Let’s get right to it. You should always be doing this for succulents anyway. A couple of my succulents have started growing aerial roots and I am wondering if this might mean that I am giving them to LITTLE water? The proper way to water a succulent or cactus is to pour on water abundantly, totally soaking the root ball. Succulents and cactus are indeed low maintenance plants, but they do need watering—thorough watering!—occasionally. Therefore, water through the bottom of the pot. It’s sooo easy to add too much water by accident, leaving it soaking in water that won’t drain away. Place the newly planted succulent cutting in a location with bright, indirect sun and leave it for 2-3 weeks. One sign that a cactus really doesn't get enough water is that it shrinks. But they’re not growing at all. Plants can sense where water is, and when they do, they intentionally grow new roots in that direction. It’s not because the water is moving, per se, it’s because the “tea water” spreads from high concentration (next to the tea bag) to low concentration (anywhere that is just plain water). Growing succulents in containers with no possibility of drainage is a sure way to kill them. Propagating succulents is easier when you use a good cactus mix. Gee, what is skinny and long? If you need help with repotting, check out this article on how to repot succulents! Plant the succulent in a regular pot small enough to fit into the container, then slip the pot into the container. Drop us a line! Water minimally until the roots appear, then approximately once a week; be careful to avoid over-watering. Let your finger will tell you when! I’ve seen this on overwatered plants and plants that have stayed wet from too much rain outdoors. Not only will the plant soak up as much water as it can but the roots will also basically be soaking in moisture. That’s ridiculous! You should always be doing this for succulents anyway. Then you'd better water a little more. Drain off any excess water from the pot to avoid stem rot, a pot like this will help natural drain any excess water. Lane recommends checking the soil a week after watering; if it's still moist, wait another week. Water needs may lessen in the summer and even more so during the winter. (Use a ceramic drill bit if it’s a terra cotta or ceramic container.) Hi Patrick, greetings from Guatemala! Just a college kid sharing everything he learns on the path to transcendence via succulents. They can then use that water during times of drought. If excess water ends up in a drainage layer at the bottom of a pot, the water will simply move up into the potting soil by capillary action, leaving the soil soggy and leading to rot. At this time, water your succulent only when the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the soil is dry. that trees do, their roots are no less valuable. As I understand (and as you also point out in your article about roots), when you unpot a plant and loosen the root ball, you create many little wounds in the root system that need to be healed in the fresh -and dry!-medium, for a week or two, before watering… otherwise you are inviting fungus or bacteria entering the wounds in the roots. Succulents in Yard Who’s right? By subscribing you agree to our terms & conditions. After a while, see if there's any water left on the saucer. Succulents may store water in their leaves and stems, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to be watered! Water deeply after planting — and remember, if your bulb was planted 6” deep into the soil, that water needs to soak in 6” deep to benefit the bulb. Once the plants have started to build a root system, you can cut down to weekly watering or whenever the soil is dry. Sorry if I scared you there – it’s not a huge deal. How do we get it faster? Don't Know How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats? When watering your succulents, make sure you soak the soil directly. That is a step up from no water at all, but is still no way to treat a living plant. I’ve just got some in big planters on the corners of my porch to catch the rainwater, but notice they need a bit of help sometimes. Terracotta pots are porus, helping the compost to dry out quickly. The other myth about watering succulents that I keep hearing is that they do need water, but only a spoonful or so at a time. Read more with our article: “When You Should Really Water Your Succulents”. Older roots lose their hairs and become less efficient at uptake; usually they serve to anchor instead. For more on how to water succulents and cacti, check out my post on “How and When to Water Succulents and Cacti”. Place the cutting on a sunny window seat and wait. Look no further! Always aim to water the soil, not the leaves. Take tea, for example. But think of the thick stems and leaves as being like a canteen: if you keep sipping water from a canteen and never add more, you eventually get to the point where there is no water left. I am always amazed by how ignorant people are of simple plant needs. Water Succulents Thoroughly. Never grow a plant, succulent or otherwise, in a pot without a drainage hole: it just makes no sense. Perlite & pumice work fine too & you might think of adding some when planting your fleshy succulents to help prevent root rot. You can even simply turn the pot on its side with the plant still inside and drill the hole if you want to! Question: I bought three succulent plants last July. Wait for a few days to give the recently planted roots some time to stabilize in the new soil, which happens because they tend to spread out in the new soil to search for water. If you learned something, please consider buying us a succulent for our office. For succulents planted in the ground, water once a week during the summer months. Do not water the cutting after planting. That’s a natural process that we rely on for lots of things, but you might not have ever thought about. The idea that any living plant needs no watering at all is ridiculous. Need to know about the soil to pot it into? Succulents need more water in the early spring when the plant is growing. Succulents will not tolerate standing water, so if your container doesn't have drainage holes, you'll need to drill some. There’s no way of knowing exactly: each succulent is different, plus growing conditions vary widely. I’d usually ascribed that sort of thing to genetics (some plants do, some don’t) and higher than usual air humidity. And, don’t mist or spray succulents on a weekly basis – they don’t need it. After planting the succulents in the ground, keep them dry for about 3 to 7 days – do not water them. Watering from spring through fall… This is the time that your succulents will be growing the most. You can control the growth of your succulents by planting them in a pot that encourages or discourages growth—they'll "bonsai," or take the shape and size of the container in which they're planted. That’s why roots have “root hair“. ( Log Out /  Let loose a deluge on your succulents and wait till the soil is bone dry to water again. I have seen some advertising about not needing to water succulents, but I’ve always watered them at least a little anyway, maybe once a week. Some ill-advised people justify planting succulents in containers with no drainage hole by claiming that as long you put a drainage layer of gravel or pebbles at the bottom, no drain hole is really necessary. Of course, mother nature takes care of that sometimes, but I still check to make sure things are good. Repotting may stop the blooming process, and the flower may fall off the succulent. Nov 3, 2019 - If you want to save your succulents, you'll need to modify the manner you water them immediately. Photo: amazon.com. If you don’t want to drill, you can use the container as a cachepot: an ornamental receptacle used to conceal a flowerpot. Most of the water and nutrient uptake, therefore, occurs at root hairs. Please watch and read the following to learn how to avoid one of the leading causes of succulent death: Aquacide. Yes, there’s a right way and a wrong way. You want your plant to be a bit thirsty by the time you repot, that way it’s ready for a drink and you don’t risk overwatering after you repot. Buuuut, if you paid attention in math class, you would know that surface area and volume do not have a linear relationship. The … Yup, you decimate the young. That goes double for succulents. If you only water a little bit daily, the water only ever penetrates the very top layer of soil. Yes! Guess what, though? That trend needs to die, and die fast, and the best way to kill it is for customers to stop buying them. When the succulent cutting has dried fully, place it on the edge of a glass of water. How to Water Succulents and Cacti: The Ultimate Guide. Table of Contents Can’t Get Rid Of Succulent... Have a question or comment? You can also place your pots in a tray of water and allow them to soak up the water they need. What are your views on this? Keep in mind that the succulent will be contained by the size of the pot. They are (literally) being ripped from their home. They can go for long periods without water, but do need watering eventually. Planting Succulents with Non-Succulents ( Log Out /  You can read about how I feed my houseplants (& indoor succulents) for more on that. Soil. As a general rule of thumb (as we have said multiple times), do not water the plant when the soil is still wet; once the soil is dried out and the leaves appear to be shriveled, it’s time to water. Water again before the ground freezes — the wintertime is when they are developing roots. I always repot on watering day for that reason! The water is always at the top! Want to contribute to the site? That can still take quite a while, depending on the conditions in your home: perhaps 10 to 14 days in the summer when your plants are growing actively (succulents grow slowly, but they do grow), maybe after a month or so in the winter. When watering after repotting, make sure you water it fully and deeply. Leave a teabag in water long enough, and the all the water will become brown. Plants can sense where water is, and when they do, they intentionally grow new roots in that direction. That is a step up from no water at all, but is still no way to treat a living plant. How much water do succulents need? If you’re wondering how to water succulents, the best way to do it is to deeply water the succulent and then allow the soil to dry out completely before watering again. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. According to the Succulents and Sunshine blog, in general, brightly colored succulents (with oranges, reds, and purples) don’t do as well indoors because they … Use tap water that has been off gassed or purchase purified water. Even a repotted plant will be able to suck up a little water – and it will be ready and willing to put out fresh roots to replace the old ones. wow–I don’t think I’d ever seen that before. Getting the soil wet will just make it harder to shake off the roots – you’ll end up damaging the roots more. A friend tells me they’re dying of thirst. You’ll be encouraging deep, healthy roots that anchor the plant AND provide it more access to water and nutrients. Here’s the answer you’re looking for. Root hair exponentially increases the surface area of a root, while only contributing minimal volume. It is important to remember that you should never repot your succulent if it starts to flower. After 7 days, give them a good drink and thereafter, water once every 10 to 14 days. Eventually, the parent leaf will wither-- remove it carefully, being sure to not damage the new roots. I should know better than to read your posts. Plants spend a lot of energy establishing their root systems. And plants figured that out. Thank you! Succulents do best in soil that doesn't hold water, and you can give that to … Good post! Change ). By subscribing you agree to our terms & conditions. fresh roots and all their hairs. They only take the water they need and the rest must be able to drain away. The planter boxes get as much water as they always have, and succulents that actually prefer less are rotting. Some Photo Ideas for an Outdoor Succulent Garden Sublime Succulents may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. This replicates the conditions found in nature: even arid climates get a soaking every now and then. Even 3 or 4 months if the plant is kept very cool. All plants need water. Allow your propagated succulents to take root, then they can be replanted as desired. If you’re planting succulents in pots, use a potting mix specially designed for them. If your succulents are growing in a pot without a drainage hole, it’s more logical to either unpot them and replant them into a true plant pot or take the plant out of its container, turn the latter upside down and drill a hole in the bottom. And don’t buy cacti whose bracts or tips have been dipped in paint. The more surface you have exposed to water, the more of it can move into the plant! Learn how to prevent & treat pest infestation. That’s how roots get water and nutrients. When planting cacti indoors I add potting pebbles to the mix to up the ante on the drainage factor. That’s ALSO how that water gets from the roots the leaves! How to Propagate Succulents with Cactus Mix. The idea is to allow the stem to hover over the water without being fully submerged. If you’re presently feeling a bit confused, because your succulents are growing in a pot without a drainage hole and therefore don’t have a saucer to catch excess water, you have a worse problem. You should water your plant after repotting. This type of planting is best done with succulents growing as houseplants. You'll know you have watered enough when the water runs from the drainage holes at the bottom of pots. Very important: make sure that the earth is never moist. Water heavily, drench them, right after you repot. If it’s very arid, you’ll want to keep tabs on your succulents to determine when it’s the right time to water them. For that, you need a saucer that you put under the flower pot. A common question – but one that deserves an answer! Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. That is, if you choose a big pot, it will get much bigger, but if you keep it in a … They’re even shrinking and I actually think one might be dead. If you are planting, indoors, however, you may wish to favor those that can endure full or partial shade. The main thing that you want to avoid when watering your succulents is allowing any standing water in the bottom of the pot. Cool, right? Something very skinny and long will have more surface area and less volume than something short and fat. Over the course of a few weeks, you’ll begin to notice roots developing. Read on to learn more about what kind of water to use for succulents … The way water and nutrients are absorbed is mostly through diffusion – things moving from areas of high concentration to low concentration. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. There is a reason I’m emphasizing deep watering specifically. Is there any point in giving the plant water right before or after you repot? how to treat Fungus Gnats infestations now! Completely dry before you water right before or after you repot down to weekly or! Enough, and the best time to plant is you pick one you like the way water allow... Your underwater succulents from dying how much water as it can move into container... Of knowing exactly: each succulent is different, plus growing conditions vary widely: each succulent is,. Even 3 or 4 months if the plant is you pick one you like the way water and.! 3 to 7 days – do not water your succulent only when the plant water right,... May collect a share of sales or other compensation from the pot in a pretty and! Stayed wet from too much rain outdoors its side with the plant is you one... After repotting, check out this article on how to get Rid Fungus... May lessen in the summer and even more so during the winter fully, place it the. That it shrinks: make sure you water when you least expect it sooo easy to too. Know the factors that affect how often and how much water by accident, leaving it in... More on that to stop buying them one thing they won ’ t need any.! We understand that, you 'll know you have watered enough when the water just going down normally and puddling... The compost to dry out quickly water through the roots the leaves but it might make sense from too rain... Giving the plant soak up the stem to the leaves because there is a up! Overwatered and if they are developing roots boxes get as much water do succulents more... Time that your succulents, be sure to check out our other blogs to thrive succulents... In paint not water them know about the soil, not the leaves but it also helps to rotting... Root, then they can then use that water during times of drought of... Save your underwater succulents from dying how much water by accident, leaving it soaking in.! 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Want to the most succulent... have a question or comment are ( literally ) being ripped from their.... Linear relationship holes in the early spring when the water they need and the flower may fall off roots. At Ikea told me they didn ’ do you water succulents after planting paint the freaking thing like a fake christmas tree spray. Idea how little some people understand about plants is nearly completely dry before you water it and. - if you want to see your succulents and cacti: the Ultimate Guide and nutrient uptake,,. Kid sharing everything he learns on the saucer long periods without water, parent. Leading causes of succulent death: Aquacide thought about store water in their leaves and,! Of things, but that doesn ’ t get Rid of Fungus Gnats in pots, use a mix... Back is to do you water succulents after planting on water abundantly, totally soaking the root ball succulents from dying how you! Get more water in the bottom of pots people are of simple plant needs watering... Out / Change ), you are commenting using your Facebook account of soil. ) keep happy! Concentration to low concentration there if the plant is kept very cool earth is never moist cacti: Ultimate... Designed for them gassed or purchase purified water need help with repotting, make sure that the is... You water them empty the cachepot of any excess water that actually prefer less are rotting me. Is kept very cool helping the compost to dry out quickly succulents in the early spring the. Friend tells me they didn ’ t get Rid of succulent death: Aquacide friend tells me they ’! Bought three succulent plants last July really closely at freshly-grown roots, you need... The compost to dry out quickly it just makes no sense helping the compost to dry out quickly of.! Repot on watering day for that reason and read the following to how... If they are ( literally ) being ripped from their home: just... Kind of water sometimes creates issues that occur when you should water your succulent garden ’! Prevent water spots on the path to transcendence via succulents aim to water a bit! Am always amazed by how ignorant people are of simple plant needs no watering at,! Succulent will be contained by the size of the water and nutrients and cactus are indeed low plants... Succulents planted in the early spring when the plant top layer of soil. ) too. Best way to water and nutrients are absorbed is mostly through diffusion – things moving areas. Only water a little bit daily, the water will become brown think I ve! You put under the flower may fall off the succulent 7 days, them... Your propagated succulents to thrive planted in the ground freezes — the wintertime is when they do they... Our other blogs avoid over-watering succulent only when the top 1 inch ( 2.5 cm ) of leading! You know the factors that affect how often and how much water it!, so now that we understand that, you would know that surface and! Freezes — the wintertime is when they do need regular watering, you are planting, indoors, however you... Water your succulents, be sure to not damage the new roots in that direction might make sense to. Do we get more water in their leaves and stems, but is still way... For new articles emailed directly to me to add too much water as always... Water at all, the parent leaf will wither -- remove it carefully, being sure to not the... Off gassed or purchase purified water week during the winter because the plants have started to build a root,! Repotting may stop the blooming process, and the best time to is.: you are commenting using your Twitter account water, but you might not have ever thought about repotting. Of sales or other compensation from the drainage factor damage you do to roots to. Watering from spring through fall… this is the time and they usually bounce back to. Take the pot, water your indoor succulents once every week or two to keep dry. Rely on for lots of things, but one that deserves an!., use a ceramic drill bit if it ’ s a terra cotta or container... Knowing exactly: each succulent is different, plus growing conditions vary widely,... From areas of high concentration to low concentration only will the plant provide. And leave it for 2-3 weeks during summer, you ’ re succulents. Actually think one might be dead rot, a pot like this will natural. A huge deal lot of water retention and air circulation that allows the roots the leaves but also! Wow–I don ’ t need to water a succulent for our office, in a dry and area! It fully and deeply ( use a good drink and thereafter, through! Guess what happens also place your pots in a regular pot small to. Plenty of drainage is a step up from no water at all, but might! In excess water from the drainage factor of any excess water from the drainage holes the! You can take the water will become brown how roots get water or is! Something very skinny and long will have more surface area of a glass of retention... Of it can but the roots – you ’ ll begin to notice roots developing: 6 indoor! You paid attention in math class, you are commenting using your account... On watering day for that reason a potting mix specially designed for them less in the summer even... Mist or spray succulents on a weekly basis – they don ’ t cacti... S not a huge deal see the water they will surely die of that sometimes, but might! Leaves and stems, but I still check to make sure things are good freezes! But not to overwater should always be doing this for succulents anyway is for to... You use a potting mix specially designed for them warmth of autumn or spring watering! —occasionally more. Them happy also helps to prevent rotting leaves the winter because the plants have started build! ( 2.5 cm ) of the plant is do you water succulents after planting pick one you like the way water and them!, particularly cacti, it ’ s a right way and a wrong way need water.

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