How to water succulents
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The watering method of succulents has always been a source of confusion for plant enthusiasts. Too much water can cause root rot, and too little can lead to dehydration. The amount of water for succulents is related to many factors: regional climate, weather, season, temperature, ventilation, succulent habits, soil, pot material, daily exposure to sunlight, placement location, succulent condition, and size, etc.
Dehydration signals
Whether it's succulents in deserts or mountainous areas, there is a lot of water stored in the stems and leaves, so the amount of watering should not be too much. Moreover, when succulents are extremely dehydrated, they will consume the water in their leaves for (G-Y) required nutrients, at which point the bottom leaves will gradually dry up; in addition, some Aizoaceae and parts of Crassulaceae will wrinkle their leaves when dehydrated; some succulents will also soften their leaves, these are all the watering signals they give.
When leaves wrinkle or soften, they will usually recover immediately the day after watering, or at the latest by the third day. If they don't recover for a long time after watering, it is definitely due to root damage, causing dehydration.
However, sometimes leaves wrinkling or softening may not be due to dehydration, which requires judgment based on your usual watering time and recent weather conditions. Generally, if it is due to dehydration, watering in the evening will make the leaves plump by the next day. But if there is no change after watering for several consecutive days, it requires attention. This situation is generally because the plant's roots have not grown out or the existing roots have rotted. In this case, you can pull the succulent out of the soil, clean the roots, and then plant it in drier soil.
Watering time: In spring, summer, and autumn, it's best to water in the evening or afternoon when it's cool, while in winter, due to low temperatures, it's best to water at noon. When watering, pour water along the edge of the pot, avoiding getting water on the leaves. Try to prevent water from accumulating in the center of the leaves, as this can act like a magnifying glass, focusing sunlight and potentially burning the leaves. If water gets into the center of the leaves, you can blow the water droplets away or use a tissue to absorb them.
Watering interval: For beginners, it is indeed possible to adopt a fixed time to water, such as once a week or once a month - although this method can keep most succulents alive, it is not the best. Because weather conditions are unpredictable, and the material of the pot also determines the evaporation rate of water, along with many other factors mentioned above, the watering interval cannot be generalized. I will discuss a few important ones, which are also the experiences I have summarized from years of cultivation.
Regional climate and watering: I have always believed this is the most important condition for the growth of succulents. Although succulents can be grown nationwide, if you are lucky enough to live in a climate environment that is suitable for succulents, it can save you a lot of thought and time, as the succulents can grow well on their own. For example, the summer in Weihai, Shandong, in 2012, the highest temperature was only 30 degrees and lasted for about 10 days, then dropped to 23-28 degrees Celsius, and because it is a coastal city, there is a constant sea breeze every day, making the actual temperature lower and quite cool. This climate for succulents almost completely skips the summer dormancy characteristic, and the succulents are almost all in a growing state, so watering can be done with confidence. In the southern regions, which continue to experience temperatures above 35 degrees or even 40 degrees in the hot and humid climate, especially in the southwestern region, the basin climate is very hot and the wind speed is very low. Such a hot and humid environment will cause succulents to enter dormancy, and watering should not be done, as most succulents in these areas need to survive the summer by cutting off water. However, cutting off water for too long may also cause them to dry up directly, so some moisture can be added appropriately, such as by adding water to a tray or spraying water in the cool evening to alleviate the situation.
Weather changes and watering: Weather forecasts are now something I check every day, sometimes several times a day, because the forecast will change. The important information I look for is: sunny, rainy, cloudy, temperature, and wind speed. These determine whether watering is needed in the next few days. If it's continuously cloudy and rainy, succulents outdoors do not need to be watered for the next two days. Such weather also slows down the evaporation rate of water in indoor succulent containers, so the watering interval can be relatively extended. Conversely, if it's continuously sunny with a decent wind speed (3-5 levels) and suitable temperature (10-30 degrees), watering can be done more frequently. However, this also needs to be judged based on the pot material and the size of the succulent.
Pot material and watering: Terra cotta pots are the best for growing succulents because there is no risk of drowning the plant, even if it's a bit dry, as long as the succulent doesn't die, its condition will improve after watering, making it very suitable for beginners. However, terra cotta pots also have a disadvantage, which is that water evaporates too quickly, and the pot bottom does not retain water, which can slow down the growth rate of succulents. Because there isn't enough water for the succulents to grow, the water evaporates before the succulents can absorb it completely. Especially in summer, many plant enthusiasts mistakenly believe that red terra cotta pots have good ventilation, and a dry environment is very good for succulents, so they simply don't water, which directly leads to the plants drying up.
In spring and autumn, when it's relatively cool but there's plenty of sunshine, the water in terra cotta pots can completely dry up in 1-2 days, so watering once a day or once every two days is fine. Pots made of ceramic, metal, plastic, etc., due to their relatively poor breathability, have a watering interval that is usually 2-3 times that of terra cotta pots. Succulents grown in these containers require almost no management, and you can feel confident to go out after watering once. The so-called "cutting off water" in summer is also aimed at these containers with poor breathability, as water will still be stored at the bottom of the pot after watering.
Succulents also need water to grow and will stop growing when there is no water at all.
Succulent size and watering: This is usually something that enthusiasts who have been cultivating for many years will summarize. Newly planted succulents, due to factors such as fewer roots, adapting to a new environment, and injury recovery, have a weaker water absorption capacity and do not need much water. For these succulents, a good watering method is: frequent but small amounts of water.
For well-established succulents with a developed root system, planted in containers with poor breathability like ceramics, they can be watered once every 2-3 days in continuous sunny conditions, or even once a day if planted in terra cotta pots. In outdoor conditions, even with continuous rain or storms, there is no problem, and they may even grow better. For such succulents, I use the method of watering them heavily.
The above-shared experience and knowledge about watering succulents, I hope this article can bring you some help!