.