Keep your succulents healthy and hydrated indoors, in outdoor containers, or in your garden.
You may be wondering how to water succulents.
To keep succulents thriving, avoid forcing them to go without water for weeks or months.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
No matter where theyre planted, learn how to water succulents properly to prevent bothunderwatering and overwatering.
Avoid misting succulents since they absorb water through their roots rather than their leaves.
Excess moisture sitting on the leaves can lead to fungal growth or rot.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
Then let the soil dry out completely before watering again.
Check the soil a week after watering; if it still feels moist, wait another week.
Growth and Dormancy
Succulents need more water in the early spring when the plant starts actively growing.
Water needs may lessen in the summer and even more so during the winter when the light decreases.
These are the seasons most succulents are dormant.
Water Frequency
During winter, water your succulents when the soil is dry.
This could be as infrequently as once per month but will depend on your home’s conditions.
The frequency of watering will also depend on the size of the container.
How to Water Succulents in Outdoor Containers
Summer is a good time to move potted succulents outdoors.
Keep them out ofintense sunlight from late morning to midafternoon.
Outdoor plants generally need more water than indoor plants.
But, again, your conditions will dictate how to water succulents and how often they need watering.
Depending on your area’s climate, they might need to be watered weekly.
Established plants will have a more robust root system andtolerate dry conditionsmuch better than new plants.
Whether you grow hardy or annual succulents,they must be in well-drained soil.
If your soil stays too moist, use araised bedor try mounding up the soil where you plant succulents.
Good soil, good soaking, and good drainage equal happy succulents.
Hardy succulents can withstand cold temperatures and survive frost, making them suitable for outdoor gardens in colder climates.
Annual succulents are not frost-tolerant and typically grow as seasonal plants unless brought indoors for winter.
Steil, Aaron.Growing Succulents Indoors.Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
