the_pat•16d agoProlific Poster

Appreciation post: I just realized I've been drowning my succulents for months

I had a jade plant in my kitchen window that kept dropping leaves, and my friend in Tucson looked at it and said, 'Pat, that soil is wetter than a rainforest floor.' I was watering it every Friday like clockwork, but apparently that's way too much for a plant that likes it dry. How often do you actually water your succulents?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylorhunt16d ago

Oh man, that's a classic move. Watering a jade on a schedule is like giving a cactus a daily shower. I only water mine when the soil is completely bone dry, and even then I wait a few more days. It's more of a 'when I remember they exist' kind of schedule. Your friend from Tucson knows what's up, that's the right kind of dry climate wisdom. How many leaves did you lose before you figured it out?

jade73816d ago

Seriously, the real trick is the pot itself! Everyone talks about soil and watering but forgets drainage. A cute ceramic pot with no hole is a death sentence, no matter how dry you let the soil get. I learned that the hard way after losing a whole plant to hidden soggy bottom syndrome. Now I only use pots with holes and a really chunky soil mix, it changes everything.

john_singh11d ago

Actually, those decorative pots without holes can work fine if you're careful. Just put a layer of gravel or pebbles at the bottom before adding soil, it creates a space for extra water to drain into. My grandma kept plants in solid pots for years that way. You just have to be extra sure not to overwater.