Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 12:35 pm
In this guide, we will be sharing simple hacks on how to fix succulents problems so that you can have a beautiful plant in your indoor or outdoor garden.
There are a lot of problems that can befall succulents, but the solution is often in one place: water. Succulents need to have their soil watered from below (from the bottom up) or they will start looking droopy and wilted. We recommend watering your plant whenever it drains through the bottom inch of potting mix.
A succulent is a plant that has thick, fleshy leaves and can grow in dry environments. The plants are tolerant of salt or salty water (something not many other plants can tolerate). Succulents come in all shapes and sizes: some are short with fat leaves while others have long skinny stems. They vary quite a bit in appearance, but all succulents need to be watered from below.
What to do
When your plant’s soil starts drying out at the top inch of potting mix, or when it has brown tips on its leaves, it needs water. Remove any dead and unhealthy-looking parts first. Get a clean container with enough room to hold the entire plant and fill it with water. Place your plants in this container, allowing the soil to be fully submerged underwater for at least five minutes.
What are succulents?
Succulents are plants that come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. They’re great for gardeners who want to add pops of color but don’t have much space available because they grow vertically rather than horizontally as most flowers do.
However succulent problems can easily happen when these plants get too hot or cold, or when they don’t get enough water. Instead of throwing out your succulents, read on for some tips and common ways on how to fix succulents problems.
Simple hacks
- If it’s too hot: Move the plant outside during the day and bring it back inside at night so that it gets a chance to cool down in between. Consider removing leaves from the plant to make it less dense so that heat can escape more easily.
- If it’s too cold: Keep your succulent in a warm place inside, like near the radiator or heating vent. Make sure they don’t get overheated though!
- If you need water and haven’t had any rain for a while: wait until nighttime and then water your succulent just enough to moisten the soil.
How to fix succulents problems
The following are some other problems that succulents might have and how to fix them:
- If you notice small holes appearing on your succulent’s leaves or if they start looking pale yellowish-green, it could be a sign of overwatering.
- If your plant’s leaves are drooping, wilting, and starting to turn brown or yellow in the tips, this can often mean that they’re not getting enough water. If you notice these symptoms, check for any spilled water nearby and give them more light (to encourage photosynthesis).
- If you see little bugs on your succulents, it can be caused by mealybugs. This is a common problem for the plant and needs to be dealt with right away. You will need to take off all of the leaves that are infested with these pests (including any parts near or touching them) so they don’t spread throughout the plant. You can also try spraying the plants with an insecticide and a strong leaf spray like neem oil to help get rid of them.
- If you notice that your succulent is very tall, it could be overgrown in its pot or have too many roots touching the bottom of the container. To fix this problem, take off the soil and cut back on the roots by about a third. You can also transplant your plant to another container if it is too tall for its current one.
- If you notice that your succulents are wilting or dying in their pot, this could be because they need more light. If possible, move them into an area with stronger sun exposure and more natural light.
- If you notice that your succulents are drooping and have brown tips, it could be a sign of overwatering. If this is the case, stop watering, remove any dead parts first and wait for a while before giving them more water to drink again in order to revive them.
