You get a cute piffling succulent and ca n’t wait to be a plant parent . But whoa , hang on ! Before you reach for that tearing can , there are some surprising succulent rules you require to lie with . water these quirky flora the awry manner can seriously mess up them up . But do n’t worry , we ’ve get all the juicy detail to keep your succulents thriving !
Contents
Succulents Are Total Water Camels
While most plants ask a drink daily , particularly when it ’s scorching blistering , succulent are full body of water camel . They ’ve evolved awe-inspiring tricks to store melted gold ( aka water ) in their thick , fleshy leaves and stems . Thanks to these built - in water reserves , succulents can survive droughts and go ages without any water at all . barbaric , good ?
But Don’t Dehydrate Them!
Still , despite being drouth - champions , succulents do need some hydration to truly thrive . Denying them sips for too long can leave them all shriveled and sad . The winder is learning exactly how much moisture these little looney want . Too much ? Their roots start waste . Too small ? They become raisins before your eyes .
Summer Growers vs Winter Growers
To get this lachrymation matter mightily , you first need to know if your succulent is a summertime grower or winter grower . Kinda like how some kids are nighttime owls and others are morning time larks .
Summer growers ( like Echeverias and Aeoniums ) go into active growing mode from May through August . Then they snooze for winter from November to February .
Summer Growing Succulents
wintertime growers ( such as Haworthias and Gasterias ) do the diametric – arise during the colder month of November to February before napping in summer .
Winter Growing Succulents
Once you ID your succulent ’s preferent season , you could give it a unadulterated drink schedule . During its grow geological period , target to water deeply at least once a week until the spare drains out the bottom . Then allow the soil to fully dry before watering again – we call this the “ soak and dry ” method .
When your succulent enter its rest form , simply cut back on waterings to the bleak minimum call for to preclude full shriveling .
Terrarium Treatment
If your succulent is living in a terrarium or glass containerwithout drainage holes , be extra careful with lacrimation . These babies can drown easily if the territory stays soggy for too long . Use a chopstick or skewer to check that the soil is bone dry before give your terrarium pal another drink .
Indoor vs Outdoor Plant Spas
Where you keep your succulent also bear on how thirsty they get . Outdoor plantsdry out much quicker in live , dry , wordy shape – sometimes needing H2O up to 3 times per week ! Indoor succulents in cool , humid rooms can go a full 7 - 10 days between drinks .
Small Sips for Tiny Tots
One last element – works size of it . The little and more diminutive the succulent , the less piddle it can store . So while a big beefy Pachyphytum can expand on monthly soak , a petite Sedum may need a refreshing deglutition every 5 - 7 days .
Now that you know the golden succulent watering rules , your plant babies are set to thrive ! Just commend – rotting or shriveling are the two crowing no - nos . As long as you strike that staring balance , your succulents will be the cut , plump niggling cuties around .
Succulent Watering Mistakes
We ’ve all unexpectedly drowned or dehydrated our poor succulents at some point . But knowing the signs can serve forbid these oopsies !
Overwatering
This fall out when you do n’t let the grunge dry out enough between lachrymation . invariably soggy filth leads to stanch androot rot – yuck ! If you see the stems getting mushy , you ’ve probably overwatered . To revive a drowning succulent , give up watering wholly . Then re - plant it in fresh , dry filth after get it air out for a match days .
Underwatering
The opposite problem is not giving your succulent enough agua . Wrinkly , puncture leave-taking are a light cry for hydration . Simply increase your watering frequency using that “ soak and juiceless ” method until the plant life plunk back up .
It ’s better to underwater than overwater . An underwatered succulent can bounce back quickly , but an overwatered decompose one may be beyond saving .
How to Tell if Succulent Needs Water
So how do you bonk when your succulent actually need that swallow ? There are two easy tricks :
When in doubt , check the soil before watering . No one likes a drowned or dehydrated industrial plant !
FAQs
Do you water succulents from the top or bottom?
Always weewee succulents from the bottom by pelt directly onto the soil . Getting the leaves squiffy can lead to decompose and light sunburn .
Do succulents like humidity?
Most succulent really prefer desiccant air . Too much moisture can cause kingdom Fungi or rot result .
How often to water succulents in winter?
During winter dormancy , only give succulents an episodic light sip to keep the roots from fully drying out . Do n’t water outdoorhardy succulentsat all from October to February .
Do succulents need to be watered every day?
Definitely not ! Indoor succulents only involve watering every 1 - 2 weeks when the dirt is completely ironical . Watering when it ’s still damp will lead to moulder .
White Succulent Pots with Drainage
White Succulent Pots with Drainage
Terrarium without Drainage(With a glass terrarium, you can actually ‘see’ if the soil is still wet)
Indoor succulents need less frequent watering
Outdoor succulents need more frequent watering
Pachyphytum oviferum (Moonstone)
Sedum japonicum ‘Tokyo Sun’
