So many times, I’ve heard “I can’t even take care of succulents”, and “It’s the lack of attention that makes me kill them”.
Succulents are incredibly resilient, and once you understand their needs, you’ll never kill another one.
When you bring home new succulents, the first thing to do is let them adjust to their new environment. Leave them untouched for a few days and observe how they react before making any changes. After a few days, you can add a small amount of water. Be cautious, though—watering too soon can cause them to rot, as sudden changes in their environment, especially humidity, can have a big impact.
Ready to transform your succulent care routine? Discover these 5 essential steps to water and care for your succulents, and watch them thrive with these expert tips from your local florist.
1) How much Sun do succulents need?
Succulents require around 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.
Harsh light burns them, but not enough light rots them. Indirect means that there has to be something like a mesh between the sun and your plant, a window works good enough.
Keep succulents away from air currents, and not lower than 40-30F.
Succulents require around 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.
2) How much Water do succulents need?
Add around 4oz (1/2 cup) of water every 10-15 days or more depending on pot size. Wait until the soil (2 inches deep) feels dry. Depending on the temperature and humidity of their surroundings this will vary greatly.
The most important thing to know about succulents is that they keep a lot of water in their leaves and their roots are very thin, and if you add too much water, they will drown because they will drink more water than they need. Their soil needs to actually get dry before you add more water and you need to water the soil directly. If you pour water on top of the leaves it can rot the entire plant.
Water the soil directly when it feels dry.
If the stem is mushy or rotting, it's probably overwatered. If the leaves get puckered, the plant needs more water.
Do not let them stand in water, if the container doesn’t have drainage, flip it upside down after watering it (holding your succulents while doing it so they won’t fall out) and let all the excess water drain out.
Do not let roots stand in water.
If your environment tends to be dry, a great way to keep your succulents thriving is to mist them daily. Some varieties of succulents actually prefer a light misting over traditional watering, as it mimics the natural humidity they would experience in their native habitats. By giving them a gentle mist each day, you can help prevent their soil from becoming overly dry while providing the moisture they need to stay healthy and vibrant.
A daily mist can help prevent succulent soil from becoming overly dry and keep their petals healthy.
3) Does Humidity hurt succulents?
As mentioned before, succulents have a lot of water in their leaves. So, if their surroundings are very humid, they will need less water.
Make sure your plant’s soil is completely dry and the base of your plant is not mushy before you add more water.
Humidity won’t hurt your succulent as long as you don’t overwater it.
4) Do I need to Fertilize succulents?
Fertilize once a month during their active growing cycle (spring), beginning in the spring when temperatures start to warm up and the fear of frost is over.
Choose a fertilizer recommended for cacti and succulents and follow the package directions, or choose any all-purpose, balanced liquid fertilizer and mix it to ¼ strength of what the directions indicate. Keep in mind that if you use a liquid fertilizer, it is like adding water so avoid watering your succulents right after fertilizing them.
5) Do succulents need to be Preened?
Whenever you see a dry or dying leaf at the base of your succulent remove it gently. If the leaves fall on their own but are not rotten or dried, the plant might want to propagate, leave it where you found it and the leaf might grow its own roots eventually, creating a new plant.
Only remove dry or rotten leaves. Healthy, fallen leaves might propagate into another plant.
Remember, the most important aspect of succulents is the lack or excess of water you provide, find a happy balance depending on their surroundings and they will live a happy and long life.
Find a happy balance between lack or excess of water for succulents to thrive.
Do you know any other tips to help succulents live healthier lives? Let us know in the comments below. If you're looking to send succulents to Gaithersburg, Maryland, make sure to reach out to us or visit your nearby and reliable florist.
