I LOVE succulents.
Call it the inner hippie in me, but they make me so happy. They might be my love language second only to chocolate chip cookies.Â
Here’s the thing about succulents, they are hardy, but you can kill them. I think most people buy them, sit them on a shelf and then they die. Or you are like my mom and buy plastic succulents so that you can’t kill them.Â
Really they aren’t hard to care for, but you do have to pay attention. Succulents are plants after all, and they need water. Frankly, you can ignore them for a good while, but they do occasionally need a drink.Â
So how do you not kill your succulents?Â
- watering
- light
- name them, love them and cuddle them (just kidding, but kind of serious)
Watering
Let’s start with basics-plants need water to live. If you didn’t know that than I think we’ve discovered your problem. Succulents aren’t too picky about their water, but they are picky about the amount of water you give them. They don’t like wet feet. Let me explain. Succulent roots can get moldy causing the plant to die if they sit in water too long. This means that they need well drained soil and shouldn’t be watered too often, or they’ll stay too wet. That being said they do need some water. I try to water my succulents every two weeks, however there are some things I look for and some tactics I use to water my succulents.Â
I will only water if the following things are visible:
The soil at the roots of the plant (or bottom of the pot) are completely dry.Â
The base of the plant is completely dry.
When I ask the plant if he is thirsty he says yes.Â
So assuming these things are true, I water my plants. Now there are two main tactics I use for watering. I try to alternate methods back and forth so that the plants can be rinsed through (I’ll explain this more later).
Method one is simple but most people don’t use this method. I take a cake pan and fill it about 1.5 to 2 inches high with water. You can use just about any container for this just try to make sure the water is about and 1.5 inches high. Then you simply place the plants (pots and all) into the water bath. The holes in the bottom of your pots will allow the plant to soak up all the water the plants need. Soak the plants for an hour, and then remove them from the water, wipe the bottom or make sure they aren’t dripping, and put them back in the sun. Â
Method two is a little more involved. Earlier I referred to this method as one that rinses the roots out. Succulents (like other potted plants) can build up minerals in their root systems due to being watered from above. Now in regular soil, these nutrients would simply flow to the underground water supply. However in a pot, that doesn’t happen. So this method rinses those extra minerals off the roots allowing the plant to receive the correct and most balanced nutrients it needs.Â
So to do this, I pull my plants from their pots (I can’t do this with all of them, only two) and I water the middle of their soil. Those that I can’t remove from their pots, I run water over until it is leaking steadily out of the bottom of the pot. Then I set them down in my sink and let them rest there until there are no more drips. If you move them back in place too early, you will have water rings, and your roots could potentially rot out.
Light
Now plants also need light. Again if you didn’t know this than maybe you should find a new hobby. The first step to finding the right light is reading up on your plant. Most succulents are pretty hearty and can live in most light levels. However, I find that my succulents due best in bright indirect sunlight. But sometimes its difficult to figure out the best place in the house for these little guys. I recommend moving them around your house until you find the best place for them to flourish. Let them sit in a location fro a few days an observe their behavior. Are they vibrant and healthy? Or are they starting to look drooping or wilty? These are indications of issues.
Troubleshooting:
Yellowing on leaves: This is a tricky one. It means that you are either under watering or over watering. To figure it out, I recommend waiting a little longer between waterings. If you notice the plants are getting worse during that time, go ahead and water. If you’ve been under watering, they should pop back up bright and cheery within a few days. If you are over watering they will continue to be sad. Don’t let your plants get sad.
Soft dropping leave: Succulents hold water in the leaves/petals. If the leaves are starting to feel soft and squishy, you are killing the poor thing. Give it a drink and move its location to somewhere where it will get a little extra sun. Check on it daily and move it around if it’s not perking up. You can also prune some of the lower leaves so that the nutrients move to the other leaves.
Those are my tips and tricks! Comment below with any tips you’ve found helpful for your succulents!
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