- SUCCULENTS
- HOUSEPLANTS
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- by Characteristics
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Succulents require a different watering style and schedule from other types of houseplants. Though you can experiment with your own succulents to find out what suits yours the most, this guide will give you some quick watering tips to help you jump start your succulent care journey the right way.
You should not water your succulents too often. Generally, simply check the top of the soil, if it’s completely dry, it’s time to water. Make sure to thoroughly soak the soil until water drains out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the container. Then give the soil some time to dry out. Don't water it again until the soil becomes completely dry. Succulents are used to the alternation between drought and heavy rain in their natural habitats. Therefore, leaving the soil completely dry for an extended amount of time resembles that drought period in arid desert areas. On the other hand, these succulents are also conditioned to expect occasional heavy rain, which we imitate by soaking the soil thoroughly every now and then.
It’s always better to underwater than overwater. Therefore, for beginners, we recommend that you water once every 2 weeks at first, then observe your succulents’ reactions and adjust the watering schedule accordingly. Learning to tell if your succulents are overwatered or underwatered might seem daunting but it can be done.
When the plant is overwatered, the leaves would start to look translucent, discolor (yellow), feel soggy to the touch, and fall off easily. There will also be black spots on the leaves or stem. On Echeverias, which is one of the most sensitive succulents, the color of the center would get much lighter.
Dry leaves are often caused by underwatering. They are softer to the touch than when fully hydrated, but don’t look translucent and soggy like overwatered leaves. As the moisture pressure inside the tissue of the leaves and stems reduces, there will be wrinkles on the skin, and the leaves will look droopy with sagging tips.