Succulent Care Made Simple Jung Seed Gardening Blog

Succulents are hard to kill. I’ve heard that phrase many times and it’s mostly true. Still, I’ve managed to lose a few plants over the years. While they love being neglected, succulents have a few needs that should be addressed. Like all plants, they grow best outside but can add new life to your home with their unique shapes and colors. Here are tips to get you started, along with some plant ideas.

Succulent Care Tips

Pilea Peperomioides under phyto lamp at home, making up for lack of real daylight and sunlight. LED purple pink lamp for supplementary lighting of indoor plant in winter season in house. Plant care

1. Light

For succulents, more light is better. If you’ve ever grown seedlings in your window, you may have noticed them stretching for light. This common problem impacts succulents, too, though it takes longer to see. A south-facing window is ideal. And if you don’t have one, consider buying a grow light. I’ve grown succulents in a basement for years, and the grow light makes it easy. There are many lights to choose from, but T5 lights do well. In most cases, grow lights should be 6-12 inches above the plants and run for 14-16 hours per day. If the plants begin to stretch, bring the lights closer to the plants.

Many succulents have colorful leaves but often have less color indoors, even under the grow lights. Keep this in mind if you’re growing them indoors year-round.

Woman gardeners hand transplanting cacti and succulents in pots on the wooden table

2. Soil

Succulents don’t like wet feet, so you’ll need fast-draining soil. Most potting mixes contain large amounts of peat, which holds water and takes a while to drain. The soil will drain quicker by adding perlite, coarse sand, or fine gravel.

A common practice is removing much of the existing soil from the root ball and using a potting mix that contains 50% perlite. With this step, you’ll have to water the plants more often, but the roots will love the quick drainage.

Succulent DIY Potting Mix

You can make your own potting mix with the following recipe.

1-part organic material, like peat, pine bark, or coir
2-parts non-organic material, like perlite, fine gravel, or coarse sand

Close up of man's hand spraying water on houseplants. Gardening concept. Gardener planting succulent in a pot with soil.

3. Watering

Most houseplants need water every 1-2 weeks, but succulents are different. These plants can often go 2-3 weeks or more between waterings. How often you water depends on the plant type, container, and soil.

A good rule is to water the plants when the soil dries a couple of inches below the surface. And if you’re unsure, wait a few days before watering. It’s easier to recover from underwatering than overwatering. When succulents receive too much water, the roots begin to rot. If you have a tray under the pot to catch water, it should be emptied within a few hours of watering the plants.

Group planting of succulents on the windowsill

4. Temperature

Your home provides the ideal temperature for these plants (65°-75°F) with just a few exceptions. If you’re growing plants on a windowsill, keep an eye on the temperatures in winter. Areas near a window can rapidly cool off, which can damage the leaves if your plants touch the windows.

Most succulents will tolerate down to 45°F, so a cool windowsill or basement should be okay (Just make sure those leaves aren’t touching the window). While cool temperatures limit the plant’s growth, they also give you a compact plant (No stretching for light). And if you keep the plants in cool areas, keep that soil dry. Succulents won’t tolerate cool and wet conditions for long.

A close-up image of a green succulent plant in a decorative pot with a cracked pattern design, placed on a light-colored surface, perfect for home decor themes.

5. Choosing A Container

With so many pots to choose from, this step can be daunting. And while all pots are different, they should always have a drainage hole.

You can create drainage holes in some pots, but not others. If you buy a container with no drainage hole, consider planting the succulents in a smaller pot and placing it inside the pot with no drainage holes.

Here are the benefits of different containers.

Plastic

Low cost
Easy to transport
Long-lasting
Good for mixing different succulents

Clay and Terra Cotta

Soil dries quickly
Good for mixing different succulents

Shallow Containers

Shallow depth provides good drainage
Some have a large surface area to grow more plants

For the container size, choose a pot that is a couple of inches wider than the plant. You can repot them after a few years. Also, some succulents like being rootbound for a while, like Christmas cactus and jade plants.

Many succulents have the same needs and can be mixed for a beautiful display. They’re slow-growing, so you can mix plants with different growth habits.

Miniature succulent plants in the garden.

6. Pest Control

Compared to many plants, succulents have few pest problems. But you may encounter scale, mites, or other insects. It helps to keep an eye on the plants, especially in the leaf crevices where pests gather. Having a fan nearby will add air calculation and discourage pests.

If you notice pests, the easy solution is dipping a que tip in rubbing alcohol and wiping the affected parts of each plant. Repeating that step every 1-2 weeks until the insects are gone should remove the issue. Note: A few succulents may be sensitive to rubbing alcohol, so treat a small portion of the plant before treating the whole plant.

Types of Succulents

All kinds of small and lovely succulent plants

These are just a few succulents that can thrive indoors.

Aloe – If you buy one Aloe, prepare to have more. These spiky plants love to grow and produce offspring called pups. The leaves contain a unique gel that is used to treat burns, and the plants just look cool!
Echeveria – If you like pastel colors, grow an echeveria. Many of these plants have light blue or even pink leaves. They remain small and are great for mixing with other succulents in a pot.
Jade Plant – If you want a specimen, grow a jade plant. These small trees can be kept small or allowed to fill more space over time. They also come in many varieties, each with a distinct look.
Living Stones – Have you ever seen a flowering rock? I didn’t think so, but these tiny succulents resemble a rock with flowers. Mix them up in a container to have a full display in your home!
Sedum – These low-growing plants come in many shapes and colors if given enough light. Under grow lights, I’ve seen them flower many times. They also love small spaces.

There’s no shortage of ideas, so pick the ones that work for you!