What to Do to Grow Succulents Planting succulents is a popular choice with gardeners for two very good reasons: They're beautiful to look at and virtually indestructible.

In terms of plant anatomy, a succulent is a plant with an organ that stores water. Succulents store moisture in their leaves, stems, and roots. Arid conditions are present all over the world, ranging from Africa (where many of them originate) to North America's deserts.

Adaptation to this process has resulted in an impressive variety of leaf forms and plant forms, including paddle leaves, tight rosettes, and bushy or trailing columns of teardrop leaves. Succulents are composed of some of the best-known plants, including aloe and agave, as well as many nearly unknown varieties. A cactus is a unique subset of the succulent group, which has its own specific care and appearance.

Whatever succulent you're growing, the rules are similar across species. You can grow succulents of top quality by following these general rules.

Light
When kept inside or outside, succulents prefer bright light, and should receive six hours of sunlight per day. You can check how much light exposure you're giving your plants by looking at their leaves. Some species will scorch if suddenly exposed to too much direct sunlight, whereas others will turn brown or white as the leaves bleach out and the soft tissues are destroyed.

Alternatively, under-exposed succulents will begin to stretch, resulting in an elongated stem and widely spaced leaves in a condition known as etiolation. To resolve this issue, provide the plant with more light and prune it back to its original shape.

Soil
It is recommended to pot succulents in a fast-draining mixture specifically designed for cacti and succulents. For kalanchoe care without access to specialized mixes, consider adding inorganic agents like perlite to enhance aeration and drainage.

Alternatively, you can choose to pot your succulents in terracotta or clay pots to assist with drainage. By using porous materials, your succulents will be able to wick away moisture from the soil and resist root rot.

Water
During the summer, succulents need to be watered liberally. During succulent plants identification between waterings, let the potting mix completely dry out. Don't overwater. When the plants go to dormancy in the winter, reduce watering to every other month.

The most common reason for succulent failure is overwatering (resulting in plant rot). Initially, the overwatered succulent might seem healthy, but the roots are already rotting, which causes rot to spread upward from the bottom.

The leaves of overwatered succulents may turn yellow or white and lose their color when they are overwatered. If a plant in this state is beyond repair, remove it from its pot and inspect the roots. If the roots are brown and rotted, you will need to cut them off and replant them into a drier potting mix, or you can take a healthy cutting and propagate the parent plant.

If a plant is under-watered, it first stops growing, then begins to shed its leaves. In another scenario, the plant's leaves might develop brown spots.

Temperature and Humidity
People are surprised by how cold-tolerant succulents are. Where nights can often be colder than days, succulents thrive in desert climates where temperatures can reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Succulents prefer daytime temperatures between 70 degrees Fahrenheit and about 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and nighttime temperatures between 50 degrees Fahrenheit and 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are different types of succulents when it comes to humidity. While some prefer higher humidity levels than others, a general rule of thumb is to set humidity levels at or slightly below 80 percent humidity.

Fertilizer
Your succulents need fertilizer during the summer just as you would for other houseplants. Fertilize your plants entirely during the winter.