Succulents are stunning and one of the most popular plants out there – yet some of us have trouble figuring out when to water them.
It took me awhile to figure out my succulents watering schedule and now that I’ve gotten it figured out – they’ve become one of my favorite and easiest plants.
Here’s everything you need to know about succulents and how to tell if they’re being under or overwatered.
What does a underwatered succulent look like?
If your succulent looks wrinkly, shriveled up and doesn’t have that puffy, full appearance, your plant is likely underwatered and need of water fast.
What does an overwatered succulent look like?
An overwatered succulent has the appearance of almost transparent leaves and they’ll look like soft. The succulents leaves may also look mushy and rotten. This is likely a sign that root rot is present and killing your plant.
How do you tell if your succulent is too dry?
It’s important to check your succulents soil before watering it, especially if you’re new to succulents. Check the plants soil by sticking your finger into the potting mix or by using a moisture meter.
Once you’ve had succulents for a few months, you’ll have the skills to take one look at the succulent and know if it needs to be watered or not. If the leaves look shriveled up or wrinkled, it’s a sign that your plant is too dry and needs a good soaking.
Every succulent is different, but the main rule of thumb is you’ll water more often in the summer months than the winter months. This is because the succulents go through growing and dormant phases. You’ll likely water your succulent twice a month in the summer and once a month in the winter.
Should you bottom water succulents?
Some people swear by bottom watering all of their plants. This is because when you bottom water a plant, the soil takes up just the right amount of water it needs. The downside of bottom watering plants is the salts are never drained out of the plant properly. When you top water a plant, you’re allowing the salts to drain through and exit the pot.
Should I pull dead leaves off succulents?
Removing dead leaves off of succulents may be beneficial for the plant. This is because your getting rid of unnecessary leaves on the plant which allows more air circulation flowing around the plant. This means less potential for rot, mildew, and diseases.
Will an overwatered succulent recover?
Sucuclents are hardy plants and can definitely come back from being overwatered. Gently remove the plant from the soil. If the succulent has root rot, remove the roots and let the air dry out for a few days. Repot in fresh new well-draining soil mix. Don’t lose hope!
Certain succulents can go several months without water, but this depends on a variety of factors such as how much sun the plant is getting, how large the plant is, and what kind of soil the plant is placed in.
If you place a succulent outside where it’s very windy and sunny, this makes the soil dry out a lot faster than it would if the plant were placed indoors. This means the outside succulent will need water more often than the indoor plant.
Do succulents need direct sunlight?
Succulents love direct sunlight, but indirect sunlight works as well. I’ve placed succulents in all windows facing south, east, west, and north. I also have succulents outside in direct southern exposure sunlight and they’re thriving.
Why are my succulent leaves falling off when I touch them?
Succulent leaves may fall off when you touch them because they’re already weakened. If your plant is healthy and strong, the succulent leaves shouldn’t off.
If you notice your succulents leaves fall off easily just by touching them, this may be due to the plant getting too much sunlight or too much water.
Can you water succulents with ice cubes?
Some people do this, but I don’t recommend it. This is because ice cubes melt into ice cold water that shocks your plants root system. Instead, use room temperature water to give your plants a drink.
How long do succulents live?
Certain succulents can live up to 3 years while others live up to 100 years. How long a succulent lives depends on what kind of succulent it is. For example, jade plants can live up to 100 years whereas the popular Hens and Chicks live up to three years.
The best way to water indoor succulents is by allowing the plants soil to completely dry out before watering, and then once it’s time for a water – give it a good soaking. Allow all of the water to flow through the pot and drain out of the pot. Never let a succulent sit in a planter full of water without letting it release through.
How do you take care of indoor succulents?
Taking care of indoor succulents is simple. Give the succulent very bright light, even direct sunlight if you can. Only water when the soil completely dries out, and even then you can wait a few days after that to water it. Fertilize during the active growing season which is typically in the spring and summer months.
Can you plant succulents in pots without holes?
Succulents can live in pots without drainage holes. In fact, pretty much any plant can survive in a pot without drainage holes. The key is to never overwater your plants.
If you have a pot that doesn’t have a drainage hole at the bottom, you can make a drainage hole. If you don’t want to do that, add a layer of rocks at the very bottom of the planter.
When should I feed my succulents?
The best time to fertilize succulent is during the active growing season, which is typically the spring and summer months. This is because your plant is actively growing. In the winter months, succulents typically go dormant and don’t need any fertilizer.
How do succulents grow best?
Succulents do best in a spot getting direct or bright indirect sunlight. This isn’t the kind of plant you want sitting in a dark corner because it’ll quickly die.
If your succulents leaves are dying off at the bottom, this is a sign that your plant is getting underwatered or not receiving enough sunlight.
Should I cut the brown tips off my succulent?
You may notice brown tips on your succulent. If you see this, it’s likely a sign that something is going wrong with your plant. Check the root system and make sure the plant has healthy roots. If the roots look healthy, then you might want to consider giving the plant less sun if it’s sitting in direct sunlight.
Can I cut the top off my succulent and replant it?
You can cut the top off a succulent and replant it into well-draining soil. This is a fun way to add more houseplants to your home without spending any money.
Why are my succulents leaves drying up and falling off?
If you notice your succulent leaves are dying up and falling off, this is a sign that your plant is receiving too much water. When a succulent gets too much water, the leaves start to swell and become mushy, which leads to the leaves falling off.
Do succulents grow bigger?
Succulents get massive when given the best growing conditions. Just do a quick search of #succulents on Instagram and you’ll find photos and videos of the most insane looking succulents in the world.
Why is my succulent growing tall?
Succulents grow tall and lanky when they are not receiving enough sunlight. Another sign that the plant isn’t getting enough sunlight is it will stretch to reach where the light source is coming from.
Can succulents regrow leaves?
If your succulent lost leaves, they will not grow back where they originally fell off from. But don’t worry, new leaves will grow on top of the plant.
What do squishy succulent leaves mean?
Squishy succulent leaves means your plant is receiving way too much water. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the plant from the pot. Wipe away the soil and let the roots air out for a few days. Then you can transfer the succulent to a pot in well-draining soil. No need to water the plant right away, just let it be for a few days.
How do I know if my succulent has root rot?
If your succulent has brown, mushy leaves, this is a sign that your plant has root rot. Gently remove the succulent from the pot and wipe away the soil. If the roots appear black or brown and mushy, this is root rot.
To fix root rot, get rid of all the soil and make a new batch of well-draining soil. Discard all the rotted roots on the succulent. Remove all the dead succulent leaves and repot into a fresh planter of new potting mix. Do not immediately water, wait a few days.
What do healthy succulent roots look like?
Healthy succulent roots should be yellow or white and feel firm to the touch. If your roots look brown, black, smell, or feel mushy, this means our plant is getting overwatered and has root rot.
I’ve never put coffee grounds into my succulents soil, but some people like doing this because of the benefits. Coffee grounds release nitrogen in the soil which is one of the important nutrients for succulents.
When should succulents be repotted?
If you notice succulent roots are flowing out of the plant container either through the top of the planter or the drainage hole, this is a sign that your plant needs to be repotted. Most succulents need to be repotted every couple of years just to allow fresh new soil.
What’s the best soil for succulents?
An easy soil recipe for succulents calls for 1/3 sand, 1/3 soil, and 1/3 perlite. You can also buy premade succulent soil online.
If you notice brown burn marks or white discoloration on your succulents, this is a sign of sunburn. Move the succulent to a spot getting less intense sunlight and this won’t be a problem any longer.
Can I grow more succulents from leaves?
Yep! You can grow more succulents just from the leaves themselves. As you can see pictured below, you can make new succulents just by gently placing a succulent leaf into potting mix.
No need to mist your succulents – and you really shouldn’t do this anyways. Misting hurts succulents by making them wet and moldy. Instead, directly water the succulents soil.
Should you put rocks at the bottom of succulents?
Adding rocks on top of tour succulents soil is completely optional. People enjoy the look of the rocks surrounding succulents – rocks makes the plant really pop.
Can succulents live in water forever?
Yep, and I actually do this with one of my succulents. I was having trouble with one of my succulents that was planted in soil, so I decided to give water a try. I cleaned off the succulents roots so there was absolutely no soil left. Then I placed the succulent into a mason jar of water. Do not dunk the entire succulents root system underwater – only a tiny bit of water needs to touch the succulent.
Can succulents grow in glass jars?
Yep and it’s quite a fun project. Growing succulents in glass jars makes caring for succulents incredibly easy because you always know when to water them. I have a specific reservoir line and any time the water dips below the reservoir line, I fill the jar with more water.
Final thoughts
I hope today’s post inspired you to have fun with succulents. These plants may seem difficult at first, but once you get the watering schedule down, they’re one of the easiest plants out there.
