One of the many reasons we love succulents is just how durable they are as a houseplant. Many of our patrons here at Shop Succulents agree, and this is often listed as a prime reason they’ve chosen succulents over another house plant. The freedom to go away for a long weekend and not have to find someone to water your succulents is a beautiful thing!
However, maybe you’re the type of person who has less than stellar luck with houseplants and you’ve encountered some hiccups with tending to your succulents. It happens, unfortunately. Succulents are easier to care for than other houseplants - but they are still living plants. If your succulent care routine is less than optimal, you might be re-upping on succulents more than you’d care to admit.
We put together these tips to help you care for succulents and prevent them from dying! Please note we’re also free to offer a more specific recommendation if needed!
Succulent Care Tip 1: Light
Succulents are hardy plants, and that’s one of the reasons they are so popular. However, while they are hardy, there is one variable that needs to be pretty constant: Light!
It might sound obvious, but be sure to keep your succulents in an area where they will get direct sunlight. Most species will need four hours a day at least. Occasionally, a succulent could survive a few days without sunlight, but this is rare and should be an extreme case, not a common practice. Remember, succulents are from semi-desert biomes, so their tolerance for direct sunlight is quite high. If your succulents are dying, evaluate how much sunlight they are getting first. They might need a little more direct sunlight exposure.
Succulent Care Tip 2: Water
In our experience, the watering schedule of a succulent is often the easiest variable to implement improperly. That’s due to a few misconceptions. Previously, we mentioned that succulents hail from semi-desert biomes. The “semi-desert” biome needs to be stressed. The driest places in the world, like the Outback of Australia and the Sahara Desert of North Africa, aren’t actually home to many varieties of succulents.
The most common varieties of succulents are native to Mexico and South Africa. While these are dry climates, they are not deserts. This means that while succulents require less watering than other house plants, they still will need regular watering. A 2-week to 4-week cadence usually works well, but it will depend on the variety.
Inversely, be sure not to overwater succulents. Be sure to only water succulents when their soil is bone-dry. If not, you increase the odds of rot and other fungal diseases. Let’s return to our Mexico and South Africa examples. These biomes do receive regular rainfall, but rarely daily. It’s a tricky balancing act, but do your best to water your succulents regularly enough to prevent death but not so regularly that they’ll rot. Every 2-4 weeks is fine for most succulents, but our team at Shop Succulents is happy to offer a custom recommendation upon request.
Succulent Care Tip 3: Find The Right Soil
This is such a key aspect of caring for succulents, but it can be difficult to get right. As we mentioned previously, succulents are not desert plants. However, they tend to succeed in semi-dry areas where other plants falter. Per that, the potting soil you utilize is essential to maximizing the longevity of your succulents.
Here’s why. Some houseplants from more lush climates thrive when exposed to copious amounts of water. That is not the case with succulents. Too much water increases the risk of rot in your succulents.
Per the above, a porous soil works best. Some houseplants don’t fare well in sandy soil, but succulents thrive in it. Again, think of the perfect climate for a succulent. A semi-arid desert in northern Mexico or coastal grasslands in South Africa are not exactly lush, and a sandy, porous soil will maximize the lifespan of your succulents.
It can also be helpful to…
Succulent Care Tip 4: Find The Right Pot
As we mentioned, succulents hail from semi-arid climates. That means that they’re incredibly well-adapted to going without water for days at a time and can store excess moisture over time. This is a great survival mechanism for lasting a few dry weeks, but it does come with a downside. As we mentioned before, too much water increases the risk of rot within your succulents. ….
As mentioned previously, sandy soil will help, but you have another avenue to prevent your succulents from dying. Pick a particular type of pot for the best results.
Succulent Care Tip 5: Understand Your Choice
While all succulents might look the same from the 10,000-foot view, there are key differences between varieties. The more you understand the differences between types of succulents, the better equipped you are to make the right choice for your house plants. Lithops and string of pearls are two succulent varieties that wether a lack of water well, whereas certain variegated succulents might need a bit more water. The better you understand the unique needs of the succulent variety you purchased, the better you can care for that plant and ensure that these succulents don’t die on you.
Consult With Shop Succulents
Sometimes, you need a more personalized recommendation. The succulents experts at Shop Succulents are here to offer a more personalized recommendation for your specific living situation, use case, and style.
We offer….
- Bulk Succulents
- Mini-Succulents
- Succulent Pots
- Different Varieties Of Succulents
- & More