How To Save An Overwatered Succulent

• The first thing that you need to do is to extract the plant and be sure to get rid of all the wet soil from its roots.
• You should keep the plant dry for three to seven days.
• Keep the plant in a dry and bright place but avoid placing them on direct sunlight so it won’t get burned.
• Once the plant is completely dry, then you can replant it. Be sure to use a well-draining potting mix and avoid watering them right away. You can water them after a week and make sure that you won’t overwater them again.
• If you think that there is no need for repotting them, then you can just dry them out entirely before watering them again. It’s fine to water them after a week, but before doing so, you have to touch the soil and make sure that it is completely dry. However, if it is still wet, then it requires repotting since it did not dry out fast enough.

• Examine the seriousness of the rot. After discovering that the rot is not so severe, then try to find the portions of the plant that you can save. If the leaves can be salvaged, then save them.
• Try to save several leaves so they can be used for propagation. Most often, leaf propagation can be challenging, hence, you need lots of it to make sure that some of it can survive.
• Be sure to extract the whole leaf including its base. Keep in mind that a damaged leaf won’t be able to survive.
• Put the leaves in a dry place and away from direct sunlight. Let them dry for a few days.
• Once they are completely dry, then lay them on a pot with soil.
• Keep them away from direct sunlight at all times. Once the soil gets dry, then you can mist them. Wait until new roots will appear and eventually new plants will emerge.

• Aside from the leaves, you could also save some parts of the stem. Examine the stem carefully and remove any rotten parts including the roots. Save any sustainable parts of the stem.
• In order to know if it is sustainable or not, you have to cut the stem. If the inside part of the stem is still green, then there are greater chances that they can survive and be propagated into a new plant.
• Keep them in a dry place, away from direct sunlight. Let them dry for a few days or until such time that the cuts have healed completely.
• Once they are completely dry, then you can put them on the soil.
• When the soil gets dry, then you can mist them. Be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight until their roots have grown.

Watering Needs

Watering your succulent outdoors is entirely different from watering plants that are placed indoors. Since outdoor plants can obtain more sunlight, they can dry out sooner. On the other hand, indoor plants do not dry out so soon, so you don’t have to water them more frequently.

Before you create your watering schedule, you must observe your plants. Instead of following a watering schedule, it is best if you can determine the watering needs of your plants.

You might not be aware of it, but there are some succulents which require more water. For instance, Aeoniums love too much water but Sedum burrito does not. The fact is, they tend to get rotten too quickly with lots of water.

Another important factor to consider is the climate in your area. If you are living in a place with a dry climate, then the tendency is your succulents can dry out faster. Hence, you have to water them more often. On the contrary, if you are living in a place with a humid climate, then there is no need for you to water them too often.

Watering will also depend on the time of the year. For instance, during the summer, your plants tend to require more water due to the heat. However, during the winter, there is no need to water them more frequently.

You also need to consider their growing seasons. During the early summer and spring, you need to water them more frequently since this is their growing period. But during the wintertime, they don’t need too much water since they are dormant during this period. Nevertheless, it will still depend on the type of succulent that you are growing.

Usually, you can water your plants every seven to ten days during the warmer months and every two weeks during the cooler months. If it rains more frequently in your area during the winter season, then you should avoid watering your plants more often.

If you are living in a humid area, then you don’t need to water them too frequently. If you place your succulents indoors, then you have to make some adjustments. Keep in mind that it is easier to save an underwatered succulent than an overwatered plant. Hence, if you are having some doubts, then you should apply less, rather than putting more until you figure it out.

In order to help you measure the watering needs of your succulents, you can use various tools such as hygrometers and moisture meters.

Soil Needs

Aside from using the proper watering techniques, it is also important that you are using the right kind of soil. Regardless, if you did not overwater your plant, but you are using inappropriate potting mix, there are still chances that they can experience overwatering. Be sure to use the well-draining potting mix on your succulents. Generally, you should not let your succulent remain in wet soil for a long period. You can provide them a sufficient amount of water, then give them some time to dry out.

Most succulent growers would love to use cactus mix blended with perlite. However, using a sandy soil mixture is also a good choice. You can do this on your own by mixing cactus mix and coarse sand. You could also combine the three ingredients that are mentioned above. Mix perlite, coarse sand, and cactus mix in equal parts.

You need to remember that even if your succulent is overwatered, it’s not the end of it. You should not lose hope. Succulents are considered resilient plants. This means that even if they are dying, there are still chances that you can save them.

At Eden Succulents, you can find a lot of information about growing and caring for succulents. Have you ever experienced saving an overwatered succulent? If so, then please share it with us in the comments below. We’d be happy to hear it.