Take the mystery out of indoor succulent care
Proper succulent care methods start with placing your plants in the sunniest spot of your home, as these desert plants need full sun daily.
Expect to pay $20 to $100 for succulent care supplies like terracotta pots, fast-draining soil mix, and basic gardening tools for your indoor garden.
Your succulents need deep watering every seven to 14 days during warmer months, soaking the roots thoroughly before letting the soil dry completely.
Hiring a local gardening professional provides helpful guidance on plant selection, soil requirements, and watering schedules to keep your indoor succulents thriving year-round.
The succulent trend is officially here to stay, and for good reason. The waxy, green plants add a touch of bohemian flair to any space. They require little maintenance, too. But if you’re anything like most new succulent owners, you’ve likely realized succulent care isn’t quite as easy as it seems.
You don’t need a green thumb to grow the desert plants. In fact, you can easily learn how to care for succulents indoors with this guide. You’ll also find tips on how to choose the right succulents for your environment so you can have a flourishing indoor garden in no time.
Succulents are a type of plant that stores water in its leaves. Also known as succulent plants, many varieties are native to dry, desert environments that get a lot of sun exposure.
Succulents come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, ranging from tiny donkey tails to eight-foot-tall snake plants and towering Saguaro cactuses. The hardy plants can thrive indoors, too, making it easy to add a splash of natural color to your space. What’s more, they’ll propagate—or root and multiply—so you can enjoy a continually expanding garden.
Sounds great, right? All you have to do is keep them alive. Set yourself and your succulents up for success with these eight foolproof houseplant care tips and tricks.
Succulents typically grow in areas where they receive full sun every day. To mimic their natural environment, place your succulents in the sunniest spot of your home. If your succulents start growing taller and spindlier or leaning to one side, you may need to adjust their position so they’ll get more light.
No bright corners? No problem. Some types of succulents do well in low light or shade, so search for those varieties instead.
Some indoor plants thrive in rich, moist potting soil. Not succulents. Potting soil is too dense and wet for the desert plants and can cause root rot or bug infestations. Opt for a coarse, fast-draining soil mix that won’t hold excess water instead.
You can find succulent soil mixes for sale at your local gardening store. Or, you can blend your own using a combination of African violet or cactus soil and pumice, a crushed volcanic stone that helps with draining. Combine up to one-part soil and one-part pumice in a large bowl or pot, then lightly dampen the mixture before planting your succulents.
Knowing when and how to water your plants is one of the trickiest parts of growing succulents indoors. You don’t need to water your succulents every day. They do need more than a spritz from a spray bottle to thrive, though.
During succulent growing season (aka, the warmer months of the year), you’ll need to water your succulents once every seven to 14 days. Soak the plant’s roots thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage hole. Then, let the soil dry completely before watering again.
No matter what you do, don’t water your indoor succulents every day. Overwatering is the fastest way to kill the plants.
Potting succulents in a glass dish or terrarium may seem appealing, but it’s a sure-fire way to kill your plants over time.
Instead of using a solid glass container, choose pots with drainage holes. A drainage hole will prevent water from collecting under your planted succulents and rotting the roots.
Even if you’ve got the perfect, sun-drenched corner for your succulents, one side will likely get more light than the other. To ensure even growth and keep your plants happy, rotate your succulents every few days.
Succulents don’t need much fertilizer to grow. However, your plants may benefit from fertilization in the spring, at the beginning of their growing season.
Choose an all-purpose fertilizer that’s balanced and water-soluble, and be careful not to use too much. Over-fertilizing can cause your succulents to grow too fast and weaken.
As long as you use the right soil and water your succulents correctly, you probably won’t have to worry about bugs. Still, succulents can easily pick up bugs from a nursery or plant store and bring them into your home.
Gnats and mealybugs are the most common offenders. Gnats like overly wet soil, so ensure you’ve planted your succulents in a fast-draining mix. Let their roots dry out thoroughly between waterings to prevent an infestation. If you still notice the bugs flying around, dampen the soil with 70% isopropyl alcohol to kill any eggs or larvae.
The same tactic works for mealybugs. If you find the bugs on your succulents, spray them directly with isopropyl alcohol and douse the soil thoroughly.
Certain types of succulents are better suited for indoor living than others. Generally speaking, it’s best to choose varieties that don’t need full sun. Even the sunniest corners of your home aren’t likely to get six hours of direct light a day. So, err on the side of caution and pick a plant that will thrive with less light.
You can usually check the plant’s tag for information on how much light it will need. If you can’t find these details, take a look at the color of the succulent. Plants with brighter colors, like orange, red, or purple, typically need more light than greener varieties.
As a general rule of thumb, plan to water your indoor succulents every one to two weeks. Soak the roots and allow the soil to dry completely for several days before watering again.
Keep in mind that your succulent plants will need less water in the winter months. More than likely, they will only need water every three to four weeks. If you notice wrinkled leaves or yellowing, increase the frequency of watering.
The best way to tell if your succulent needs water is by examining its leaves. A well-watered plant should have firm leaves with very little give. Under-watered succulents may have soft, wrinkly, or shriveled leaves. They may also begin to turn yellow or brown or feel crispy when touched.
Many succulent plants need at least six hours of direct sunlight to thrive indoors. However, some grow well in shadier spots, like snake plants, aloe, or zebra plants. Take some time to research shade-loving varieties before purchasing to make sure you find the best plants for your home.
Plan to place your succulents in a warm, sunny spot, preferably near an east- or south-facing window. For best results, make sure your succulents get plenty of direct sunlight each day, rotate the plants regularly, and keep an eye out for leaning plants. If your succulents start growing taller or stretching toward the window, you may need to move them to a sunnier spot.
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