Succulents are different compared to most houseplants. They have special watering needs and if you don’t pay attention to them, the plants will likely die. For most people watering is the most tricky part of succulent care, so to help you I made this watering guide.
How often do you need to water a succulent?
Succulents store water in their fleshy leaves and they’re used to living in a dry climate. To really have a thriving plant you should mimic these growing conditions in your home. So, when do you water your succulents and how much? In general you should only water the succulent when the soil it's in is completely dry. You can check this by using a wooden skewer or a toothpick and putting it in the soil. If the soil sticks to the object, it’s still too wet and you should wait a little longer before watering. Depending on the type of soil, the type of succulent, the climate you’re in, the season you’re in, where your plant is positioned… the frequency of watering will be different. On average you should water your succulents once every two weeks, but it’s better to check your plant instead of holding on to a watering schedule.
What are the signs of underwatering?
When a succulent is underwatered, it will let you know. There are a few ways your plant can do this:
1. The leaves will get wrinkles;
2. The leaves will curl inwards;
3. The leaves will be thin and look deflated;
4. The leaves will turn brown and die before falling off.
(see this post i made for more pictures)
What are the signs of overwatering?
Overwatering is very dangerous with succulents. Luckily succulents also show when they're being overwatered, so you can step in before it's completely too late. If your succulent's leaves are turning yellow, you should cut back on watering and keep the soil dry for a while so the plant doesn't drown and rot. If you keep on overwatering repeatedly in a short period of time, the plant will develop root rot and eventually die.
How (much) to water your succulent?
Because people are often scared of overwatering their succulent, they don't water their plant properly. They think their plant only needs a little amount of water to thrive, but that's not entirely true. Succulents don't need to be watered often, but when you do you should water the soil thoroughly. The water should run back out of the pot through the drainage holes. So instead of giving the plant only a few drops of water every few days, opt to completely soak the soil every 2 weeks or so. If you have the plant sitting on top of a saucer, don't forget to empty the saucer after you watered the plant and all of the water has run out through the drainage holes.
