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Another thing to add is not to plant your succulents in too large planters. Their root system is not large, and the bigger the pot, the slower the soil dries up, which can lead to root rot. So it's best to plant small succulents in small pots, and transfer them to bigger pots as they grow, instead of planting in big pots in advance. Transplanting them from pot to pot doesn't do them any harm.

Im fortunate to live in an area of SoCal where giant succulents grow wild, they’re stunning growing on the side of rock. All of my giant rosettes came from a job site that my husbands company had to dig out of the side of a hill to set power lines, he took the time to arrive early & dig out all of the succulents before the big digger truck came in & pulverized the area. As a plant lover, I found this gesture very romantic😂.

May your succulent thrive and your Monsteras be healthy!

As a young teen I bought six cacti with the full intention of making them flower. It was like having an open box of chocolates and willing yourself not to eat any. Well, that 'box' was never touched, and all winter I was gagging to water them, but I knew I couldn't. In the spring, I was well rewarded with flowers on all but one cactus. I was so chuffed with myself lol.

Christmas cactuses do not like extended harsh Sun! I am 60 years old I bought two when I was 7 years old. They are still alive and thriving. They went from Little Sprigs 2 almost 3 ft across. They are deep green and not spindly and yellow!

Oh my gosh thank you for talking about the coating around the leaves! I never understood what it was and you are the first to mention this. Here I am, touching the leaves to feel if they were thirsty. Stopping that now!

If you bottom water your succulents, make sure that they do not stand in the water for more than a half hour. If they haven't absorbed all of the water by then, dump out any that's left. If they've not absorbed any water, they are in a peat based soil that has dried out and is repelling water. Replace the soil, or water them slowly with warm water (about as warm as a nice hot shower.) When using sand, be sure to sift out any particles under 1 millimeter in diameter. Smaller particles actually impede drainage and let your soil stay wet too long, contributing to rot. The rule of watering succulents is to thoroughly water the plant, allowing the excess to drain away. Then allow the pot to thoroughly dry out before watering again. If you don't thoroughly water the plant, you will leave areas of dry soil and the roots will not grow into these areas. If you don't allow the pot to dry thoroughly, you create excellent conditions for rot causing fungi to grow. Water, by itself, does not create rot. Rot is caused by fungi which feed on living plant tissue. Excessively moist soil allows the spores of these fungi to sprout and grow. This is especially true in humid climates like the UK.

The farina thing, I knew, but I didn't know the name for it. We had an elkhorn fern in the house growing up, which was not the most common plant. Our once-a-month cleaner had never seen the plant before, and assumed the leaves were dusty, despite my mother dusting like someone was doing surgery in the living room each time the cleaner was due to come in, so the cleaner painstakingly wiped the dusty coating off every massive leaf. From the way our parents reacted like the plant was actively on fire for the next six months, me and my siblings learned to just... Let plant leaves be unless otherwise instructed. The plant lived another fifteen years. Turns out it's very hard for fungus and pests to get a hold of a plant in a household where someone feels the need to clean before the cleaner comes in. The cleaner didn't get any dire consequences either, just a polite note that she needn't trouble herself dusting the plants.

I’ve been growing and collecting succulents and cactuses for the past 20 years. Like with other houseplants, different varieties of succulents have different light and water requirements. You really need to research the particular variety you have and give it what it needs. Succulents generally want a lot of sun. But there are some succulent varieties that can’t deal with full sun in a cold temperate Australian climate. For example, some sedum varieties hate being in full sun. They prefer being in part shade. I mostly put my succulents in terracotta pots. I’ve found that this reduces the risks of accidentally overwatering. I also use small rocks on top of the soil. This helps warm the soil in the pot, which most succulents like.

Full sun is subjective and should be better defined in plant care. His full sun in a window is going to be different than my full sun outside in Florida. I fried my Jade plant from too much sun and it wasn't direct sun either

My favourite way to test the moisture is to poke a wooden kebab skewer in the soil, it also shows you where the moisture comes up to👌 and just wanted to add, If your going to put the water to the decorative pot like that, it’s best to pour out any remaining water the next day, don’t want it staying soggy xx

I'd love an entire video dedicated to using a moisture meter and at what point different plants need watering. I just recently got one and I am learning a lot about how different plants and different pots evaporate differently. Also, the meter gives a much more precise reading than just using your finger which is what I've usually done. My plants have definitely improved more than I expected. I've been a gardener for years and I'm STILL learning, especially about house plants.

Thanks for another outstanding plant care video. All your advice is spot on. I too bottom water most all my plants by the full submersion method. I place the plant in a bucket or in the sink and fill the water level to the top rim of the pot until the water seeps up through the soil and let it soak for a minute or so and then remove it to completely drain away before placing it back to its spot. My soil mix is very airy and well draining for all my plants, and by watering like this gives the root system some fresh air. When the pot is submerged all the air that in the soil is pushed out by the water and fresh air is pulled in as the water drains out. I do top water every so often to flush any fertilizer salts that tend to build up. 👍

I just got into succulents. I got a couple of aeoniums and a Euphorbia White Ghost. They're some of my favorite plants now. So pretty. Good advice

I love your idea of bottom water the plants since I struggle trying not to get the leaves wet. I'm starting to do that now. And leave all my plants in its original pots even my HUGE plants lol. I just double with decoration pots. I find it grows better. It seems every time I transfer my plants it died on me. I just double my own for pretty decoration. Thank you for the tips so helpful!

Circling back to your video several weeks ago about cutting your ficus plants… I was about ready to do that because the growth leaf point had not budged in six months and would you not believe it’s finally pushing out and growing. It must’ve known I was going to cut her in half.

Thank you so much for making this video, somehow I completely forgot that moisture meters existed and I guarantee my plants will thank you with their lives. Also I had no idea about the coating on the outside of succulent plants, it makes me think of the mucus coating that fish have and I definitely understand why it's so important to their health

Amazingly I have a bunny ear opuntia cactus that lives outside year round in Michigan which is zone 5 meaning it freezes up in the winter. The cactus does fine, it shrivels up a bit in the winter and goes dormant and then it wakes up and thrives again starting in may until it freezes again! It’s getting bigger and having babies every year! I ❤️your channel!

Succulents are one of my favorite plants, mainly because of how easy they are to grow and propagate and they produce some of the most vibrant colored flowers! Great videos my friend. 👍

Very helpful and informative, thank you for such excellent advice! I came across your video by chance and I’m so glad I did! I am looking forward to watching more of your videos. I love plants and what you can teach me will definitely help me to improve the health and life of my houseplants

My only issue with hearing succulents dont like water on their leaves is thats how they get tgeir water in nature is through rain. I water mine with the water hose and afterwards they look super happy and their farina looks amazing. Ive watched it come back several times on one plant from handling. Just want to say these plants are very forgiving and thabk you for the video.

It depends on the zone you live in. If you live in the UK absolutely keep them in the sunniest windows. In the US. California, these grow planted outside in most of this large state. In the S.W. in America, these plants will burn in the sun facing windows.

You learn something new every day. I appreciate this bank of information. Have a great year.

When watering my succulents I fill a bowl with water let it sit at room temperature then hold my plants rootball underneath the water until there are no air bubbles coming out. All of mine are thriving since doing this.

My window is SE. They love it there. Blooms from all succulents my every spring.

Great video! So many great tips! It's definitely a learning curve and I did a lot wrong when I first started growing years ago. They are such rewarding plants ❤ My plants live outdoors and require quite a bit of waterings to thrive and not become dehydrated. I usually wait about a week after the soil has dried to water like you do. It all depends on the type of succulent it is. Thanks for sharing.

I love that we always see south windows as the most sunny place in your home, but theres a mountain on the south of my village so my plants are better off ont west side 🥲😆

An excellent video with great tips. Thank you so much Mr Sheffield.

I've got a Peacock echeveria and it's going mental. The stem, from the soil up, is a T shape, and at the end of both arms of the T, is a bloom. I don't really want to separate them, so I'm making a little support out of wooden ice cream sticks to support the weight of each bloom. At the moment each one is resting on the pot rim. I need to get it into a larger pot with supports.

Went through video quickly but for me looks very informative so will view again taking notes :)

my boyfriend just bought me a succulent, a mexican snowball or echeveria elegans i think, and this video is SO helpful!! i’ve never had a plant before so im trying to do as much research as i can. her flowers are blooming but the leaves at the bottom seem to be drying out. hopefully after these videos she gets back into shape

As a Florida man, I don’t need to worry about my succulents outside. They seem to grow so well. I even have 2 pineapples about ready to pick as well. 😂

Your advice for England and other countries with similar weather and similar levels of sunlight are perfect. But are not the best advice for hotter climates. My succulents are out in full sun and only ever receive some rain water if and when it rains. And they are thriving. The way that USA divides the country into weather ZONES to help gardeners is brilliant as USA has so many variations across the various states. I am happy that your succulents are doing so well. I am just as ruthless with my pelargoniums and they thrive too without any attention too Whereas it is my Rhododendrons that are the prime prima donna demanding performers that need the coolest part of the garden and plenty of mulch (NOT touching the stem of course) .

i wiped that white powder right off with a damp brush, i thought it was dust, only god may save the plants that enter my household T^T

liked and subbed! great video, super informational and straight to the point, my succulents were not doing well and i had no idea why, ive moved them to a window with way more light now :)

Thanks for info on succulents. Have you done a video on air plants. I really like them and would be nice to hear your info on them Have a blessed day.

Wow, thank you! I've learned so much from your video.

Hi edagdwg thanks for sharing this special information love my suclens I enjoy watching them growing a forever loving fan Linda j. Peace

Thank you!! I've made ALL these mistakes.

Thank you so much for your tips.

Can you do a feature on choosing the right size pot when repotting?

i use orchid bark in my mix too!

Thanks for this video. ❤

Thanks for the bottom watering advice!

I touch succulent leaves to check if it already needs water :) if they're soft, it's a sign that it's already used up all the water from last watering. I've notised light layer that succulents have on their leaves and that touching brushes it away :D so I have 1 leaf on every plant that I use to lightly check for moisture xD Thanks to you now I know that the layer is called farina :D

I use clay pot for my succulent and it’s grown huge and it flowers and I water it 1-2 times a week and it started as one of those small plants you buy as a gift and it was in bad shape for years so very resilient

Good advice ! i have an echeveria which is a VERY good exemple of their need in water, in summer she needs watering (and not a small one) at least once a week (most of the time 2), while all my other succulents can survive and thrive with one every 2 weeks. And in winter every 3 weeks at most or i end up with a leafless stick. Its a weird and special one and her needs are so high that i took me some touch and go before i figured it out.

Thank you for your time and Information 🌱👍😎🌍 I'm no expert however I could imagine that now & again a watering from the top & a little run off can help in not getting a salt build up happening over time?🤔🌱🥰 Happy growing everyone 🌱🥰🌍👍

Was thinking about my echeveria's rotting bottom leaves today and you dropped the video✅

Super useful. Wish I had watched this before wiping off all of the farina thinking it was dust.

I have started bottom watering for my few plants. Will share the result by next month

First time owning one thank you 🙏

Perfect information ❤. Subscribed.

Thank you @lizberezin2919. I LIKE succulents but I was apprehensive about purchasing them since a cluster of them was given to me on my B-day, I repotted it & she died... sad 😑

Window succulents such as Haworthia Retusa; Haworthia Pilifera etc DO NOT want to be in bright , direct sunlight they will go dark and eventually black if they have too much light. A small point . I have picked up lots of tips and advice from your videos thank you

Perfect timing for this video! I was just gifted 16 succulents to slowly kill😂 Maybe now they'll have a chance❤

I'm ready to learn so I can buy more succulents!

I shirked the typical "don't overwater" advice and put my succulents on the porch through storms, daily watering, and intense humidity and they THRIVE. Anxious for what I will do when winter comes and I need to move them inside, especially with my 5 foot long string of bananas.

I have found out most of my succulent plants can stand California sun and they grow best in partial sun locations. I'm in the process of creating a succulent garden, hope to find sun tolerant varieties.

When I see plantTubers touching the leaves of their succulents I'm like O_O what...are...you...doing...and then in a video later they claim it isn't doing so well... My succulents are on my windowsill on a shelf, my props are under growlight. I have clear pots and tried top watering, I noticed how much soil the water avoided! It was fascinating to watch the water, not wet the soil in any way. So I'll stick to bottom watering, I typically sit same genus together and leave to soak up water. I have beheaded leggy plants...All leftover stems have given me pups!

They have a lovely blush like blueberries to keep them from burning in the sun.. they grow their own sunscreen!

Another spot on video, equal parts good advice and mythbusting! I'm continually surprised at how many people believe cactus want to be in shade. At our shop we actually put up "please don't touch the leaves, it leaves a permanent print" signs any time we get any nice Pachyphytum or Graptopetalum in, because people just can't keep their fingers off of them. The farina may come back eventually but it will never be pristine again. 😢 Nothing sadder than seeing a beautiful white Pachyphytum or fancy Echeveria with a big ol' thumbprint right in the middle of it. In our cool and often moist climate there are people who grow in pure medium- or coarse-grade pumice. It's not the best practice for everybody but if you have rot issues and have your watering dialed in, it may be worth a try.

Very nice tips, thank you

a defective moisture meter almost killed my dracaena. it constantly showed a dryer value than the soil was, so i gave it water too often and it got root rot. since then i use the finger method again

Great information thank you i just ordered a large tent for my gator and dragons as well as a variety of potted plants like cacti and succulents and pathos and spider plants never spiders hate them scare me to death but i want to get a few shrubs to saving up for.

Very informative, thank you.

For about 3 months now... I have been buying succulents.... Keep them in the shade because I basically live under trees... They are in moist, fertile dirt.... They also get wet when I'm watering the other plants.... I have some that is right next to a water fountain.... They are constantly being splashed on.... I've also picked up many many from the different stores where they have fallen off different mother plants.... They began to shoot out one to two weeks after placing them on damp Even Cold soil in the shade..... The soil is cool and damp and moist.... They get rained on quite a bit... I have to keep cutting them back.... Also the case with the desert cactus small ones that ones that you buy at Walmart.... I have had great success.... Very thankful I haven't lost any of them.... The only thing I have done to the cactuses is move them into a birdcage where our native American wren won't poke its feet on the cactus Spike's thorns.... They don't get much sunlight either..... Again.... They are doing very well....

For me, part of the fun is touching them! In fact I encourage anyone new to succulents who visits to touch them. A lot of time I’m given a funny look. Next thing you know, even the most uninterested are looking closer touching them in awe. Mission accomplished! These plants are so tough, part of what makes them amazing. We don’t give them enough credit. They have survived Mother Nature in all her glory for ages, with no help from well meaning humans. I had them survive a winter in the basement or to long in the cold garage or even in frost. I love these plants, yet sometimes neglect is unavoidable. It’s been rare, that I have not at the very least been able to salvage by propagation. I used to save everything, because everything on these plants will pop babies! It’s truly incredible. Having a mimi meltdown one day, I decide to take a break and water. I come across a stick (basically), I stuck in dirt in a pot and threw it in with the rest. When I came across it that day, babies popping all around! I thought if that thing can make it, so can I! I named it “Fuck them pots!”. (Besides life, an order that was giving me a hard time that day. lol) The best advice I ever read was to read and take in all the advice you can. And then throw it out the window and do what seems right to you. My best advice (although no expert by any means, not even close) have fun with them! Enjoy them, experiment, kill some and start again! Try something the internet says they can’t do and be amazed when it does! Learning where they come from is a plus! Nobody can tell you when to water, not even your neighbor. Different soil (although go for gritty) different temperatures, your house is different than anyone else’s. Learn the basics and go from there… And, um, don’t water until they have a chance to dry in between, big pot, small, plastic, clay, let them dry in between and then water thoroughly because they’re thirsty now, just like you would be…. (hopefully that helps someone and I’m not just running on like usual… 🤣)

Grew some cactuses from seed, they’re growing great in just sand mixed with compost

Me watching this video realizing I’ve done everything I possibly could’ve wrong 🥲 my poor plants

Haworthia doesn't do well with huge amounts of direct (south facing window) sunlight. Some are good with it, some it can burn them a bit. Sometimes this makes them look interesting though and doesn't hurt them. I have a few I purposely allow to get stressed by the sun because they turn deep red. Doesn't seem to hurt them, and they turn back green in the fall/winter.

Thank you lots of info.

thanks

I have tried a lot of different substrates for my succulents and the best results are with pure mineral airy soil, usually pure pumice or lava rock. It store a lot of water for a day and is totalky dry the next day. All succulents I have tested absorb easilly water from this substrate, passing from wrinkly to plump in hours or even minutes. Probing the soil for moisture is a bad idea. In winter they dont need water for months even if the soil is completly dry. The best way is to touch gently a leaf and try to bend it. A properly watered succulent will remain plump and dry all winter and begin to use stored water only in spring.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for this video, I’m just getting into succulents, so am really enjoying all this content. I just bit the bullet and repotted an echeveria ‘AfterGlow’ with a cactus and perlite mix, love this plant, so pretty, but the poor thing is suffering, I’m so careful not to touch the leaves then accidentally drop it and step on it 😱🤦‍♀️ So I’m trying to propagate some of the lower leaves. What do you think about feeding with granules mixed in with the soil instead of a water feed?

Not me thinking the succulents somehow attract dust! Thank you for the info!

Living at 4000' on the slope of Mauna Loa - a succulent wonderland

😮 So, it wasn't some kind of dust? I am definitely subscribing. And I'm possible going to be able to keep live house plants😊 Thank you 🙇‍♀️

Good video.

Be careful with the moisture meter if you have to chunky soil, then it wont give and accurate reading :)

Thank you this helped me fanominaly with a jade tree I saved from a owner who almost drowned it.

It's frustrating because the vast majority of UK homes only have two window directions. I'm blessed to have a south facing window side, but the front of my house is cold and depressed.

Very informative 😊

I've made some homemade orange oil in an olive carrier oil to use on the garden to ward off pests; I've battled with I think thrips and gnats and my blueberries have, not spider mites but regular spiders lol. After hitting the jades with the oil, they greatly disliked it! :o 80% of the leaves fell off, my babiesss lol

I like headlines couched in the positive. People unconsciously dismiss negative words. Like instead of saying "Don't forget to subscribe!" is better said, "Remember to subscribe!"

Super helpful, thanks a ton! 5:34

I watch from another vlogger saying according to fungsui . We cannot put jade plants in our room bedside because vit absorb our energy

Wau so nice

what you mentioned.. Jade plant are special succulents. They can grow in water. I still grow one of them in water about 10 month ago 😀😊 I also put little fertiliser. Not too much at all. The plant grows new leaves and Lot of roots. Someone on Instagram plant expert recommend me to keep in soil but i wanted to try how is the kindda hydroponic solution. So I cutted a wee branch of my jade and 10 month after still grows without problem 😀😀😀😀 My "swimmer jade" doesn't care at all. I change once a week water and that's it plus fertiliser and she is nearly window. I just laugh on some plant expert... 😀

So what about when it rains and the water gets all over the leaves? How does getting a few splatters of water on the leaves from top watering compare?

Happy New Year 🎆 For 2024 I will be into succulents. Fingers crossed that I won't kill it😅

Richard - I cannot seem to find a video of Dracenas. . I have a very typical dracena that has always been easy to care for, and has looked beautiful, but I have noticed that the NEW leaves coming from the center, have markings on them that I have never seen. If you have a videa of dracenas, pleast lmk and I will watch it. Thank you so much! Nancy Marano, New Jersey, USA. . .

I thought that layer of dust was actually dust and I cleaned it off my succulents! I hope they'll be okay..

I have to use grow lights because of the way my house is laid out and a car port and such so I use grow lights but I am very confused on how long to use them and if it will even work. Some of them look great while others don't look 100 percent. In the spring I can surely put then outside more but in the winter I am just not sure if I am doing the right thing.

Where can I find information on if succulents can live in the house verses outdoors in a particular zone. Thank you for this video. It is very helpful.

last week, I bought 2 cheap but pretty succulent cactus but one of them stem/leave suddenly fall off. After watching this, I might gave them too much water. 😭No wonder they so fat. I dont know how to save them but hopping for the sun saving them and I need to remind myself gave them water once in 2 weeks.. It was my first time taking care of them and didnt know succulent kinda hard to taking care of it.

Do you have any night blooming cerus? Some people call them orchid cactus. I wish I could send you one of mine! They’re a great growing, but very funny looking plant that has the most intoxicating smelling flowers (very rare blooms tho)

I've got 3 succulents in a south facing window. My oldest of the three keeps getting taller and taller. The 2nd oldest is definitely leaning towards the sun (even though I keep turning the pot) and slowly rising. I've been told they do that because they are trying to reach the sun. I don't know how my window is inadequate...they literally can't get any closer.