Congratulations on your new succulent!
Caring for these unique drought-tolerant plants is fun and rewarding, but there are a few things you need to know before you start caring for them.
Know The Name of Your Succulent
Each type of succulent has slightly different care needs, and not all of them are great for indoor growing (without a grow light). Knowing what type of succulent you own will help you determine how much light it needs, how often to water, and what temperatures it can tolerate.
At Snappy Pots, we typically select succulents that do well in low light: Haworthiopsis, Haworthia, Gasteria, Snake Plant, and Jade.
The Latin names can be a bit intimidating, but don’t worry, you don’t have to remember them. You can use the pictures below to determine what type of succulent you have.
If yours doesn’t look similar to one shown above, you can also browse different types of succulents to find a closer match.
Soil + Planter
Succulents don’t like to sit in wet soil for very long, so it’s important to plant them in a pot with a drainage hole and well draining soil.
At first glance, Snappy Pots don’t have a drainage hole. However, we know it’s annoying when water drips out of your pot onto the counter and makes a mess. We designed our planters to be “cache pots” — meaning there is an outer pot without a drainage hole and another pot or liner with drainage holes that fits inside.
This way, you can dump out excess water so your succulent is happy and you don’t constantly have water stains or buildup on your counter.
If you purchased a succulent from Snappy Pots, the soil is already well-draining so no need to make a change there. However, if you’re planting a succulent you bought online or from a local nursery, it’s a good idea to learn more about well-draining succulent soil and consider replacing the soil your succulent is planted in.
Water Deeply But Infrequently
Overwatering is likely the biggest problem most people face when growing succulents. Unlike houseplants, succulents don’t like to be watered frequently. They’re quick to rot if the soil stays wet too long.
When it comes to watering, we recommend using the “Soak and Dry Method,” coined by Succulents and Sunshine.
Pour enough water onto the soil of your succulent to completely soak through to the center. In the case of a Snappy Pot, leave your succulent in the liner inside the outer pot. Fill up the pot until water comes almost to the top.
Let the succulent sit in the water for a minute or two. This allows the soil to absorb as much water as it can.
Then, remove the liner, dump out all the excess water, and then put the liner back in the pot. You can also dump it out again the next day to ensure there isn’t water pooling at the bottom of the pot.
Now, you wait.
Days…
Weeks…
Possibly months!
Depending on the type of succulent you have, how much light it’s getting, and the type of soil you’re using, your succulent will be happy for weeks without water.
We don’t recommend watering on a set schedule, but if you’re new to succulents, we suggest watering about once a month. It’s much easier to revive an under watered succulent than an over watered succulent.
If you have a hard time remembering when you watered last (we do!) or want to make sure you’re not watering too often, try using an app like Cheerful Plants and setting a watering reminder for every 30-45 days. You may not need to water that often, but it’s good to check up on your plant then.
Give It Lots of Bright Light
Succulents need light in order to grow properly and stay compact.
At the beginning, we mentioned a handful of succulents that can tolerate low-lighting conditions indoors. Even these still need some light.
Generally, placing your succulent near the brightest window in your home is ideal. But, in the case of our magnet planters, you might have your succulents further from the light. For these, it’s even more important to water infrequently to prevent your succulent from stretching out.
Another great option is to use a desk lamp with an LED bulb. You can place the lamp about 6-8″ away from the top of your succulent and have the light on for 4-5 hours during the day. This is a simple, inexpensive way to help your succulent get the light it needs.
If you want to learn even more about succulent care, we highly recommend signing up for the Succulents and Sunshine email newsletter and getting their free watering cheat sheet.