Beyond their undeniably diverse beauty, succulents are famous for being low-maintenance houseplants. And it’s true! Built to withstand moderate to hot climates with dry periods, these hardy little plants can handle your next mini-vacation a lot better than your cat, or even your ferns. Growing succulents indoors is a win-win for your mental health – they look amazing, and they won’t stress you out.
Still, succulents do need SOME water. They’re plants, after all! And while watering succulents indoors isn’t a complex process, it’s still vital to incorporate proper succulent care into your routine so those otherworldly little guys can keep brightening your day for as long as possible.
How Much Water Do Succulents Actually Need?
The short answer: It depends. But as a general rule of thumb, succulents need periodic soil-soaking to ensure healthy roots and leaves. There’s no real magic amount of water you can give in perfectly measured doses. But hey – that’s what makes these plants so great for indoor gardeners! They go with the flow, to a point.
The important thing when growing succulents indoors is to find a balance between underwatering and over-watering, because overly-soaked soil can lead to root rot. The best way to avoid this is to let your succulents’ soil dry out completely between waterings.
One last succulent care pro tip: Unless you’re caring for a baby plant, you probably won’t need to mist the plant itself. Just give the soil a good dowsing between dryings. For a moderately-sized plant, that’s usually every 7 to 10 days.
Watering Indoor Succulents: A-Z
- Keep your plants in sunlight for 6 to 8 hours per day. (During the summer, about dawn to noon is the perfect amount of time.) Contrary to popular belief, some species of succulent can actually get a “sunburn” if you blast them with direct sunlight for extended periods of time, so make sure to do your research on your chosen types.
- Every 7 to 10 days, check your succulent’s soil. When it’s completely dry, pour water directly into the soil – enough to completely wet it.
- If the soil seems to be taking excessively long to dry, or seems perpetually soaking, you may have your plant in a spot that’s too shaded. Check for signs of overwatering (drooping plant, spots on leaves, root rot) and consider moving your plant to a sunnier spot where evaporation is more likely.
Emergency Care for a Thirsty Succulent
As the above shows, watering succulents indoors isn’t hard if you have the right intel. But even the most seasoned gardeners know that indoor succulent care has its occasional hiccups. The good news is, if you catch underwatering early enough, all’s not lost. You just have to know the signs!
If the upper leaves or tips of your succulent are turning brown or shriveling, you may not be giving it enough water. Here’s how you can revive it:
- Try misting your plant directly for about 1 to 5 days. This way you won’t shock the plant with too much water at once, which can be dangerous for a dried-out succulent. You just want to get its feet – er, leaves? – wet.
- After the misting stage, begin watering the soil in small doses every few days.
- Gradually return to a normal watering schedule of soil-soaking every 7 to 10 days.
There you have it, folks – the ultimate guide to growing and water succulents indoors. Now get to it! And don’t forget to stock up on sustainable, farm-to-table plants with The Bouqs Co. We offer great succulent flower arrangements for all occasions!
Shop All
