Succulent Watering: Soak or Sip?
Hi Greg community!
I’m debating the best watering method for my succulents: deep, infrequent soaks (watering until water drains from the pot) or light, frequent watering (e.g., 1/8 cup every few days as per Greg’s suggestions).
Here’s my setup:
• Collection: ~20 succulents in 3–6” terracotta, glazed clay, and 2” plastic pots.
• Propagations: Two shallow (~1.5” deep, 6” diameter) plastic trays—one with 3–4” propagations and the other with new baby leaves.
• Soil: Succulent mix.
• Light & Temp: ~6 hours of direct sunlight (south-facing window) + 10-hour grow light; house at 68°F.
• Current/Recent Method: I usually water thoroughly every 2–2.5 weeks, but I recently tried lighter, more frequent watering (about 1/8 cup every few days, like my friend). My plants thrived under her care, but when I tried the same method, the soil stayed too dry, and some plants drooped. I’ve since returned to soaking but noticed that some pots (especially glazed clay) are still maxing out on my new moisture meter 2.5 days later, while others are drying as expected.
My question: What’s the best way to water deeply and less often, lightly and more often, or a mix based on the pot type, succulent variety, or propagation stage?
I’d love to hear what works best for you and why—especially if you’ve had a similar setup. Thanks in advance for your tips! 🙏🏽🌱 #HappyPlants #SucculentSquad #SucculentLove
I’m debating the best watering method for my succulents: deep, infrequent soaks (watering until water drains from the pot) or light, frequent watering (e.g., 1/8 cup every few days as per Greg’s suggestions).
Here’s my setup:
• Collection: ~20 succulents in 3–6” terracotta, glazed clay, and 2” plastic pots.
• Propagations: Two shallow (~1.5” deep, 6” diameter) plastic trays—one with 3–4” propagations and the other with new baby leaves.
• Soil: Succulent mix.
• Light & Temp: ~6 hours of direct sunlight (south-facing window) + 10-hour grow light; house at 68°F.
• Current/Recent Method: I usually water thoroughly every 2–2.5 weeks, but I recently tried lighter, more frequent watering (about 1/8 cup every few days, like my friend). My plants thrived under her care, but when I tried the same method, the soil stayed too dry, and some plants drooped. I’ve since returned to soaking but noticed that some pots (especially glazed clay) are still maxing out on my new moisture meter 2.5 days later, while others are drying as expected.
My question: What’s the best way to water deeply and less often, lightly and more often, or a mix based on the pot type, succulent variety, or propagation stage?
I’d love to hear what works best for you and why—especially if you’ve had a similar setup. Thanks in advance for your tips! 🙏🏽🌱 #HappyPlants #SucculentSquad #SucculentLove
15
@JackHenrysMom is right @SucculentSavant. Me, personally, i use the wooden dowel and leaves to check if they need water. It's not recommended to use a moisture meter on succulents and cacti because it's not always accurate from the soil being loose and chunky. When the dirt is dry and the leaves are starting to wrinkle, I'll bottom water them. Fill a big container (bigger than your pot) with water about an inch under the dirt line of your pot and let it soak 10-30 minutes, depending on the size of the plant and pot. My 6 inchers or bigger are usually around 30 mins (I tend to underwater) and my 4 inchers usually take about 15-20 mins. I don't really go by a schedule but if I had to guess how often, about once a month in the winter/indoors. I hope this helps! 😁
I agree with @JackHenrysMom @FairyFly and @RefinedSandwort
Always let soil dry out completely, then water thoroughly till it comes out the drainage holes, then repeat. I never blindly water based on Greg's reminders. Think of them more as suggestions than anything. There are so many variables unique to each plant that the app can't possibly take into account. If you get a reminder from Greg but the soil is still damp, click the "snooze" button and it will remind you again in a few days. The more you use the app, the more accurate the recommendations will become 😊
Always let soil dry out completely, then water thoroughly till it comes out the drainage holes, then repeat. I never blindly water based on Greg's reminders. Think of them more as suggestions than anything. There are so many variables unique to each plant that the app can't possibly take into account. If you get a reminder from Greg but the soil is still damp, click the "snooze" button and it will remind you again in a few days. The more you use the app, the more accurate the recommendations will become 😊
@FairyFly Yeah, the moisture meter is really just giving me anxiety at this point. Which wooden dowel are you referring to, and how does that work? I typically water intuitively, and it's worked great for me in the past, but for some reason, this round of succs seems a little touchy. I'll definitely try the bottom watering method - seems like it would both be more gentle on the plants and allow them to take as much as they need at the rate they need it.
Last question (I may make a separate post for this), but is there any way to increase the speed that the soil dries out in the event of over-watering? I'm a tad concerned with some of my pots being still soaked several days later (while others are drying quite quick). I'm wondering if I were to start seeing signs of root rot, if there's anything I could safely do.
Last question (I may make a separate post for this), but is there any way to increase the speed that the soil dries out in the event of over-watering? I'm a tad concerned with some of my pots being still soaked several days later (while others are drying quite quick). I'm wondering if I were to start seeing signs of root rot, if there's anything I could safely do.
@stephonicle This is typically the method I use, as well, but as I told @FairyFly, this round of succs has seemed to be a bit more sensitive than what I'm used to (hence second guessing my methods). I never questioned my intuition until this round. Maybe I just need to let them be and trust the process a bit more. It is winter, after all, so maybe it's natural for them to thrive a bit less?
@RefinedSandwort How do the bamboo skewers work? (I'm guessing you just stick them in the soil and check if the stick is moist?) I'm definitely going to try the bottom watering method next time, but I would like to be able to monitor in a more efficient way than perhaps the moisture meter is providing.
@JackHenrysMom Definitely agreed. I'm typically intuitive about it and let the plants tell me, as you mentioned, but this round of succs has seemed a bit touchy. The softness of the leaves is a great tip, will definitely def try checking that in the future.
@SucculentSavant the only way I know to increase the speed of the soil drying out is using terracotta pots and chunky soil
@SucculentSavant this chart really helped me. It shows which succulents are summer dormant and which are winter dormant. Early in the summer I couldn't figure out why my aeoniums were so...blah. Then I found out they're summer dormant. Now they've opened up and are growing like crazy.
As far as what helps the soil dry out faster, I second what @JackHenrysMom said...terracotta pots and well draining soil. Making sure they get enough light is also important. I typically use a succulent soil as my base and then add lots of perlite or pumice, whichever I have handy. I do 2 parts succulent soil, 1 part perlite/pumice. Lately I've preferred pumice since it doesn't end up floating to the top like perlite. If you go with pumice, make sure you get the smaller, more finely ground pieces.
I've dealt with powdery mildew on some of my succulents this winter. It affected ones that were either too close to windows or grouped too close together. Crazy thing is powdery mildew tends to afflict succulents that are under watered. Lost a few echeverias before I figured out that air flow is essential. When the weather cooled down I moved my fans back up to the attic, so that's likely what caused the outbreak to spread. Now I have small fans set up and it seems to be under control 😋
As far as what helps the soil dry out faster, I second what @JackHenrysMom said...terracotta pots and well draining soil. Making sure they get enough light is also important. I typically use a succulent soil as my base and then add lots of perlite or pumice, whichever I have handy. I do 2 parts succulent soil, 1 part perlite/pumice. Lately I've preferred pumice since it doesn't end up floating to the top like perlite. If you go with pumice, make sure you get the smaller, more finely ground pieces.
I've dealt with powdery mildew on some of my succulents this winter. It affected ones that were either too close to windows or grouped too close together. Crazy thing is powdery mildew tends to afflict succulents that are under watered. Lost a few echeverias before I figured out that air flow is essential. When the weather cooled down I moved my fans back up to the attic, so that's likely what caused the outbreak to spread. Now I have small fans set up and it seems to be under control 😋
What you do with a wooden dowel, chopstick, or skewer is stick it all the way down to the bottom of the pot and let it sit there a couple or so minutes and then pull it out. If it has dirt stuck to it or feels moist, then hold off on watering (“snooze” your reminder). It’s like when you’re baking a cake and sticking a toothpick in to see if the cake is done.
@SucculentSavant, @RefinedSandwort explained the wooden dowel perfectly. Like she said, could be a wooden chopstick or skewer. I personally call that the brownie method, cause that's how you check if they're done lol. And like @JackHenrysMom and @stephonicle said, terracotta pot, lots of light and airflow will help with soil. I use a smaller fan so it's not too much. Since it's winter and they're indoors, mine have slowed down watering to about once a month, maybe a little longer.
And thank you for that chart @stephonicle. Screenshot!