How to care for a succulent
Whether you are a newbie to plants or a plant veteran and have been caring for plants for many years, a succulent is a great species of plant to have in the home. There are many, many different varieties, but most require very similar plant care. In this guide, we’re going to look at how to care for succulents that love to sit in the sun while keeping them indoors. We’ll briefly cover if and how you can grow succulents outdoors, as this may vary depending on where you live, but we’ll focus on indoor succulent care.
How to care for a succulent (indoors)
Whether you are a newbie to plants or a plant veteran and have been caring for plants for many years, a succulent is a great species of plant to have in the home. There are many, many different varieties, but most require very similar plant care. In this guide, we’re going to look at how to care for succulents that love to sit in the sun while keeping them indoors. We’ll briefly cover if and how you can grow succulents outdoors, as this may vary depending on where you live, but we’ll focus on indoor succulent care.
That seems like a lot, but it’s easier than it first appears. Succulents are low maintenance plants, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind to successfully grow these amazing plants in or around your home. We’ll start with the most important parts of caring for a succulent: watering and sun exposure.
Water a succulent
If there’s one thing that’s the most important part of caring for a succulent, it’s watering it. Succulents naturally grow in warm, dry climates with plenty of sun. To successfully grow a succulent in your home, unless you live in a warm and dry climate, you need to mimic its natural habitat as closely as possible. One way to do this is to make sure your succulent doesn’t get watered very often. In fact, it will thrive if you don’t water it for weeks. Watering succulents too often will cause the plant to become overwatered and this will kill it.
If your succulent is in an area that doesn’t get direct sunlight, you may need to water it even less. Succulents store a lot of moisture in their stems and leaves, so they can easily go weeks without water. In summer it needs water more often than in winter, since it is warmer and moisture evaporates faster. It is best to water it every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter.
For example: if you have a succulent growing in a darker spot that doesn’t get direct sunlight, consider watering it less. The moisture in the soil does not evaporate as quickly if the sun does not heat the soil and the plant as much. If you keep your succulent in such a place, it is best to only water it once a month. Now you are less likely to overwater your succulent.