Beginners Guide to Indoor Succulent Care

Succulents make excellent indoor plants for several reasons. They store water in their leaves, allowing them to withstand periods of drought. This means they can thrive in indoor environments with lower humidity levels.

Succulents come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, making them versatile and visually appealing. Additionally, they are generally low-maintenance plants, requiring infrequent watering and minimal care. Just make sure they receive adequate sunlight and well-draining soil.

How To Grow and Care for Succulents Indoors

Caring for succulents is a little different than growing your typical houseplant.

There are thousands of different types of succulents, each with its own unique characteristics and beauty. Many can be grown indoors and most of them require similar overall care.

The word “succulent” is derived from the Latin word “succulentus,” which means “juicy” or “sap-filled.” Although all plants store some water in their roots, stems, or leaves, the ability of succulents is highly developed. 

Do Succulents Need Sun Light

Indoor succulents want as much sunlight as you can give them. So place your succulents near the brightest window of your home. 

But watch out with succulents in a south-facing window during the summer. The leaves can get sunburnt close to a window on hot summer days. Protect your plants with a sheer curtain, or move them away from the window just a bit.

If your succulent starts to stretch out towards the window, it is telling you it wants more light. Move it to a spot with more sunlight or put it under a grow light.

Green succulents are better adapted to growing indoors than pink or red succulents. Those bright colors need more light and direct sun than most homes can provide.

Further reading: How much sun succulents need.  

Related reading: How to get your indoor succulent to flower!

How Often do you Water Indoor Succulents?

The biggest problem with keeping succulents alive indoors is how much and how often to water them.

Succulents don’t like to be watered as frequently as most indoor plants. Your succulents won’t wither away when you go away on vacation for a while.

In their natural habitat, they go through long dry spells followed by heavy rainfall. Water succulents only when the soil is completely dry.

Overwatering is the number one problem in succulent care. This doesn’t mean you should give your succulents just a tiny bit of water, you definitely should give a generous soak. They can handle a lot of water at once, just not too often.

Most succulents have their growing period from spring to fall and go dormant in winter. During the cooler months of the year they don’t use as much water, so water less.

Succulents need Drainage

It is important to plant your succulents in pots with drainage holes and fast-draining succulent soil. Without drainage holes on the bottom, any water left behind is trapped and can cause root rot.

Plant your succulents in well-draining soil. Again, we want the soil to dry out quickly and this will help with that.

I do not recommend growing succulents indoors without drainage. So don’t put your succulent in that cute mug, that glass jar, or a terrarium with no way for the water to get out.

Clay terracotta pots are a good choice for succulents. Clay pots are porous and water can evaporate through the sides of the pot. This helps the soil to dry out quicker.

Plastic pots can be used, but do it only if you know your plant and its water wishes well enough. Be even more careful not to overwater when your pot is plastic.

Succulent Propagation

Propagation is a great way to make more plants from the ones you already have, or to save a stretched-out or overwatered succulent.

Some succulents, like the haworthia, grow baby plantlets that can be removed and potted up separately.

Most other succulents can be easily propagated by leaf and stem cuttings.

There are three ways to propagate: In water, directly in soil, or even by doing nothing at all! Read the complete succulent propagation method article to find out which way works best!