When talking about how to grow a certain succulent, the question asked most often is : “How much water does it need”. Unfortunately this is also the question which is the most difficult to answer, because of the numerous factors involved.
The following remarks are intended to give you some general background information in order to point you in the right direction:
__ More succulents die from too much than from too little water
__ Lack of water is much more easily remedied than too much of it
__ A small plant has less substance than a big one and therefore dries out more easily. For that reason young seedlings should always be kept slightly damp
__ The more leafy a plant is the more water it generally needs
__ The fatter the leaves and/or stems are, the better the plant is able to withstand drought. The same applies to the presence of wax layers, hairs etc.
__The larger the pot, the longer the soil will stay wet
__ At lower temperatures the soil will stay wet longer
__ Plants that even during the growing period tolerate little water, are best given a small pot and an extra porous soil
__ Many plants show when they want to be watered again after their resting period, e.g. by forming new leaves (also see next remark)
__ If you don’t know the growing period of a plant it is best to proceed as follows: Every few weeks mist the plant and see how it responds (if at all). If it shows signs of renewed growth, start watering carefully. if nothing happens after the misting, repeat this a few weeks later
__ Allow the soil to dry out before watering again
__ WHEN IN DOUBT DON’T WATER
To be continued.