Outdoor Succulent Light and Temperature Needs Succulents grow well in full sun conditions. Sunlight makes for happy succulents that exude health through their plump and colorful leaves. Too little sunlight will cause succulents to reach awkwardly for sunlight, resulting in spindly, blanched, and unbalanced plants.
Most succulents do best in bright direct light and need at least 6 hours of natural light per day. But if you only have a shady corner in your home, choose plants like mother-in-law tongue that do well in low light and place them near a south or east-facing window.
Be aware that temperatures either too low or too high can do harm to your succulents. Temperatures lower than 40°F or higher than 90°F are never recommended. In summer, the combination of high temperatures and full sun exposure can cause sunburn for your succulents, damaging both the leaves and the root systems.
Heat, unlike frost (temps 32 degrees F and lower), usually isn't a concern for succulents. Although some tend not to thrive in temps above 80 or 90 degrees F, the majority can handle more than you're personally comfortable with...as evidenced by greenhouse temperatures that soar into the triple digits on summer days.
Doesn't have drainage holes so it's easy to water-log the roots in wet soil. Direct sunlight on glass can bend light and magnify the sunlight to burn and kill your succulents.
According to Retro Den, the rule of thumb for watering your succulent is every other week during non-winter months. During the winter months, when the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it is recommended to water your succulent only once a month.
If your succulents are outside or in a greenhouse during the summer, you will want to water them about once a week. The soil should approach dryness, but not stay dry for long periods of time.
You'll know your succulents have been sunburnt when they have whitish or brown discoloration.
'From spring to fall, during the period of active growth, these plants should be watered once every seven to 10 days. In winter, when the light day becomes shorter, succulents go into dormancy, so you don't need to water them more than once every three to four weeks.
There's no secret about it: succulents want ample light. How does that translate into your reality? An unobstructed south-facing window is ideal, but a bright east- or west-facing exposure usually does the job too. If you only have north-facing windows or live in the woods, sorry.
The most light-sensitive succulents, like the ones mentioned in the next paragraph, should be kept away from full sun outside. Some morning or evening rays are fine, but they often can't handle more than a couple of hours.
The art of stressing
Observe your plants. If leaves are margined or tipped in red, they're likely prospects. But if excess heat, sun or cold makes tips shrivel and beigey-gray patches appear on leaves, the plant is suffering. Move it to a kinder location, keep soil moist (but not soggy), and check its roots.
Soft & Translucent leaves:
Soft leaves appear in underwatered as well as overwatered succulent plants. Then how do you know what your plant is suffering from? Well, the most prominent difference is that underwatered plants are soft while overwatered plants are soggy and translucent.
Watering at Night
You can also water your succulents at night. Unlike during the daytime, your succulents may not drink all of the water, and the excess may pool and cause problems associated with overwatering.
Indoor or Cool Climates
They can go up to 1-3 months of no watering. Indoor succulents will have less exposure to the elements outdoors - wind and sunlight outdoors tend to dry out the soil faster than it does indoors. In cooler climates, generally fall and winter, the soil stays moist for longer periods of time.
Low light succulents are happy with indirect morning sun to afternoon sun. This means that if you don't have a super sunny South facing window, a lower light succulent can still be happy in your home.
Full grown succulents don't actually like to be misted. They thrive in arid climates, so when you mist them, you are changing the humidity around the plant. This can lead to rot as well. Use misting for propagation babes to lightly provide water to their delicate little roots.
Choose a Container with Drainage
Succulents don't like to sit in waterlogged soil, so drainage is important to prevent rot. Your container should have a drainage hole to allow excess water to escape.
By definition, succulents have the quality of succulence: juiciness. They're expressly designed to get by without a lot of rainfall. The flip side is that they don't survive well with it. So grow them in containers, and move them under shelter when the weather turns too wet.
The first sign of overwatering to watch for is discoloration and change in the leaves' form. You'll notice the leaves becoming translucent, soft, and squishy, and unlike those that have been under-watered, they will be dropped by the plant rather than recovered.
Signs of healthy succulents include vibrant colors, firm leaves, and slow growth. Succulents are not meant to grow quickly.
How can I tell a male plant from a female plant? You need to check the plant when it's flowering and take a close look at the blossoms. Female flowers contain a swollen vase-like structure called a pistil. Male flowers have long, thin filament or pin-like structures called stamens.