Understanding how to water succulents is only the first step in caring for them. Here are our 4 best suggestions for developing the ideal succulent watering routine, plus a bonus:
1. Succulent planter containers
Although they thrive in terrariums with drainage holes, succulents can also be kept in non-drainage-holed pots. To allow the water to flow away from your plant in a terrarium without drainage holes, place a substantial layer of stones at the bottom of the container. Beautiful hydrostones are available that enhance your terrarium’s appearance while yet being very practical. It’s crucial to avoid letting water collect at the base of your plant, as this will damage the roots.
2. Ideal Succulent Soil
Your plants’ life depends on you picking the correct soil for them. Succulents require soil that drains properly. Because of its density, regular potting soil is NOT the best option for your succulents. To allow extra water to drain away from your plant, you must cover your stones with a soil that is grittier than usual. If you’re unsure of which soil to purchase for your succulents, we offer the ideal terrarium soil for you.
3. The area
You might need to water your succulents more frequently or less frequently depending on where you live. As a general guideline, you should water your plants every three to four days if they are in the proper mixture of grit and sunlight. You may need to modify how frequently you water your plants if you reside in a very dry or possibly a really humid region. The quantity of sunshine your plants receive and whether they are indoor or outdoor plants both influence how often you should water them. You must test several strategies to see what works best for you and your plants. What works for one person might not work for another. It is more likely for succulents to perish from overwatering than from underwatering, so be sure to experiment first with less water.
4. Succulent Watering Techniques
Many people make the incorrect suggestion that you should water their succulents using a spray bottle. Your plants will take moisture from the air if you live in a humid area, therefore you must moisten the soil to provide water for the roots as well. Spray bottles can be helpful for providing extra moisture in particularly large terrariums and arid areas, but a little mist does not encourage good root growth. The easiest way to water your succulents is using a little watering can because it directs the water where you want it to go and won’t leave water stains all over your transparent terrarium. Bao Vo provides some amazing suggestions for you if you’re looking for some watering can substitutes. These are great methods for watering more difficult-to-reach hanging terrariums and smaller terrariums.
TOP TIP FOR WATERING YOUR SUCCULENTS:
Here is a simple tip if you’re still unclear about how to water succulents. The best way to water succulents is to thoroughly moisten the soil, then let the plants absorb all the moisture they require, letting any extra water drain away from the roots. Before rewatering, let the soil entirely dry up; this may take a while depending on your region and container, as noted above. Try watering a little bit each day if your terrarium contains stones instead of drainage holes to prevent overwatering. Keep in mind that succulents require less water than other plants.
How should a terrarium be watered?
Learning how to water your terrarium properly is one of the largest learning curves in terrarium living. It can be tough to find the appropriate method because it seems more like an art than a science. We’ll go over how adding water to your new terrarium varies from watering houseplants, the best way to employ, and how to prevent the common mistake of overwatering.
Overwatering and drowning are the major dangers new terrariums face. Unlike typical houseplants, this one can’t let excess water run over the bottom of the pot. The water must also be restricted and controlled in quantity because it will be contained and recycled repeatedly within the ecosystem.
Unfortunately, there is no simple formula to determine how much water is necessary. This is dependent on a variety of elements, including the terrarium’s size, enclosure style, soil content, and plant density. As a general rule, we advise using 1/4 cup for a quart-sized terrarium, 1/2 cup for a half-gallon-sized container, and 1 cup for a gallon-sized or larger container.
The soil should ideally feel damp to the touch after watering, but not soggy and waterlogged. Root rot is a fungus that develops when the roots are unable to breathe because they are submerged in too much water. Overwatered soil deprives the root system of oxygen, resulting in brown, mushy roots that eventually die and cause the plant to wilt. Fortunately, we can avoid this by watering properly and including a bottom drainage layer when assembling the terrarium.
The goal here is to open the terrarium and spray the interior glass walls. Make sure the water is running down the sides of the glass, rather than being sprayed directly onto the soil. Rotate in a 360-degree motion. Spray until all of the interior glass walls are covered. Then, close the terrarium. Fill a spray bottle with water and turn the nozzle where it is on the “stream setting.”
When designing your terrarium, fill the bottom layer with rocks and horticultural charcoal at least 1/4 inch high. Now excess water will collect on the bottom layer among the rocks instead of sitting around the roots. Any plant in a pot or terrarium without drainage holes needs a drainage layer: an area on the bottom of the vessel designed to hold excess water.
If an accident occurred and too much water was supplied, try using a pipette to remove the water that has accumulated on the bottom if the soil is really damp.
In general, for terrariums with a typical, loose-fitting glass cover, it most likely will need to be watered a little bit every 3 months. However, this also relies on the type of enclosure and the contents inside the terrarium.
The initial amount of water provided will continue to be recycled in the self-sustaining environment for a terrarium with a tight glass, cork, or rubber enclosure, allowing it to remain closed without requiring any water at all.
Do not open your terrarium to cycle the fog out, as this interferes with its ability to properly recycle the water. Seeing condensation in your terrarium indicates that everything is functioning well and going through the water cycle.
We provide sets of magnetic scrubbers that safely clear the condensation without letting the moisture escape, allowing you to view inside and enjoy your terrarium while conserving it.
Join us for an in-person class or a remote terrarium workshop here if you’ve been considering creating your own terrarium but haven’t yet made the commitment.
How do I water my succulent properly?
Here is how to water succulents now that you are aware of the variables that influence how frequently you should water them. Yes, there are right and incorrect ways to do things. Native to the desert, succulents receive little rain in their natural settings, but when it does, it pours. Desert downpours resemble monsoons because sheets of water fall from the sky. When you water your succulent, soak it completely to simulate desert rain. Slowly pour water over it, continuing to do so until the drain hole at the bottom is completely filled. Succulents benefit more from irregular, cautious waterings that only moisten the top inch or two of the soil in the pot than they do from periodic, long, deep drinks that soak the soil to the bottom of the pot.
So when the earth around your succulent plants is completely dry, water it. Re-saturate the soil after allowing it to totally dry out. Dried up. Drench. Dried up. Drench. You can have succulents that are perfectly watered if you follow that pattern.
In a glass bowl, how do you water succulents?
In the normal course of things, I would advise against growing anything in a container without drainage. In most cases, drilling a hole in a container is simpler than dealing with the effects of improper drainage. However, because succulents need so little water, you can use a bowl as long as you use high-quality potting soil and don’t overwater the plants. Water stains on your table are also avoided by the lack of a drainage hole!
Some bowls without drainage holes do enable a modest degree of drainage since the bowl material is slightly porous, as the concrete bowl seen above. A small amount of water will pass through the walls of concrete, terra cotta, and unglazed pottery bowls. These are suitable options for succulent indoor gardening.
Because they are non-porous, glass and plastic bowls will prevent air or water from passing through the walls. Avoid overwatering your succulent glass bowl when learning how to plant succulents in glass containers! Health problems with succulent bowls are typically caused by overwatering rather than underwatering. Succulents have evolved to require very little water to survive!
Although there are many suggestions for growing succulents in glass in this article, Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens Using Easy-to-Grow Plants and Inexpensive Glassware is a great source for even more details. It is definitely worth reading.
Watering Succulent Glass Bowl Gardens
The simplest way to ruin your succulent terrarium is to overwater it. When watering the plant, keep in mind that you don’t have to completely wet the dirt in the bowl. Succulents are adept at locating and utilizing the meager amounts of water that are present in the soil near their roots. If your succulent appears unhappy and you’ve recently watered it, it’s probably drowning.
What steps can you take to prevent overwatering your succulent glass bowl? Once you’ve planted it, weigh the bowl to determine how heavy it is. A few days later, pick up the planted glass bowl of succulents to see if it has lost any weight. In contrast to times of high humidity, dry weather may cause it to dry out more quickly.
Wait until the potted glass bowl of succulents weighs considerably less than it did at first. After that, lightly water it. You don’t have to completely saturate the ground! Simply soak the dirt at the succulent’s base. The succulent will come across the liquid. Succulent plants require water and air for their roots to function properly.