How to Water Succulents

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Co-authored by Chai Saechao and Eric McClure

Last Updated: May 23, 2025

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Watering Young Succulents

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Watering Mature Succulents

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Reviving an Under-watered Succulent

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Expert Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Succulents are wonder plants — they’re aesthetic, lively, and low-maintenance. The low effort required to keep them can be confusing, however, especially when it comes to knowing how much to water them. In this wikiHow, we’ll teach you how to water your succulents so that they thrive, and make sure you know the best ways to save underwatered and overwatered succulents.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Watering Young Succulents

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Although you should usually wait 2-4 days to mist them again, this may be different for each succulent. If you're not sure how often to mist yours, a good rule of thumb is to wait until the soil is dry to mist it again.
When the succulents are young it is critical to stick to a strict misting schedule.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Watering Mature Succulents

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This practice establishes a healthy root system.
There is no standard answer to how often to water mature succulents. This will depend on the plant variety, the soil, the ambient humidity, and other factors. Generally, you should water more often in the summer when the plant is actively growing than in the winter when the plant goes into semi-dormancy with shorter days.

EXPERT TIP

Chai Saechao
Plant Specialist
Chai Saechao is the Founder and Owner of Plant Therapy, an indoor-plant store founded in 2018 based in San Francisco, California. As a self-described plant doctor, he believes in the therapeutic power of plants, hoping to keep sharing his love of plants with anyone willing to listen and learn.

Chai Saechao
Plant Specialist

Avoid overwatering your plant. Founder and owner of Plant Therapy Chai Saechao says: "Depending on the pot size, you should water your succulents about every 2 weeks. If you have a larger plant, you can water them every 3-4 weeks. It's always better to underwater a succulent than to overwater it. Overwatering can kill your plant, but if it's underwatered, it will bounce back quickly when you hydrate it."
Sometimes it is beneficial to skip watering for 1-2 days after the soil is dry to allow even stronger roots to grow. Contrary to popular belief, you don't always have to stick to the same watering schedule for mature succulents. Still, it is good to have a general schedule.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Reviving an Under-watered Succulent

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1
Identify the signs of underwatering. Your succulents are probably under-watered if:
- the upper leaves are becoming dry and crispy
- the entire plant has become shriveled (although it is difficult to revive it at this point)
- many leaves are shriveling at the tips
This will help transition them to a regular watering routine. Giving them a 'full dose' of water after a long period of time without water might damage the plants.
After they have gotten used to the change, gradually return to their regular watering schedule. You can then water them with a watering can, and they should be back to normal in 1-3 weeks!

Expert Q&A

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Question

How often should indoor succulents be watered?

Chai Saechao
Plant Specialist
Chai Saechao is the Founder and Owner of Plant Therapy, an indoor-plant store founded in 2018 based in San Francisco, California. As a self-described plant doctor, he believes in the therapeutic power of plants, hoping to keep sharing his love of plants with anyone willing to listen and learn.

Chai Saechao

Plant Specialist

Expert Answer

Depending on the pot size, you should water your succulents about every 2 weeks. If you have a larger plant, you can water them every 3-4 weeks. It's always better to underwater a succulent than to overwater it. Overwatering can kill your plant, but if it's underwatered, it will bounce back quickly when you hydrate it.

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Question

I have about 8 small succulents, can I put 4 together in a 6 inch pot?

Community Answer

That is not the best idea as you'd just need to repot them again in a few months. Use a larger pot or several pots.

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Question

I bought some and transplanted multiple hanging pots. They are not mature. My question is do I water them or spray them like you mentioned above? I live in Arizona and they are in the shade. Thank you.

Community Answer

Dip them in a bowl of water (ideally rainwater) until they are completely soaked. Wait abut two weeks until the soil is completely dry before doing this again.

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Tips

Grow your succulents in pots with drainage holes and good draining soil. If succulents are grown in soil that is too moist, they can suffer damage from mold and other unhealthy growths.

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How often to water succulents can vary, depending on the environment they are growing in. The hotter it is, the more often you'll have to water your succulents. The more humid it is, the less often you’ll need to water them.

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Warnings

Underwatering is better than overwatering. Since succulents retain water in their leaves, watering them every day is not a necessity. When in doubt, wait an extra day or two to water your succulents again.

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Be wary of root rot, a disease that attacks the roots of plants growing in soil that is too moist or is continually moist.

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