Succulents’ tissues, leaves, and stems have the ability to store water. They are capable of going for extended durations without water. A succulent’s tissues and leaves begin to inflate and finally rupture when it receives too much water.
Here’s what to look for to know that your succulent is overwatered:
- transparent, mushy, and soft leaves A plant that has been overwatered will have mushy, soft leaves that may also appear shriveled. People may become confused at this point and wonder if their plant is being overwatered or underwatered. In addition to having shriveled leaves, an overwatered plant will also have mushy, transparent leaves. There isn’t any more water that the plant or leaves can take in. Additionally, the plant will appear unhealthy and sickly all around.
- Blackening of leaves
- The leaves will begin to decay and turn black if the overwatering is left unchecked. This frequently starts in the plant’s center and moves upward. When this begins to occur, the plant is either decomposing or has succumbed to a fungal illness as a result of over watering.
- Leaves begin to fall
- The leaves of an overwatered plant will also fall off. The leaves swell up from being excessively wet and begin to shed their leaves. Here’s how to determine whether a plant is drowning or overwatering before it drops leaves: An underwatered plant will drop its bottom leaves, which are brown, shriveled, and dried out, whereas an overwatered plant will drop its leaves extremely easily, even at a simple touch.
What does a succulent look like when it is overwatered?
How can you tell if your succulent is getting too much water? You can usually determine if a succulent is being overwatered or underwatered by looking for telltale indications. A plant that has received too much water will have soft, mushy leaves.
The leaves would either turn translucent in color or appear lighter than they would on a healthy plant. A succulent that had received too much water would frequently lose leaves readily, even when only lightly handled. Usually, the lowest leaves are the ones to suffer first.
The plant will look to be unhealthy overall. When this occurs, the plant is either being overwatered, sitting in the incorrect soil that does not dry out quickly enough, or both.
Your plants are being overwatered if you have been giving them regular waterings or if you have been following a watering schedule regardless of how the plant appears.
On the other hand, a succulent that has been submerged will have withered, wrinkled, and deflated-looking leaves. The leaves will appear thin and flat. The entire plant will appear withered and dry.
The leaves of a good succulent plant should be thick and solid, not mushy or desiccated.
To learn more about this subject, visit my post titled “How To Tell If Your Succulent is Over or Under Watered,” in which I go into great length about how you may determine whether your succulent plant is being over or under watered.
This String of Pearls ‘Senecio Rowleyanus’ plant leaf is one that has been overwatered. If a succulent’s water storage capacity has been exceeded, it may physically burst from overwatering.
How does a succulent look as it ages?
The leaves on your succulent may appear yellow, translucent, or wet. Your succulent is starting to die as a result of overwatering. A more serious condition is indicated by leaves that are brown or black and appear to be rotting. Therefore, you must begin saving your withering succulents!
What does a succulent that isn’t healthy look like?
On its leaves, a sick succulent will display the following indicators: leaves that are turning brown, orange, or yellow. leaves with dead leaf patches along the border. perforations in the leaves.
How can an overwatered succulent be saved?
Yes, I am aware that it seems illogical to remove extra water from the soil, but bear with me. This is the justification. Too much water has already put the succulent under stress, and exposure to sunlight makes matters worse. Direct sunlight is a big no because most succulents require brilliant indirect light.
Place the succulent that has been overwatered somewhere dry and bright, but out of direct sunshine.
2. Permit the roots to breathe.
Cut off any brown or black roots as they are already rotting. Dig the succulent out of the ground and remove any excess soil that has become stuck to the roots. Place the plant on a mesh or other strainer until the roots have had two to three days to air dry. Replant the roots in the pot once they have dried completely.
Remove the entire root system and any puckered, spotty, black, or brown stems if the roots are entirely rotted. The succulent stem can be buried in the ground for propagation.
Keep the overwatered succulent on a mesh screen or other strainer until the roots have had two to three days to air dry.
3. Modify the ground
You might not need to entirely alter your succulent if it is already rooted in homemade or commercial succulent soil. Algae (green living matter) typically grows on soil that is too wet. If so, it is your responsibility to remove all of the top soil from the area around your plants and replace it with new succulent soil.
Why is my cactus becoming paler?
If the leaves on your succulent plant appear pale and washed out, your plant isn’t getting enough sunshine. Lack of light can also cause succulents to start growing abnormally tall and leggy or sideways in the direction of the closest light source.
Can succulents endure direct sunlight?
Due to their drought tolerance and water-storing properties, which enable them to tolerate high heat and very harsh sun exposure, succulents have become well-known. This is true for the majority of succulent plants, however some cannot survive direct sunlight without protection, and if exposed to excessive heat, they may suffer sun damage.  
The best 10 succulents and cacti that will thrive in full sun are listed below. Some of these plants can withstand full sun exposure better than others.
 
How can you tell whether a succulent is well-watered or not?
Okay, so we’ve talked a lot about succulents that are dry, but what about those that have received too much water? Well, if you recall, overwatering essentially causes those particular balloon-like cells to overfill and burst, leading to damaged cell structures and rotting leaves and roots.
Discoloration and a change in the shape of the leaves are the first indications of overwatering to look out for. The leaves will turn transparent, floppy, and squishy, and unlike those that have been under-watered, they won’t be retrieved by the plant. It won’t be simple for succulents to recover from this state, but they can. Taking leaves and cuttings to root and grow new plants is an alternative to rescuing the overwatered succulent.
Do cacti require a lot of light?
Ensure That Your Succulents Receive Enough Lighting Depending on the type, succulents need six hours of sunlight each day because they are light-loving plants. You might need to gradually expose newly planted succulents to full sun exposure or give shade with a translucent screen because they can burn in direct sunshine.
How can I determine whether my succulent needs water?
There is a ton of information on the internet regarding watering succulents, specifically about overwatering them. You already know that overwatering is one of the seven deadly sins of succulents and will almost certainly result in your succulent being less than perfect. However, succulents do require watering, so how can you tell when it is necessary to water them or if you are just going to let them wither away in a pool of water?
A succulent with enough watering would have thick, sturdy leaves. There should not be much give when you squeeze them between your fingers. They probably require watering if they are soft. Wrinkled leaves are another telltale clue; when plants are thirsty, they pucker and wrinkle their leaves.
“Only water when the earth is fully dry,” is a common phrase. This is true, but sometimes it can be challenging to detect when the soil is dry if your plant occupies most of the pot or if you have a topdressing. Keep in mind that you want to ensure that the soil is dry throughout the entire pot, not just on the top.
Picking up the pot is my tried-and-true, highly scientific method of determining whether my plants require water. Learn about your plants; eventually, you’ll be able to discern if the soil is dry or not by the weight of the pot. It goes without saying that a pot with dry soil will weigh far less than a container with moist dirt. Therefore, pick up your pots after watering them and feel their weight. Then, pick them up once they are dry and feel their weight once more. After some practice, it will come naturally to you to know when your plant needs to be watered.
Another simple approach is to poke a wooden skewer into the ground; if it emerges clean and dry, your soil is probably dry and your succulent needs watering. Your succulent will be alright for the time being even if it comes out dusty and moist.
Water meters are available in garden centers and on Amazon if you wish to use a real scientific method. These ought to make it clear to you if your plant requires watering or not.
Always keep in mind that succulents require a full soak; water them until the drainage pores are completely filled. Not even a spritz will do.
You now know how to determine whether your succulent needs watering. Do you have a favorite way to determine whether your plants need water? If you do, please tell me about it! You can leave a comment below, or you can find me uploading photos of my plants on several social media platforms; the links are on the sidebar.
How can you determine whether your succulent is receiving enough sun?
Succulents are the ideal indoor plant. They come in a range of shapes and sizes, from fuzzy to spiky to leafy. They only seldom require nutrients, water, and sunlight, making them relatively low-maintenance. Things can still go wrong in some way.
What is the most obvious indication that your succulent isn’t developing as it should? It appears stretched. Your succulents may appear to be growing, but they are actually reaching out for additional light.
Lack of sunlight causes succulents to stretch, which actually speeds up the growth of the plant. The plant will first slant toward the light it is receiving, and as it grows taller, you’ll see more gap between the leaves.
Your succulents won’t return to their original state if you stretch them. Move them to a location where they will receive more indirect light, and you can keep growing them exactly as you are. Additionally, you can begin propagating new succulents. The new cuttings of plants will eventually swell up as well if they are not put where they would receive enough light.
- Succubus enjoys the sun. These arid-area plants prosper in warm, sunny settings. Simply said, a dimly lit flat or gloomy area of your house won’t do. Succulents should be placed close to windows that receive a lot of natural light during the day.
- Succulents should be kept near windows. If you offer them indirect light, they’ll soak up the sun for hours. Succulents should not be placed directly up against a window as this could result in sunburn.
- Including a grow light Consider purchasing a grow light if you can’t rely on natural light to keep plants healthy. Your plants will remain content as a result, and you’ll have the option of relocating them to rooms with lower lighting.
- Try out many succulent varieties. They aren’t all the same. Some people will thrive in indoor settings while others may not.
Start some fresh succulents and try again with better lighting the next time you see your plants sagging or stretching.
Learn how to grow succulents successfully now that you know how to give them the greatest light.
How can you tell whether a succulent has received excessive sun?
Succulents quickly begin to display signs of stress from excessive heat or intense sunlight.
Succulents frequently “blush” or change color when they are receiving enough sunlight. What a lovely transformation to witness!
However, if they begin to receive excessive sunlight, the leaves will actually burn. The succulent leaves may start to show white or pale areas. This harm cannot be undone.
As an alternative, make an effort to relocate your plant to a location with less intense sunlight and wait for new leaves to emerge. It is optional to remove damaged leaves if there are just one or two of them.
The leaves may truly turn dry and black in rare circumstances. The margins of the leaves will first turn black, and it will be dry and crispy (in contrast to blackening from rot which starts in the middle of the plant and is wet and mushy).
Once more, this injury won’t go away until the leaf totally withers and new leaves emerge.
A succulent in the shade may start to turn a golden or yellow tint if it is still quite hot outside. Instead of turning entirely white, as would happen with sunburn, the succulent instead appears warmer or more yellow than usual.
If the succulent is transferred to a colder setting, this usually disappears or the succulent returns to its normal hue.
I can keep succulents alive very well sometimes, but not always.
I recently relocated to Arizona from Utah. Growing succulents can be challenging for a variety of reasons, including relocation. You must pay close attention to how much heat and sunlight each area of your garden receives.
Although it’s a little humiliating, I’m going to show you what my garden looked like when it received excessive sunlight and heat in the video below.
Hopefully, this example will show you what to watch out for so that your garden doesn’t turn out like mine did.