How Not to Overwater or Underwater Your Succulents (2024)

FAQs

How Not to Overwater or Underwater Your Succulents? ›

Succulents thrive with a "soak and dry" watering cycle. That means you should only water when the soil and plant are dry. You can see if your soil is completely dry by feeling for moisture down at the drainage hole. If it feels totally dry, check if the plant is showing signs of thirst.

Underwatered. Succulents are super easy going plants that can survive months in drought condition. However, they can rot and die within a few days if given too much water.

Avoid frequent little sips of water, and instead give your Succulent fewer, longer waterings when the soil is dry. If your Succulent is in a container with good drainage, set it in a tray of water for about five minutes. If it's in the ground or a large container, water at the soil line rather than overhead.

Succulents do better with periodic long, deep drinks that soak its soil to the bottom of the pot than regular but timid waterings that wet the top inch or two of the soil in the container. So when your succulents' soil is bone dry, drench that baby. Let the soil dry out completely, then drench again. Dry out.

The best way to determine if your succulent is dehydrated due to lack of water is through its leaves. If the leaf feels crispy and starting to have wrinkly and shriveled up leaves, then it's the best time to give your succulent a good soak of water, as these signs are indications of underwatering.

An underwatered succulent will have soil that feels dry and leaves with brown tips, dry, and will start to curl, drop, or even drop. An overwatered succulent, on the other hand, will have yellowing leaves, browning tips, and also wilting (with wet or soggy soil).

Don't use a spray bottle to water your succulents—misting can cause brittle roots and moldy leaves. You can also place pots in a pan of water and allow the water to absorb through the drainage hole. Once the top of the soil is moist, remove from the pan.

After removing the leggy top section, move the remaining, rooted lower portion of the succulent into bright, indirect light and care for it as usual. In a few weeks, the stem should start to sprout leaves and regrow into a more compact plant as long as it receives plenty of light.

CARING FOR SUCCULENTS—True love! Soil: Succulents and cacti thrive in well draining, porous soils. Gravel or expanded shale can be added to the bottom of the container to help increase drainage.

'From spring to fall, during the period of active growth, these plants should be watered once every seven to 10 days. In winter, when the light day becomes shorter, succulents go into dormancy, so you don't need to water them more than once every three to four weeks.

How often should I mist succulents? ›

If your succulents are young, mist them every 2-4 days and let the soil dry completely between each session. For adults, use a watering can instead. Establish a consistent watering schedule and occasionally skip 1-2 days of watering to encourage a robust root system.

Light. Generally speaking, succulents require a large amount of indirect sunlight and most varieties will burn in direct sunlight. Indirect sunlight is sunlight that passes through something such as window shades, leaves of a tree, or bounces off of a wall (think a covered patio).

Most succulents do best in bright direct light and need at least 6 hours of natural light per day. But if you only have a shady corner in your home, choose plants like mother-in-law tongue that do well in low light and place them near a south or east-facing window.

water your succulent arrangement. without wetting their leaves, then we suggest using the bottom watering method. to apply this method, you simply place your succulents in a tray. or a large basin. filled with water for about 14:55 minutes, or just. until the top portion of the soil has become moist.

Use the right kind of soil

Regular potting soil holds moisture well, which is great for certain plants, but for succulents and cacti you want a fast draining potting medium. If the soil compacts and doesn't drain, then the roots sit in standing water and can quickly begin to rot.

Feel the Soil: The simplest way to gauge your plant's watering needs is by feeling the soil. Turns out that old trick of sticking your finger into the soil up to the knuckle has merit! If it's soggy or has standing water, you're overwatering. If it's dry an inch below the surface, it's time to water.

To prevent their leaves from getting wet from excess water, these varieties can be watered from the bottom instead of the top. This method allows water to be supplied from the bottom upwards, which ensures that the surface layer of pot soil contacted by the bottom leaves is not overly moist.

Usually underwatering a plant is less damaging than overwatering, which can cause additional problems like root rot and other diseases. But of course, if a plant is too dry it can shrivel up before you even realize it.

When it comes time to water your succulent, the “soak and dry” method, in which you soak the soil with water and then allow it to dry completely before the next watering, is the best approach.

Ways To Save Your Underwatered Succulent

Give your plant a good and thorough soak in water and ensure that the water is going to the roots. Let the soil completely absorb all the water and then add more water to it. You can repeat that step until you notice water coming out of the container's drainage holes.