Don't Panic If You Overwater Your Succulents - Here's How to Save Them Properly

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Text and images by: Curator

For succulents, water is an essential factor for survival. We often see articles online saying that you should never overwater no matter what, that you can water more in summer, water as little as possible in winter, and beyond that, they mention the serious consequences of overwatering. That's certainly true, but what if we actually do overwater them? They only give warnings without offering solutions. I think that's not complete enough, so today I'll use reverse thinking to teach everyone how to rescue overwatered succulents.

Let's assume you already have a pot of succulents in front of you that has been overwatered. What should we do? Using reverse thinking, since there's too much water, we need to find a way to extract the water or separate it from the soil as quickly as possible. The usual approach is to place the succulents in a well-ventilated and well-lit spot to speed up evaporation, but if it's continuous rainy weather and the air is very humid, this method becomes much less effective.

We can use chopsticks or small thin wooden sticks to poke several holes in the soil, letting the water be absorbed by the soil as much as possible. Or there's a more troublesome but effective method: wrap a water-absorbing sponge around a wooden stick - tissue paper is not recommended as it will make a mess. Without damaging the roots, absorb the moisture near the root area.

Another method is to use a hair dryer on a low warm setting. Take the entire succulent out of the pot, wrap it in a plastic bag, then use the warm air to dry it manually. Some succulent enthusiasts have tried this method before, and the results were decent. Those who have overwatered their succulents can give it a try too.

Also, if it's continuous rainy weather, you can lay the pot on its side to avoid water accumulation. If you really don't want the hassle, just repot with fresh soil.

Finally, if the roots have actually started to rot, remember to dig them out and remove the rotten parts, soak them in water mixed with carbendazim or similar, and let them dry for a few days. Once the wounds have healed, let them sit in moist soil to grow new roots. The soil used for succulents is best mixed with some small stones or similar, as this helps with drainage and makes root rot less likely. Did you learn something?

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