How to Grow Succulents

Succulent plants come in many different varieties, so you have plenty to choose from. For indoor succulents, some of the most common types include:

• The burro’s tail (sedum morganianum)
• Crown of thorns (euphorbia milii)
• Jade plant (crassula ovata)
• Aloe vera (aloe vera)
• Snake plant (sansevieria trifasciata)

Popular outdoor succulents include:

• Hens-and-chicks (sempervivum tectorum)
• Stonecrop (sedum spp.)
• Whale’s tongue agave (agave ovatifolia)
• Ball cactus (parodia magnifica)
• Dudleya (echeveria spp.)

Trying to decide which succulents you want and where to keep them? Consider several factors linked to their survival.

• How much light does the area receive?
• If you’re planting outdoors, what kind of climate do you live in?
• How often would you like to water your plants?
• Also, consider potential pests, indoors and out, such as insects, rodents and cats.

These points can all affect your succulents’ potential to thrive as they grow.

Succulents are the perfect plants for beginner gardeners. Succulents are known for tolerating a bit of neglect. Put them in the right location, with adequate sunlight and good drainage, and they will thrive.

• When planting succulents indoors, use containers or dishes with drainage holes. Fill them each 3/4 full, with a special potting mix for cacti and succulents. Combine arching, spreading and towering plants for a winning combo. Or you can group them in containers beneath tall plants.
• When planting succulents outdoors, select a sunny location in the garden, where the soil drains well. Use them as a groundcover to edge walks or tuck them into walls where soil is thin and little else survives. Amend with sand or soil conditioner if needed. Remove plants from pots and place in shallow holes. Cover them so that 1/4-inch of the roots are out of soil.
• Feed with a half-strength solution of water-soluble fertilizer and water well.
• Top with decorative rocks or mulch.

What do succulents need to stay healthy? In the garden, succulents are hardier than many other perennials. Indoors, find the right spot and be consistent with temps and humidity. The most important tip to remember when caring for succulents is to avoid overwatering. That's because succulents can rot if watered too heavily.

• Give succulents and cacti as much light as possible. A window with direct sunlight is best.
• Place anywhere in your home or office, except in humid areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens. The dry air of most houses suits succulents perfectly.
• Just as they like dry air, succulents also like dry soil. Water only when the soil is dry (once a month or once every other month, depending on the temperature). Also, water the roots, rather than the leaves.
• Make sure pots have excellent drainage. Never leave them in standing water.

Succulents don’t require too much care compared to other plants, including water. However, problems can arise without proper watering, particularly the amount.

Overwatering Succulents

Mushy leaves may indicate that you have an overwatered plant. If so, you should stop watering. The best prevention against overwatering is to make sure the pot has adequate drainage.

• To save your overwatered succulent, lay the pot on its side. Then, let all the water drain out of the pot for a few days.
• If you notice your succulent is getting worse, pull it out of the pot with its soil ball. Let it dry for a few days.
• If that doesn’t seem to help, rinse the soil off the root. To allow it to heal, let the succulent sit out to dry for a week in the sun. Then, you can replant. If the plant hasn’t died, you just need to give it a reasonable watering.
• In general, more moisture is used during growing periods. The majority of succulents do most of their growing in spring and summer.
• To determine if water is needed, you can use a chopstick to measure soil moisture.
• For another soil moisture method, place a Mexican beach pebble on the soil surface, lying flat. Any soil moisture will collect on the stone’s bottom. If so, the stone’s bottom will look darker. This means your succulent doesn’t need watering.

Underwatering Succulents

Yes, these plants need less water. But at some point, they may not have enough to remain plump and alive. This may cause their roots to collapse. Then, when you water, their roots won't function, and the succulent will rot. You can use a chopstick to check the plant’s moisture. You’ll need to water if:

• The plant is slightly damp 2/3 of the way down.
• the plant is bone dry to the bottom.

Tip: You may prefer to have two identical succulents. They can be alternated in your decorating scheme, with one kept inside and one outside. During the warm weather growing season, you’ll need to rotate them every other week. This ensures they always look fresh and not stressed.

As mentioned previously, you want to plant succulents in pots or planters featuring drainage holes. Terrariums are not recommended, except for experienced succulent gardeners.

You will need succulent soil, although you can even make your own if you want. A shovel or digging tool is also necessary. You'll need a watering can or spray bottle to water your succulents. And, you must have top dressing for your plants. Mesh tape and drainage screens are optional, but recommended, to help keep your succulents in tip-top shape.

If your succulents no longer look their best, try a few troubleshooting methods. Do you suspect your succulent is dying? Diagnose the symptoms and give these tips a try to bring your plants back to life.

• Dried-out leaves at the bottom: All plants have dying leaves. As new leaves grow, old ones die. And dead leaves at the bottom of a succulent are perfectly natural. But what if you don’t like the way the dead leaves look? Gently remove them from the plant, making sure not to disturb the trunk or roots.
• Dried-out leaves at the top of the plant: When leaves dry out toward the top of a plant, this could signal poor watering techniques or problems with the soil. Yellow, transparent leaves mean overwatering. As for black leaves, they indicate severe, irreversible overwatering. Avoid overwatering by using the soak and dry method. Soak your soil with water, then make sure the soil is completely dry before watering again. If you see black spots, remove the top of your plant. Then, cut away any black spots and propagate the plant into new soil. And if your succulent has wrinkled, dry leaves? This means it's a victim of underwatering and needs more attention.
• Sun scalding, also called succulent sunburn, causes large, burned spots or patches. Permanent, irreversible damage, it often occurs when succulents (or cacti) are moved from indoors to outdoors. People mistakenly think the plants can be in direct sun after being indoors for a few months. Expose the plant to indirect or morning sun for a time so it can adjust.
• Brown spots can also develop due to fungal rot. Overwatering causes edema (water retention) in the plant tissue, making cells explode and causing pockmarking.
• Black coloring is typically harmful to plants. Depending on where it’s found, it may not be remedied. For instance, if farther up the plant, this could mean overwatering, causing rot throughout. In this case, use the overwatering tips above.
• Rotting stem can occur with certain succulents. Generally, you can cut just above the rot, where the plant collapsed, and reroot the top. If the leaves haven’t started rotting, pull them off and make new plants. Let the stems or leaves dry out and callus (scar) for three to five days. Then, plant them again in fresh succulent potting soil.
• Freeze damage can result in plants turning to mush.
• Stretching: Tall, thin, stretched-out (etiolated) succulents, are a serious issue, especially among older cacti. This typically means the plant is ruined forever. But the affected part can be removed, with new growth branching out from where the cut is made. Stretched-out succulents need more sunlight. Move them closer to an adequate light source and repot/transplant them, if necessary. You may need to prune the stem near the root base, leaving just a few leaves. You can even cut off the plant's top and put it in new soil.
• With drooping leaves, succulents may need to be repotted, pruned of their lower leaves and watered. Just let the soil thoroughly dry between waterings.
• Pest infestations: Like other plants, succulents can easily fall prey to insects. Mealy bugs are the most common insect threat. If you’re dealing with an infestation, act fast. Fill a spray bottle with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Spray it on any affected areas to get rid of the bugs for good, without damaging the plant. Another insect threat is scale, appearing as brown spots. Rub a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol on the plant to rub off the scale insects.
• Succulents are susceptible to plant pups, which are baby plants. Echeveria pups, which form around the base, can be snipped off close to the parent plant. The new plants should sit around for a week to dry before being planted in new flowerpots. Kalanchoe pups, which grow on leaves’ edges, are very common. Nicknamed “mother of thousands,” they can be dug up and put in their own pots.