How I Manage to Keep My Succulents Alive

By trial and error, I have learned how to keep my succulents alive and thriving. I started with an aloe about 10 years ago, and since then I’ve tried my hand at a variety of genera or species. Here are some tips and suggestions on light, soil, containers, watering, and varieties.

Light

Succulents need plenty of light. I keep mine on a east-facing window sill, but a west- or south-facing window would work as well, south-facing windows being the best as they receive the most light. If you don’t have a window that gets a lot of light, you can use a grow light. You can tell if your succulent is getting enough light if it is growing upwards and not excessively leaning towards the light source. After I’m done watering, I like to rotate the way they are facing so that they grow evenly.

Water

The best success I’ve had in terms of watering is by soaking the bottom of the pot in water. I do this about once a week to every other week, depending on the variety of succulent. This method is best because it allows the soil to become completely saturated, as well as not getting the leaves of the plant wet.

You’ll want to water your succulents when the soil is completely dry, but before the leaves start to shrivel. Beware of over-watering as well. You can tell if the succulent is getting too much water by the leaves turning yellow or translucent.

Succulents need well-draining soil. You can use cactus soil, sand, pumice, or perlite. I use a mix of cactus soil and perlite. I like to use a lot of perlite because it’s cheap and it helps the soil dry out quickly. You can also use sand, but I’ve heard that it can compact and cause drainage issues.

Containers

I like to use terracotta pots because they are porous and allow the soil to dry out quickly, and I like the natural look. You can also use plastic or ceramic pots, but you’ll want to be careful about over-watering. It’s essential to have adequate drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Otherwise, the water will sit at the bottom of the pot and rot the roots. In addition, you can’t water by soaking if there is no hole at the bottom.

The place I’ve had the most luck finding these small, 2-3 inch terracotta pots is at Hobby Lobby. They are pretty cheap, and they have a variety of shapes and sizes. If you wanted to plant multiple in a pot, you can get a larger size.

Sourcing and Varieties

Lowes and Home Depot have a good selection of succulents of the basic varieties, but if you are looking for more rare or unique species, I would suggest looking at a local nursery or ordering online. The basic succulents are just fine for starting out and getting your hands dirty. As always, I suggest shopping locally if you can. Succulents do fine being mailed, but they will be a little stressed from the trip.

My favorite place to shop locally is Wilson’s Nursery and Garden Center in Rock Hill, SC. They have a great selection of succulents, and they are always healthy and well taken care of. I’ve also ordered from Succulents Box; they have a subscription service where they send a selection of succulents to your door every month, allowing you to try out all kinds of varieties.

I would just suggest getting any succulent that looks appealing to you, but if you are nervous getting started, I would recommend getting a basic echeveria, jade, or aloe. These are all pretty easy to care for and can survive neglect. I have a variety of genera, and they all have their own quirks, so pick one and do your best to learn about what it likes.

My Favorite Succulents

The above image is what I’m pretty sure is an aeonium. I haven’t been the best at watering it so it’s lost its lower leaves, but I really like the shape of it anyway.

This succulent is a sedum. I got it at Lowes recently, and I love its shape and slight pink hue.

This is a ruffle jade that I ordered online. It’s definitely my favorite succulent because it’s beautiful, it shows when it really needs water, and should get pretty big. It’s probably time for me to pot it in a larger pot!

In Summary

I hope these tips and suggestions help you keep your succulents alive. I have had a lot of fun learning about and caring for these plants. They are a great way to bring some green into your home, and they are easy to care for once you get the hang of it. Good luck!

Key tips for succulent care:

• Place on a east, south, or west window
• Use a pot with a drainage hole
• Use well draining soil
• Water by soaking the bottom of the pot in water

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