The Latest Watering Schedule Guide for Succulents
Succulents must be watered at the right time to meet the needs of their growth and development, and definitely not according to the “better dry than wet” idea that some people hold. Of course, for plants grown in the ground, watering can be less frequent. For most succulents and own-root cultivated cacti, watering is hard to master, mainly in terms of timing the watering. Below, let us take a look at how often succulents should be watered and how to water them!
How often should succulents be watered?
When talking about how often succulents should be watered, of course we must discuss how to grasp the “timing” of watering. It is impossible for us to repot and check every time we water. Besides needing to train your feel and eye for it in daily practice, there are actually tricks to it.
1. Weighing method: First determine your own soil mix, and try to use the same formula every time you pot up. At the same time, prepare an empty pot, fill it with thoroughly dry soil, then weigh it. After recording the weight, water it thoroughly, weigh it again, and record the two figures. Next, weigh it once a day. Besides checking the water retention of your own soil mix, the ultimate goal is to see how many days it takes to return to the weight of the pot when it was filled with dry soil. Subtract 1-2 days from that number of days, and that is the cycle at which you need to water. The above refers to Haworthia. For mesembs, you do not need to subtract days. Of course, this method ignores the water absorption and transpiration of the plant roots. Generally, a pot with a growing plant will dry faster, so if the data obtained above can also be compared with the weight of the pot with the plant during the same period, the watering cycle obtained will be even more accurate.
2. Growing medium color change method: Increase the proportion of akadama in the soil mix, because akadama granules have quite good water absorption and moisture transfer ability, and they change color when there is a bit of moisture, making dry and wet conditions very intuitive. Increasing the proportion of akadama in the mix can strengthen moisture transfer within the pot soil. The top soil dries quickly, while moisture below will keep being transferred upward until the moisture content in the lower growing medium decreases to a critical point, and this critical point is often the beginning of the signal to water. It is recommended to increase the proportion of akadama in the mix to above 40%, and use pure akadama with a particle size of 2-3 as a top dressing on the pot surface. When the akadama on the pot surface turns pale yellow and whitish, Haworthia should be watered after at most 1 more day, and mesembs after 2 days. If you want to use this method to determine the watering cycle, you still need to adjust it according to your own soil mix.
How should succulents be watered?
1. Watering time: In spring, summer and autumn, it is best to water in the evening or in the cool afternoon. In winter, because the temperature is too low, it is best to choose noon for watering. When watering, pour along the edge of the flower pot, and do not let water drip onto the leaves. Try to avoid water flowing into the center of the leaves and forming standing water, because such standing water acts like a magnifying glass, concentrating sunlight to one point and directly burning the leaves. If you accidentally pour water into the center of the leaves, you can blow the water droplets off or absorb them with a paper towel.
2. Watering interval: For beginners, it is indeed possible to use a fixed watering time, such as once a week or once a month. Although this way can keep most succulents alive, it is still not very good. Because the weather changes unpredictably, and the material of the flower pot also determines how much moisture evaporates, along with many other factors mentioned above, the watering interval cannot be generalized.
Factors affecting watering of succulents
1. Regional climate: Regional climate is the most important condition determining the growth of succulents. Although succulents can be grown all over the country, if you are lucky enough to live in a climate environment suitable for succulent growth, then it can save you a lot of worry and time, and the succulents can grow well on their own.
2. Weather changes: Weather changes also determine whether succulents need watering. If there is continuous rainy weather, succulents placed outdoors will not need watering for the next two days. Rainy weather will also slow down the evaporation rate of moisture in indoor succulent containers, so the watering time can also be relatively extended. On the contrary, if there are continuous sunny days, and the wind speed is also decent (level 3-5), and the temperature is suitable (10 degrees-30 degrees), then you can water frequently. However, this still needs to be judged according to the pot material and the size of the succulent to determine the amount of watering.
3. Flower pot material: Terracotta pots with the best breathability are quite suitable for growing succulents, because there is no situation where the plant is drowned. Even if it is a bit dry, as long as the succulent does not die, its condition will still improve after watering. They are very suitable for beginners. However, terracotta pots also have disadvantages: moisture evaporates too quickly, and the bottom of the container does not retain water, which slows down the growth rate of succulents. Because there is not enough water for the succulent to grow, the moisture evaporates completely before the succulent has fully absorbed it. Especially in summer, many flower lovers mistakenly believe that red terracotta pots have good breathability and that a thoroughly dry environment is very good for succulents, so they simply do not water, which directly causes the succulents to dry out and die.