Succulents are a popular type of houseplant that many people choose to grow in their homes.
These plants come from desert climates and should be watered sparingly, but should you water succulents after repotting?
The answer to this question is not so cut and dry, which is why we’ve put together a guide to help you know when, how often, and how to water succulents after repotting!
Should You Need To Water Succulents Before Repotting?
Repotting a succulent should be done when the roots are overcrowding the pot, or it needs to increase its size for any specific reason.
The best time of the year for repotting succulents should be in early spring or early fall, just before their growing season starts.
Repotting should always happen at least every two years because that is how long they will live in one pot without showing signs of potted fatigue, leading to root rot and other problems later down the road.
Succulents should be watered a few days before being repotted to allow them to dry out.
This is because when you water them, they take in moisture, giving ample time for the roots of your succulents to absorb all they can before repotting.
This should also be done so they can adjust to their new pot and soil, which is a little drier than in their old home.
If you want to clean the old soil from the roots with water when repotting your succulents, you must let them dry out a few days before doing so.
If not, the roots should rot, leading to a dead plant.
When Should You Water Succulents After Repotting
Once your repotted succulent is in its new home, when should you water it?
It’s recommended to wait a week to water your succulent after you repot it. It should give the plant’s roots plenty of time to adjust and take in as much moisture from their new potting soil before adding another load on top.
This should be done only when the soil has dried out because watering immediately after repotting can lead to root rot.
If too much moisture gets into the plant roots right away, that should cause problems later on down the road if not taken care of properly.
Everything should take about a week to settle and dry before being watered again, but there are always exceptions to this rule.
If you keep your succulents in full sun, it should be done earlier because they need plenty of water to combat the drying effects of all that sunlight.
If your succulent is in partial or full shade, it should be done after a week because that should give the roots enough time to hydrate and absorb all of their moisture before you add more.
It should also depend on how fast your fresh soil dries out; if it dries out quickly, you should water them sooner.
You should also keep in mind that succulents with more extensive root systems should be watered more frequently because they are trying to make up for the smaller rooted succulent.
As long as you can tell your plant is healthy and not showing signs of stress or fatigue, it should all depend on how much moisture is in their new home’s soil before being watered after repotting takes place.
How Often Should You Water Succulents After Repotting
After repotting, succulents should be watered sparingly. This is because the roots should not yet have taken hold in the new soil mix, and thus watering may cause them to rot instead of root further into their new home.
For the first week after repotting, it should be best to allow them some time without watering as long as they’re in good sunlight.
This should help new roots grow into the soil. If the soil is still moist after a week, it should be fine to water just until the soil becomes saturated and then let them dry out again.
After the first watering after being repotted, wait a week and then begin to water whenever the soil feels dry.
Succulents should only be watered after repotting once every week or two weeks, depending on how long it takes for their new home to dry out.
Other factors can affect how often you need to water your plants, such as temperature, light exposure, and humidity. Still, these are less important than ensuring the roots have fully taken hold before starting with regular watering again.
After repotting, the most important thing is to avoid overwatering your succulents.
There should be a very obvious difference between when they’re wet and dry so that you know exactly how often to water them after being repotted.
Everything should become easier with time as new roots take hold, but for at least the first month or two of their life in their new soil, it’s best to check on them sparingly rather than drenching them with too much water right away.
How To Water Succulents After Repotting
After repotting your succulents, you may wonder how to water them.
While the roots are still growing and settling into their new pot, it is best to let them dry out a bit more between waterings.
This time frame varies depending on the type of succulent plant you have repotted and where you are located.
You should only need to water your succulent if it is in a dry environment. If their soil is still moist, then don’t worry about giving it another watering just yet.
Succulents have evolved as desert plants, and they tend to do well with infrequent watering schedules.
Water should be poured into the top of your succulent soil only up to about half an inch from the surface.
Never water more than that; otherwise, you should drown your plant, and it might not make it through its first growing season with you.
Doing this should saturate all of the soil around the roots of your succulents but never should they sit in standing water because then their leaves will start rotting away at the bottom where they are attached to those dead things.
If your potting mix is still wet after a week or two, remove any excess moisture by gently shaking out any extra water before watering again for another week afterward once dried out completely.
Once your succulent has settled into its new pot and is growing well for several months on end, you should only need to water them once a week or so, depending on how hot it is where you live.
If your succulents are located in a sunny area that gets full sunlight throughout the day, they will require more frequent watering because their soil dries out faster due to increased heat absorption.
Keep an eye on them and if you notice that the succulent leaves are beginning to curl down , then give them another quick drink of water until this stops happening.
This happens when they are getting too much moisture at one time, which becomes overbearing for the plant, but as long as you stick with infrequent watering schedules rather than many small doses spread across each week, everything should be fine.
You should also avoid misting succulents with water as this can cause their leaves to rot, mainly if you live in a humid climate.
Misting succulents might seem like an easy way to keep them hydrated. Still, it is not recommended for the health of your plants, so only give them enough water that seeps down into the soil through natural rainfall or by using drip irrigation.
Final Thoughts
The best time to water your succulents depends on the environment that they are in.
If you are using a self-watering planter, then the watering process is straightforward because someone other than yourself can do all of the work.
However, if you have an ordinary container without any special features for keeping moisture inside, it will require some additional care and attention from your side.
You should know that succulents are hardy plants, but you still have to be attentive towards them for not letting their health fade away.
