Succulent Care: How Should I Water My Succulents?

Succulents and cacti are supposed to be resilient and unkillable social media darlings. But for some reason, you always end up mourning the loss of a plant, either because you watered it too much or you took its low-maintenance promise by heart thought it would survive for months without H2O.

Bryce Lane, a respected horticulturist with North Carolina State University, suggests doing a soil check at least a week after watering your succulents. If the soil is still moist, this means the plant is still well hydrated. Go back and check again after a few days.

Soak and Tilt

When watering your succulents properly, remember these two rules:

• Soak Orchid plants may love a little spritz here and there, but succulents prefer a good soak. Water it up as you would any other plant. Fill it up to the brim of the pot.

• Tilt Wait for a few minutes until the soil has had its fill and has soaked up enough water. Then tilt the plant container a little on the side to get rid of excess water, which if left in it will put your poor succulent at risk of molds and other plant diseases. This is particularly beneficial if you’re growing your succulents in a pot without drainage.

Frequency: How Often Should You Water Your Succulents?

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When it comes to frequency, there are a number of important factors that you should consider. 

•  Location

Your environment plays a big role when it comes to how frequent you should water your succulents. Ideally, indoor succulent arrangements set in a plant holder with good drainage require at least three to four days. Outdoor succulents would require more and frequent hydration.

• Size Matters

Large plant containers can hold more moisture. Succulents in small, shallow pots, on the other hand, should be watered more frequently. Succulents planted directly to the ground, such as sedums, can do with weekly watering. They have bigger roots that are planted firmly to the ground and can withstand dry soil conditions better.

• The Season

Succulents need water for growing during the spring, and lesser and lesser come summer and winter. Because winter months have less sunlight and succulents usually go in hibernation mode, water only when the soil is dry. Typically, this can go as long as once a month. But always do the soil check to be on the safe side.