How Frequently or How Often Should You Water Succulent Plants?
A lot of succulent growers often overwater their plants because they are not fully aware of how delicate they are.
When it comes to succulent plants, they should be watered when the soil gets dry all the way through the root.
This goes for potted and unpotted succulents. There is no accurate answer to this question like once every other week or once a month.
Why?
Well, because the ‘how often’ or how ‘frequently’ is determined by many factors.
However, the question you should be asking is ‘How do I know when to water succulent plants?’
If you are new to growing and caring for your own succulents you can make a schedule afterward when you figured out how long it takes for your plants to use the water you give them.
Nevertheless, the first thing you need to learn about the succulent plant is to learn to test their soil moisture to make sure it is well dry out before you water again.
Base on my own experiences with succulents, I will explain how to do that, however, first, let’s about why ‘how frequently’ just doesn’t cut it when it comes to watering succulents.
How do I know when to water succulent plants?
Probably you have read that succulent plant soil needs to dry out completely between watering periods.
However, the time it takes for that to happen is dependent on many factors. These factors all depend on the amount of light, type of soil, size of the plant, size of the pot, kind/type of plant, the season of the year whether such as winter or summer, the condition of the plant, and the amount of moisture already in the soil.
That is a mouth full, isn’t it?
Nevertheless, knowing all these things drastically change the ‘how often or how frequently you water’ question for each succulent plant.
When some plants are in mostly lighted areas, they absorb water faster than those in shaded areas.
Nonetheless, your coworker or neighbor may have a jade succulent plant that gets watered every other week if your jade is in a sunny or lighted area, and you water it every other week, the plant may die because it’s not getting enough water.
What this means is that you may need to water your jade succulent every week to keep it healthy and beautiful.
Sandy Soil Succulent Plants
When succulent plants are in sandy soil, the water drains throughout very fast. however, someone may have a snake plant in sandy potting mix with great results by watering it once a week to or so.
But the thing about this succulent plant is that if your snake plant is in a potting mix that has more organics matter in it that it holds onto the water for a longer period, while you water it once a week.
The plant could start dying as well because the soil is too wet. Using a potting mix and sandy soil may cause you to water your snake plant every three weeks to not overwater.
Large succulents with well-grown roots filling the pot will use up more water than a small plant with a smaller root mass.
Nonetheless, the little aloe vera plant that you bought in a 3-inch pot and used to water at least once a week when replanted into a 6-inch pot may need to be watered every 3rd (third) week, the plant establishes its roots throughout the 6-inch pot.
How To Water Different Types Of Succulents
Different types of succulent plants sneed to have their soil get drier more often than other types.
For example, a little Mammillaria Cactus Plant may want its soil to get completely dry between watering periods, while a Kalanchoe Plant may prefer its soil almost to a dried out stage before watering again.
Nevertheless, the Kalanchoe succulent plant may need to be watered once a week, while the Mammillaria succulent plant may need water every couple of weeks.
How often you water your succulents plant may also depend on the light from a window, during the summertime there is more light and heat in winter, and many plants enter their dormancy season in the late fall.
The plant’s water usage and needs may drop significantly in the winter seasons. However, you may water every other week in the summer, and every 5-6 weeks in the winter season.
Now, do you understand why the question ‘how frequently’ gives a clear answer when it comes down to watering succulent plants?
How Do You Know When Succulents Need Water?
To know when a succulent plant needs water you need to physically feel the soil, all the way down to the bottom of the pot.
Testing the surface alone won’t do. Oftentimes the soil will feel completely dry on the surface, however, toward the bottom of the pot plant where the roots are, might still be wet.
How To Test Your Succulent Plant Soil
- Use a thin wooden dowel and push it down into the soil as far as can go, then pull it up, and run the end of it you push down the plant roots between your finger. If the thin wooden dowel feels dry, the soil is dry and it’s time to water; however, if it feels damp or wet, wait a couple more days and test again.
- You can also use a spoon and stick it as far down in the potted plant along the edge, then pull up some soil and squeeze it between your fingers. If the soil is dry they won’t stick together, and it will feel dry when you rub it.
- Another way to test your succulent plant root for dryness is by picking up the potted plant itself to test the overall weight. This method normally works if you are familiar with your plant weight before you water them. You will know how heavy or light the pot feels when the soil is dried out.
Final thoughts and Recommendations
So for all succulent plants when their soil is dry, it’s time to water them Do water if the soil is still moist or wet. Wait a few days and test again.
Also, when watering your succulents, always pour enough water that can see runing through the drainage holes.
Nevertheless, if your succulent plants are not in a pot with drainage good holes, you should probably report them.
However, you don’t want the succulents to stay wet for more than 2 – 3 weeks. This sometimes might be way intimidating for a beginner.
If you pour too much water in the potted succulent, you can empty the water from the drainage saucer if you like, however, don’t have to.
So, after a couple of months of trial and error and experience. Caring for succulent plants like this, help us to answer your question about how frequently should you water succulent plants.
