Succulents are resilient plants that may live for a very long time without sunlight or with very little light. But they will not survive under these conditions and will quickly exhibit indicators that indicate you they are in trouble, such as elongating or straining for more light and poor, stunted growth. Succumb to root rot, which is harmful to the plant, when given excessive amounts of water and little light. If the problem is not fixed soon away, the plant will eventually rot from the root up and die. It is exceedingly challenging to save the plant once root rot has taken hold. Visit my post on “How To Save an Overwatered Succulent” for additional information on this subject.
How long do succulents require sunshine to survive?
Succulents are tough plants that can endure many conditions that other plants cannot, but they do have a weakness: they require sunshine to survive. Succulent species and types may grow and survive without direct sunlight, but sadly, they are few and far between. In order to grow successfully, they will also require strong, indirect light.
For the majority of succulents, keeping their shape and color requires being in an area with at least a few hours of sunlight. What if, though, you only wanted to do something simple, like deliver succulents in a box or keep a lovely arrangement indoors while you have visitors? Will and how long can succulents survive without sunlight?
Succulents may endure for brief durations without any light at all. The exact duration will depend on the species, but generally speaking, most succulents will survive without significantly deteriorating for 10–14 days if they are in an area with little to no light. Some succulents that can tolerate shade might last longer.
The majority of the plants we sell at our tiny nursery are sold online, and we ship them all around Australia. I tested a lot of plants before I started the business by placing them in a box and keeping it completely dark for up to two weeks.
Can succulents live without windows?
Yes, it is possible to grow cacti and succulents in low light. You’ll need to pay closer attention to some elements, like plant species, soil type, and watering requirements.
You will fare much better with your indoor plant family if you keep those things in mind.
Succulent species that can handle low light
Not every species is made equally. More than others, certain succulents can thrive in reduced light levels. You will end up with a lengthy, stretched-out mess even with the finest indoor care if you try to keep a Graptopetalum, Sempervium, or Echeveria in any light other than strong light.
Succulents with bright colors and rosette shapes should generally be avoided as they demand bright light to preserve their beauty.
Aloe and Haworthia are two examples of plants that are naturally green and are significantly more tolerant of darker circumstances.
Checking the light conditions that your particular plant type needs is crucial. Looking for suggestions for an excellent office plant? Take a look at the list below.
Maximize the sunlight you can get
Look around your workspace or area. Exists any available natural light that you could use? Start by placing your succulent on any available windowsill. Make sure to rotate your succulent every few days to ensure that all of its surfaces receive an equal amount of sunlight. Rotate your plant to the opposite side if you see it leaning to one side; it will eventually straighten up.
Despite being close to a window, is your succulent still getting lanky and spread out? That implies that it does not receive enough light.
What if there are absolutely no windows nearby? It’s still possible to have a succulent; you simply need to be more inventive. You should place your succulent in artificial light. They will require roughly six hours of light each day. Under that fluorescent or LED light above your desk, your plants will be OK.
Consider purchasing a tiny grow lamp to keep next to your desk if you can. Fortunately, there are various reasonably priced options for grow lights, so you may select the one that best suits your requirements.
Need sunlight or just light for succulents?
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.
What occurs when a succulent does not receive enough sunlight?
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.
Succulents do well in the shade.
Succulents like burro’s tail or string of pearls hanging in planters beneath a covered patio or porch are unusual to observe. Even though these types typically only receive filtered light, they will nevertheless thrive. Succulents that can tolerate shade do occur, albeit they are uncommon. There are a few species that are larger, but the majority of them are smaller.
Building a bridge between two worlds is necessary to create a succulent shade garden. Most of our common succulents require all day sun to avoid becoming leggy and not blooming. Ideally, plants in shade should receive at least six hours a day of dappled light. The benefit of low light is that plants that cannot withstand intense sunshine can rest during the warmest portion of the day. In addition to protecting the plant’s color, this will assist avoid scald.
Succulents that grow in the shadow outside will use less water, making them ideal xeriscape plants.
Succulents: Can they endure indoor lighting?
I don’t have much experience growing succulents in cold temperatures and dark winters because I live in sunny Southern California. I’m fortunate enough to be able to leave my plants outside all year long without significant frost or low light harm. I am aware that many of you reside all over the world and are unsure of what to do with your plants now that you have brought them indoors for the winter. Perhaps despite the fact that you have your plants on window sills, they are still growing languidly, or perhaps the winters in your area are completely dark. Look nowhere else! I’m very happy to have indoor plant growing specialist Ben Thorton here with us today to share his knowledge about using grow lights to support the growth of your lovely garden regardless of the lighting situation!
Succulents have recently risen to the top of the list of preferred indoor plants because of how attractive they are, how they enhance the atmosphere of your home, and how little maintenance and water they need compared to other indoor plants. Many people are reluctant to grow succulents in regions with short summers because they are warm-weather and sun-loving plants. You might be shocked to learn that even if you live in a climate with distinct seasons and chilly, gloomy winter months, you can still grow succulents all year round. Once the weather becomes cooler, just move the succulents inside and provide the artificial lighting they require. Here is a simple tutorial on growing succulents indoors and under artificial lights if you are unsure about using grow lights or worried that you might harm your plants by using them.
Artificial lighting can be categorized as either lighting used in addition to natural lighting or lighting utilized to perfectly mimic sunlight in situations where none actually exists. Since vitamin D, one of the most important vitamins in the human body, is obtained from sunlight, artificial light cannot replace it for humans. In contrast to other living things, plants just require the light itself from the sun. Photosynthesis is a process that takes place when plants are exposed to light and provides them with the energy they require to grow. Succulents can be grown indoors under artificial light just as well as outdoors in natural sunshine, provided that the right amount of light is provided. To successfully grow your succulents in your house, you will need to select the best lights and understand a few basic lighting techniques.
There are a few considerations to keep in mind when selecting artificial lighting for an indoor garden. And they are as follows:
How strong and bright is the light produced by the grow lights?
The brightness of the light produced by grow lights is the most important factor to consider because it will affect how much light the plants receive and how well they can grow. You need lights for succulents that produce at least 2,000 lumens per square foot of illumination. 10,000 lumens per square foot are produced by noontime direct sunlight, but if you run 2,000 or more lumen lamps for 14 or more hours a day, the plants will receive almost the same amount of light as they would in the height of summer.
What is the light’s wattage?
Another item to consider is the wattage of the grow lights you buy, as this will have an impact on your electricity bill. You pay more for electricity the more watts a light uses, therefore you don’t want to choose a light that is brilliant but uses a lot of watts because that will be very expensive. To get the best of both worlds—bright light for your plants and minimal electricity consumption for you—look for lights that are marked as energy efficient. These lights will likely have a high lumen count and low wattage, giving you the best of both worlds.
What color temperature range does the light produced by grow lights fall into?
Because succulents love the sun and prefer bright light to shadow, they also need a particular light with regard to the color temperature of the light. The visible color that the grow lights emit is essentially their color temperature. Kelvins are used to measure this. To provide the light that plants require to thrive, light must fall within a certain range of color temperatures. Starting at roughly 5,000 Kelvins, the ideal color temperature for succulents will provide your succulents cool, full-spectrum light that closely resembles sunlight.
How much heat is emitted by the light?
Finally, it is crucial to understand how much heat the grow lights emit. If they produce a lot of heat, you can experience a problem with the temperature in the space where you grow your succulents, which would require you to invest extra money in a reliable ventilation or cooling system. Additionally, if lights produce a lot of heat, you will need to situate your plants farther away from the lights in order to prevent them from burning them. Your plants may not receive enough light as a result. Some typical grow lights are known to emit a lot of heat, while others remain cool to the touch even after being on for 24 hours. Make sure a grow light doesn’t produce too much heat before you buy one.
I would advise you to purchase T5 grow lights since they have all the qualities of a good grow light and I have experience working with many various types of grow lights. Their diameter is 5 eights of an inch. T5 grow lights are available in a variety of configurations, including two different lengths (2 ft and 4 ft bulbs), numerous different bulb counts (from 1 to 12 bulbs in one fixture), various efficiency types (Normal Output (NO), High Output (HO), and Very High Output (VHO), and various color temperature varieties (from only 2,900 Kelvins up to 10,000 Kelvins). I typically use high output (HO) bulbs because a 2 foot HO T5 bulb uses just 24 watts and produces 2,000 lumens, compared to a 4 foot long high output (HO) T5 bulb that uses 54 watts and produces 5,000 lumens. You obtain incredibly effective light that is ideal for succulents if you mix one or the other length bulbs in a group of two or more bulbs and choose bulbs that are in the color temperature of 6,500 Kelvins.
Although choosing the correct artificial light is an important aspect of effectively growing your plants in an indoor garden, there are a few other factors you should be aware of in order to do even better.
Be aware of the height at which you should hang your plant canopy’ grow lights.
Knowing how high to hang your grow lights is essential since it affects how much light the plants receive. You must hang grow lights so that they may provide the maximum amount of light to the plants without overheating them by radiating heat, regardless of whether you select T5 fixtures or select other grow lights. In order to reduce the risk of your grow lights burning and harming your plants, I would first advise placing any grow light at least 6 to 8 inches away from the tops of your succulents. You can later move your lighting fixtures closer to the succulents if you discover that they don’t emit heat and are cold to the touch (like T5 grow lights).
Determine the light cycle
Because there won’t be a sun to determine when plants receive light, you must determine the plants’ light cycle while growing plants indoors under grow lights. Knowing your light cycles will help you grow your succulents more quickly. Indoor gardens use light cycles to replicate day and night circumstances. Succulents will also develop more quickly if you give them more light, which is a common rule of thumb for growing any plants under lights. If you’re overwintering the plants, I’d recommend starting with a 20/4 light cycle for the succulents. This means leaving the lights on for 20 hours a day, turning them off for 4 hours, and then gradually extending the darkness time until the light cycle is 16/8 (light/dark). Succulents require knowledge of the winter solstice so they can begin their dormant period. If you use grow lights all year for your succulents, you may set the light cycle to 24/0 or 20/4 in the summer to help them develop swiftly and flourish.
Learn how frequently to water your succulents.
Finally, it should be noted that watering is equally crucial because both inadequate and excessive watering might harm your plants. Even if you’re using grow lights to simulate summer, you still need to water the succulents during the summer by watering them once the soil is dry. Even if succulents are cultivated indoors, things change over the winter. Succulents use substantially less water while they are dormant throughout the winter or an imitation of winter since they are either growing very slowly or not at all. So, how frequently should you water succulents in the winter? In general, I’d advise watering them every two weeks, but if the room is hot, you’ll need to water them more frequently because the heat will cause them to dry out more quickly. Looking at the soil in which succulents are growing will tell you how frequently they need watering during the winter. Allow the soil to dry up completely before giving succulents approximately a week to absorb the water before you water them again to prevent overwatering.
January 2017 addition: