How Often Should I Water my Succulents? - Spring and Summer

Almost everyday, we have a customer or someone on social media asking us how often they should be watering their succulents, especially in the spring and summer months. 

The answer is usually: it depends.  It depends mostly on the environment you provide for them. 

What watering recommendations I give for someone in Southern California will not work in Idaho, New York or Florida. 

Furthermore, what works for a beach house in San Diego will not work for an inland San Diego city like La Mesa.

The reason there is no one answer is because every environment is different.  La Jolla in San Diego is along the beach, which means there is higher humidity in the air than La Mesa, which is essentially a desert and arid. 

In La Jolla, it's very possible the humidity may make it so your plants may never need to be watered.  The moisture in the air could be enough to sustain them, and adding extra water may drown and rot them out. 

La Mesa, however, will not be as humid, and your plants will need to be manually checked and watered.   

One thing remains true across the board:

Only water when the soil is absolutely, positively, without a doubt, bone dry.  Succulents love water as much as any other plant does. 

They need water to stay plump, happy, and healthy. 

It doesn't need it everyday though.  It wants a full-on soaking, fast draining soil and a pot with drainage hole to rid itself of excess moisture. 

It doesn't want to be misted with a spray bottle every other day.  It doesn't want water via spray bottle ever.  Sometimes they don't want to be watered at all, like when they go dormant. 

Indoor and Outdoor Watering Differences

If your plants are indoors, there is good chance your plants will not need to be watered as often as they would when they are outdoors. 

If your indoor plants are low-light loving indoor plants, there’s a high possibility they will not need to be watered as often as a sunny windowsill succulent. 

Outdoor succulents have elements like wind, heat and direct sun that usually dries soil out faster.  This results in more frequent watering for outdoor plants.      

Check your plants before watering by using the toothpick test. 

Toothpick test is easy to do.  Here's how to do it:

• Insert a toothpick into the soil
• If it is dry, and there is no soil residue on the toothpick, your succulents want water. 
• If the soil is moist the toothpick will be riddled with wet soil - Best to wait on watering.        

There's even more precautions to take in the fall and winter months - Learn our watering tips for fall and winter HERE.