Water therapy is the practice of submerging the roots of your succulents directly in water to help “reduce their stress”. Plants that are extremely underwatered, sun damaged, or have seriously lacked sunlight after being in a shipping box for an extended amount of time might benefit from some water therapy.
There's a common misconception that giving your succulent too much water at one time will kill it. In reality, succulents love a good soak every few weeks. The problem with overwatering is continuous soil moisture that sits against the sensitive roots and causes root rot.
Place the potted succulent in and make sure that it's sitting straight in the water before leaving it alone for about 5-15 minutes or whenever you see that the soil is moist all the way to the top.
Succulents do better with periodic long, deep drinks that soak its soil to the bottom of the pot than regular but timid waterings that wet the top inch or two of the soil in the container. So when your succulents' soil is bone dry, drench that baby. Let the soil dry out completely, then drench again.
At the very beginning of the article I mentioned your succulents should be planted in a well draining soil AND in a pot with a drainage hole. Succulents will quickly rot if they are in wet soil for too long. Ideally, your soil will be mostly dry, especially the top half of the pot, within 2-3 days.
Usually there are telltale signs that would tell you clearly whether a succulent is being overwatered or underwatered. An overwatered plant will have mushy leaves that feel soft and squishy. The color of the leaves would appear lighter than a healthy plant, or turn translucent in color.
Most succulents do best in bright direct light and need at least 6 hours of natural light per day. But if you only have a shady corner in your home, choose plants like mother-in-law tongue that do well in low light and place them near a south or east-facing window.
Pretty In A Jar
Growing succulents in water is faster and has a better success rate than growing propagated cuttings in succulent soil. The plants are so pretty in a jar and make for a unique conversation item when friends visit.
Don't water on the leaves or on top of the plant. Water that stays on the leaves for too long can cause the leaves to rot. Don't water when it's humid/raining or extremely hot.
Signs Your Succulent is Thirsty
Wrinkled, shriveled leaves are a clear indication that your Succulent needs more water. As the cells release their stored moisture to the rest of the plant, they try to bring in more water to replace what they have lost.
When succulents aren't getting enough water, they often develop dry, brown spots on their leaves. Fleshier leaves will also look and feel much more brittle and dry than usual, as the plants begin to shrivel up. Try touching the leaves if they're looking wrinkly.
Smaller pots may. need dunking every 4 months, larger 4" to 6" 6. months should be good!
Minimum pot size for most of our succulents is 2.5" diameter. Choose larger containers (4"+) for arrangements or if you want to give your succulents room to grow. Using smaller containers will give an instantly filled-in look, but you may have to repot sooner due to fix an overgrown or root-bound container.
Most, in an indoor setting, will crave the brightest light possible, especially during winter in northern climates. Place them near a south- or east-facing window. This same setting works during the warmer parts of the year. Alternately, you can shift indoor succulents outside during spring and summer.
Growing conditions
They grow well in temperatures that range from 55 to 85 degrees. Succulents and cacti “are very tolerant of low-light conditions. They don't have to be near a window to thrive,” he said.
Indoor or Cool Climates
They can go up to 1-3 months of no watering. Indoor succulents will have less exposure to the elements outdoors - wind and sunlight outdoors tend to dry out the soil faster than it does indoors. In cooler climates, generally fall and winter, the soil stays moist for longer periods of time.
The best way to determine if your succulent is dehydrated due to lack of water is through its leaves. If the leaf feels crispy and starting to have wrinkly and shriveled up leaves, then it's the best time to give your succulent a good soak of water, as these signs are indications of underwatering.
Indoor succulent plants should likely be watered approximately once a week. They need enough time to store the water in their leaves and for the soil to dry out between waterings.
Timing. During the summer, the best time of day to water your succulents is in the early morning before temperatures rise. By avoiding watering in the afternoon when temperatures are at their peak, you avoid having hot water sit in the crown of your plant, potentially burning the plant.
Be aware that temperatures either too low or too high can do harm to your succulents. Temperatures lower than 40°F or higher than 90°F are never recommended.
Watering succulents with ice cubes is a great idea because it supplies the plants with water over short periods. In addition, it can prevent overwatering the flowers or stopping the newbie gardeners from leaving them with soil dry as a rock.
Keep in mind that succulents store water in their roots, stems, and leaves, so they'll need a deep watering when their soil goes dry. Always pour water onto the soil, not the leaves. This not only helps prevent water spots on the leaves but it also helps to prevent rotting leaves.