Whether you are new or old to growing succulents in a terrarium, knowing how to water succulents can be a bit trickier than one may think. There are a few things you need to take into consideration when watering your succulents, for example. If you are feeling a less than confident about your watering skills, we have some useful tips and information to get you on the right track.
How to Water Succulents
If you are serious about growing a gorgeous succulent terrarium, you need to know how to water succulents. Contrary to popular belief, succulents do need some water. While they can survive longer than other household plants with less water, they won’t grow as beautifully as you would hope. In order to keep your succulents happy and healthy, you need to create an appropriate watering schedule.
Succulents Watering Schedule
Knowing how to water succulents is only the first part of succulent watering care. Here are our 4 tips (plus a bonus) for creating the perfect succulent watering schedule:
1. Containers for Succulents
Succulents are happiest in containers with drainage holes, but can also survive in terrarium containers without holes. If you have a terrarium without drainage holes you need to lay a thick layer of stones at the bottom of the container to allow the water to drain away from your plant. You can get beautiful hydrostones that add to the aesthetics of your terrarium while remaining extremely functional. It is important that water isn’t left to pool at the bottom of your plant which will cause the roots to rot.
2. Best Soil for Succulents
Choosing the right soil for your plants is crucial to the survival of them. Succulents need well-draining soil. Regular potting soil is NOT the right choice for your succulents because of its density. You need to use a gritty soil to spread over your stones that will allow excess water to drain away from your plant. We have the perfect terrarium soil for your succulents should you be confused as to which soil to buy.
3. Location
Depending on your location, you may need to water your succulents more or less frequently. As a general rule of thumb, if your plants are in the correct gritty soil mix and have adequate sunlight, you should water them every 3 to 4 days. If you live in a very dry climate, or perhaps a very humid climate, you will need to adjust how often you water your plants. If your plants are indoors or outdoors, and the amount of sunlight they get also makes a difference in your watering schedule. You have to experiment and see what works for you and your plants. What may work for some, may not work for others. Succulents most commonly die from being over watered rather than under watered, so take care to experiment with less water first.
4. Methods for Watering Succulents
Many people suggest using a spray bottle to water your succulents, which may be very misleading. If you live in a humid climate your plants will absorb moisture from the air, which means you need to get the soil wet so that the roots have water too. Spray bottles can be useful for very large terrariums and dry climates to give extra moisture, but a light spritz does not promote healthy root growth. Using a small watering can is the best method for your succulents as it aims the water directly where you want it to go and won’t leave water marks all over your clear terrarium. If you need some alternatives to a watering can, Bao Vo has some cool ideas for you. These are excellent ways to water smaller terrariums and hanging terrariums that are harder to reach.
TOP TIP FOR WATERING YOUR SUCCULENTS:
If you're still wondering how to water succulents, here is an easy tip. The best way to water succulents is to soak the soil and allow the plants to soak up all that they need with excess water draining away from the roots. Allow your soil to dry out completely before watering again, this may depend on your location and container as mentioned above. If your terrarium has stones instead of drainage holes, try watering a little every day to avoid over watering. Remember that less is more when it comes to watering your succulents.
It can be difficult finding the right watering schedule for your succulents. But with the right knowledge on how to water succulents, your terrarium will be thriving in no time! Now that you know how to better care for your succulents, build a succulent terrarium of your own: https://www.46spruce.com/collections/terrariums