Watering Succulents: There's a Technique to It - Choose the Right Water and Your Succulents Will Be Even More Beautiful

What kind of water should you actually use to water succulents? For watering succulents, sun-exposed tap water is fine. You need to soak the potting soil thoroughly from top to bottom. If you don't water thoroughly, the tips of the roots can't absorb moisture, which affects growth. But watering thoroughly doesn't mean watering until it leaks out. If you frequently water until it leaks, too many nutrients are lost, which also affects growth.

And for succulents, one more watering principle must be added: "better dry than wet." This one is especially important for beginners. Many beginners, eager for their succulents to show their colors sooner or worried the plants won't survive, can't resist watering frequently, and end up drowning the plants. You should know that succulents are very good at taking care of themselves. Overly meticulous care can actually be more than they can bear.

Should you water succulents or mist them? Succulents need watering, thoroughly each time, and then water thoroughly again once the potting soil is almost completely dry. Don't spray water on the leaves, as it will wash off the white powder on the leaves and affect their appearance. Water droplets landing in the center will act like a convex lens, concentrating sunlight and scorching the young leaves. If there is dust on the leaves, you can blow it off with a bulb blower.

Do newly planted succulents need watering? Many flower enthusiasts (especially beginners who just got started) begin normal watering about a week after potting, because they feel that a week or so of root-recovery period is about right. Actually, I think this root-recovery period isn't fixed; it should be observed according to specific circumstances. Different plants root at different speeds, just as people differ in being quick-tempered or slow-tempered. You can't use a fixed time to judge whether it has rooted or adjusted to the pot. Instead, you should be good at observing, for example, whether the plant has new growth points? Gently shake it with your finger to see whether the plant has a grip on the soil?

I don't agree with some flower enthusiasts who, during the rooting period, pull the whole succulent out every few days to check whether new roots have grown. You should know that when you pull it out like that, the bit of root this succulent struggled so hard to put out is all wasted. The roots a plant sends out will slowly cling to the soil and, over days and months, spend time gripping the soil firmly. Once it has a firm grip, it counts as an established plant. But if it has just grown a bit of root and you pull it up every few days to look, won't it never be able to grow firmly?

For succulents that have already adjusted to the pot and are growing normally, if the leaves wrinkle or soften, they will basically recover the next day after watering, or at the slowest the third day. However, sometimes wrinkled, softened leaves aren't necessarily due to lack of water. This needs to be judged based on your usual watering schedule and the recent weather conditions. Generally speaking, if it is a case of lack of water, water that evening and the leaves will plump up the next day.

This is a gathering place for succulent lovers, sharing succulent care tips. Welcome to follow and exchange ideas.