How To Care For Succulents: While decorating your home, succulents can be a nice, subtle, and fairly low-maintenance way to fill the space. Part of the cacti family, succulents are popular for being more visually appealing and less prickly than the kind of cactus you’d see in a desert. By taking these few simple steps, you can keep your succulent healthy and beautiful.
Watering
Like with any plant, watering will be your best friend in terms of keeping your succulent in good shape. While they are known for being among the most durable type of house plants, a malnourished succulent will still wither. Watering is especially important during peak growing season, which tends to last from late Spring through early Fall. Because succulents are so durable and need very little water to survive, over-watering is easy to do meaning you should soak the soil only about once a week. If you aren’t sure, feel the soil and if it’s very dry, it’s time to water.
Potting and Repotting
On average, you want to repot your succulent once a year or so, but it’s mainly dependent on how your succulent is responding to its current home. For example, if it’s starting to droop or get too big for the current pot, it’s time to make a change. To repot, turn the pot upside down and lightly tap it until it comes loose. The worst-case scenario will require breaking the pot if the roots have really attached to the base. Next, clear away any loose soil from the roots, ideally using a thinner tool such as a chopstick, ruler, or stick. Then, find a new pot that is a little larger than the previous one and let it sit for a week or so and adjust to the new environment before you renew the watering process.
Light
Like any plant, succulents like their light, but in moderation. Sunlight that is too direct and intense can result in aesthetic issues such as fading and scarring. Therefore, exposed sunlight through a window is a good compromise. Contrarily, too little sunlight can wither a succulent and cause it to lose its body. Be sure that every part of the succulent gets exposed. When one part of the plant has gotten its share of sunlight, rotate the pot so that another area gets its share.
Raising a succulent is a good start for an inexperienced plant enthusiast or for someone who has killed every other plant. Succulents recover better than most plants, so even if it starts to look a little pale or withered, you can revive it by following these care tips.