How to Care for Succulents: 11 Pro-Approved Tips

Succulents have become the unofficial mascot of “I’m trying to be a plant person.”
They look cute, they’re (supposed to be) low maintenance, and they don’t judge you
when you forget to water them for a week. Or three. But while succulents are tougher
than many houseplants, they still have preferences. Give them the right light, soil,
water, and container, and they’ll reward you with plump, colorful leaves instead of
a slow, squishy death.

Below, we’ll walk through 11 pro-approved succulent care tips pulled from horticulture
extensions, plant experts, and seasoned succulent collectors. Whether your plants are
living on a sunny windowsill or out on the patio, these practical tips will help you
keep your succulents thrivingnot just surviving.

Succulent Care Basics: What These Plants Actually Want

Before we get into the specific tips, it helps to understand what succulents are built for.
In nature, many succulents grow in dry, rocky areas where rain is infrequent but often
heavy when it does arrive. They store water in their leaves and stems, which allows them
to ride out long dry spells. That means:

• They hate sitting in soggy soil.
• They love bright light (with a few exceptions).
• They prefer lean, fast-draining soil over rich, heavy mixes.

Once you start thinking like a desert plant, succulent care suddenly makes a lot more sense.

11 Pro-Approved Tips for Caring for Succulents

1. Start With the Right Succulent for Your Space

Not all succulents want the same lifestyle. Some love intense sun and heat, while others
are happier with bright, indirect light. If you have a very sunny, south- or west-facing
window, sun-loving varieties like Echeveria, aloe, or jade plants will feel right at home.
If your light is softer or more filtered, go for succulents that tolerate lower light, such as
haworthia or gasteria.

Also consider your climate if you’re keeping succulents outdoors. Many popular succulents
are not frost-hardy and need to come inside when temperatures drop below about 50°F.
Cold-hardy types (like many Sempervivum, often called hens-and-chicks) can handle
chilly weather with good drainage and a bit of protection.

2. Give Them Bright LightBut Don’t Cook Them

One of the fastest ways to make a succulent sad is to keep it in dim light. Most succulents
want at least 6 hours of bright, indirect light each day. A sunny sill with filtered light
or a bright room near a window usually works well.

Watch for these signs:

• Not enough light: Stretching, long stems, and smaller, widely spaced leaves (called etiolation).
• Too much intense sun: Bleached patches, crispy edges, or brown spots that look like sunburn.

If you move a succulent outdoors for summer, don’t drop it straight into full midday sun.
Acclimate it gradually: start in bright shade, then move it a little closer to the sun over
a week or two. Think of it like sunscreen for plantsbut with shade instead of SPF.

3. Use a Well-Draining Succulent or Cactus Soil Mix

Regular potting soil holds too much moisture for most succulents. They prefer a fast-draining
mix that lets water run through quickly and allows plenty of air around the roots.

Look for:

• A labeled cactus or succulent mix from a garden center, or
• A DIY blend: a standard potting mix combined with coarse sand, perlite, or pumice.

The goal is simple: water should never hang around long enough to create muck.
If your soil feels heavy, stays wet for days, or compacts easily, it’s time to upgrade.

4. Always Choose Pots with Drainage Holes

If there’s one succulent rule to tattoo on your brain, it’s this:
no drainage, no deal. Succulents hate standing in water. Without a drainage
hole, extra moisture has nowhere to go, and roots can quickly rot.

Terra cotta pots are especially popular because they’re breathable and help excess moisture
evaporate faster. Glazed ceramic pots work too, as long as there’s a hole at the bottom.
If you absolutely must use a decorative pot without drainage, keep your succulent in a plastic
nursery pot inside, and slip it in and out for watering.

5. Water Deeply, Then Let the Soil Dry Out

Watering is where most succulent drama starts. The safest strategy is
“soak and dry”:

1. Water thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage hole.
2. Let the pot drain completely; don’t leave it sitting in a saucer of water.
3. Wait until the soil is completely dry before watering again.

Instead of watering on a strict schedule, check the soil. Stick your finger about an inch or two
into the mix (or use a wooden skewer or chopstick). If it comes out dry and clean, it’s time to water.
Indoors, this often means every 2–3 weeks in the growing season and less often in winter,
but your environment (light, humidity, pot size) will affect the timing.

Watch for clues:

• Overwatered succulents: Soft, mushy, sometimes translucent leaves that may fall off easily.
• Underwatered succulents: Wrinkly, shriveled leaves that feel dry and deflated.

If you’re unsure, it’s usually safer to underwater than overwater. Most succulents can bounce back from thirst;
root rot is much harder to fix.

6. Adjust Care with the SeasonsEspecially in Winter

Succulents often slow down or go semi-dormant in cooler, darker months. That means they’re not using as much water
and don’t need frequent drinks. In winter:

• Cut back watering to every few weeks or even less, depending on how quickly the soil dries.
• Move plants closer to bright windows to make up for weaker sunlight.
• Keep indoor temperatures generally between about 55°F and 75°F.

Outdoor succulents that aren’t cold-hardy should come inside before nights regularly dip below 50°F.
Hardy types can stay outside with excellent drainage and maybe a little mulch for insulation.
The key is cold + wet = trouble.

7. Don’t Overdo Fertilizer

Succulents are not heavy feeders. They’re used to lean soils, so too much fertilizer can cause weak, leggy growth
or even burn roots. A light feeding in spring and possibly mid-summer is usually plenty.

Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to about half or quarter strength, or a product formulated for
cacti and succulents. Avoid fertilizing in late fall and winter when growth slows downthere’s no point in handing
out energy drinks when the plant is trying to nap.

8. Repot When They Outgrow Their Homes

Succulents don’t need frequent repotting, but they do appreciate fresh soil every couple of years or when they’ve
clearly outgrown their containers. Signs it’s time:

• Roots are circling the bottom or poking through drainage holes.
• Soil dries out extremely quickly or stays compacted and hard.
• The plant is top-heavy and keeps tipping over.

Choose a pot just one size larger with a drainage hole, add fresh succulent mix, and gently loosen the root ball.
Avoid watering immediately after repottingwait a few days so any disturbed roots can callus over.

9. Keep an Eye Out for Pests and Problems

Succulents are generally low-pest plants, but they’re not invincible. Common troublemakers include mealybugs,
spider mites, scale, and fungus gnats (often a symptom of overwatering).

Quick fixes:

• Remove mealybugs or scale with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol.
• Improve air circulation and avoid wetting leaves unnecessarily.
• Let soil dry more thoroughly to discourage gnats and rot.

If parts of the plant turn black and mushy, you may be dealing with rot from excess moisture. In that case,
cut away damaged sections, let healthy pieces dry and callus, and replant them in fresh, dry succulent mix.

10. Rotate for Even Growth and Clean the Leaves

Succulents lean toward the light, which can make them lopsided. Every week or two, rotate the pot a quarter turn
so all sides get time in the spotlight. This helps maintain a compact, symmetrical shape.

Dust can also accumulate on succulent leaves, especially indoors, reducing their ability to photosynthesize.
Wipe leaves gently with a soft brush or cloth. Skip leaf-shine products; succulents already come with their own
natural glow.

11. Propagate to Refresh Leggy Plants and Grow Your Collection

One of the most fun parts of succulent care is how easy many varieties are to propagate. If your plant has gotten
leggy from low light or age, you can often:

• Cut a healthy stem, let the cut end dry and callus for a few days, then plant it in dry, fast-draining soil.
• Gently twist off healthy leaves, let them callus, and lay them on top of slightly damp mix until they root.

Keep new cuttings in bright, indirect light and water very lightly until roots are established.
It’s like giving your plant a fresh startand getting free baby succulents in the process.

Quick Troubleshooting Guide

Leaves turning mushy and translucent? You’re probably overwatering. Let the soil dry completely, remove damaged leaves, and adjust your watering schedule.

Plant stretching and losing its compact shape? It needs more light. Move it closer to a bright window or supplement with a grow light.

Wrinkled, shriveled leaves? Time for a drink. Water deeply, then let the soil drain and dry out again.

Real-Life Experiences: What Succulents Taught Me About Plant Care

If you talk to any seasoned plant lover, they’ll usually have a few succulent storiessome happy,
some tragic, all educational. Succulents are often the first plants people buy when they decide to
“get into plants,” and that’s exactly why they end up being the first plants many people accidentally lose.

One common experience goes like this: someone buys a tiny, perfectly symmetrical rosette in a cute pot,
fills the saucer with water every few days “to be safe,” and proudly posts it on social media.
Fast-forward a month, and the succulent’s leaves are turning translucent and falling off at the slightest touch.
The owner panics, waters more (because dry leaves = thirsty plant, right?), and the poor thing quietly melts
into mush. Only later do they learn that this “low-maintenance” plant was drowning in good intentions.

Another classic story is the “stretchy succulent saga.” Someone puts a succulent on a bookshelf,
far from the nearest window, because it looks nice there. At first, it seems fine. But over a few weeks,
the once-compact rosette starts reachingliterally. The stem lengthens, the leaves space out, and the plant
starts to lean dramatically toward the closest sliver of light. By the time the owner notices,
their stylish little plant looks like it’s trying to escape the shelf entirely.

These experiences are frustrating in the moment, but they’re incredibly useful.
They teach a few big lessons that seasoned gardeners talk about all the time:

• Your home is an environment. Succulent care in a dry, sunny apartment is different from care in a humid, north-facing space. Once you start watching how fast soil dries and where the brightest spots are, you become better at reading your plants.
• “Low-maintenance” doesn’t mean “no rules.” Succulents tolerate neglect better than overloving. Water and fertilizer are not universal fixessometimes the best thing you can do is step back and wait.
• Every plant is feedback. Wrinkled leaves, color changes, and stretching are basically the plant’s way of texting you, “Hey, something’s off.” Once you understand the signals, it becomes much easier to correct course early.

People who stick with succulents through the early trial-and-error phase often become far more confident
plant caretakers overall. They learn to use their fingers to test soil instead of relying only on the calendar.
They notice how a plant behaves when moved from a kitchen counter to a bright windowsill.
They see how reducing winter watering dramatically cuts down on rot problems.

Many also discover the joy of propagation by accident. After a leggy rosette snaps, they keep the top,
let it dry for a few days, and stick it back into a fresh pot. Weeks later, when new roots appear
and the plant starts growing again, it feels like a small miracle. Every new offset, rooted cutting,
or leaf baby adds a little bit of confidenceand a lot of motivation to keep learning.

In the end, succulents turn out to be great teachers. They’re honest, they respond quickly to changes,
and they reward patience. If you’re just starting out, expect to make a few mistakes.
That’s not a sign you’re “bad with plants”it’s how you become someone who can look at a wrinkled leaf,
a stretched stem, or a soft spot and instantly know what your succulent needs to thrive.

Conclusion: Let Your Succulents Thrive, Not Just Survive

Caring for succulents is all about mimicking their natural conditions: bright light,
fast-draining soil, deep but infrequent watering, and a sensible approach to temperature
and feeding. With the 11 pro-approved tips above, you can avoid the most common mistakesoverwatering,
low light, poor soiland give your plants exactly what they need.

Start with the right plant for your space, watch how it responds, and don’t be afraid to adjust.
Over time, you’ll go from “I hope this stays alive” to confidently propagating cuttings and planning
your next succulent arrangement. These tough little plants really can be as easy as they lookonce
you learn to care for them the way the pros do.