Are you new to owning a succulent? Lucky for you, they’re relatively easy to care for. As adaptable desert plants, succulents are usually very hardy and don’t need constant care. However, there are a few important rules to remember in order to have a thriving succulent.

1. Determine if you want an indoor or outdoor plant: Succulents can be planted both indoors and outdoors. To decide where to plant it, you have to think about where you live. If you live in a place that gets a lot of rain year-round, you might want to consider an indoor plant. It might be harder to have an indoor succulent, however, because the soil will be too moist due to the lack of a breeze and the plant will have a harder time getting sunlight.
2. Make sure you water your succulent properly: This may vary from succulent to succulent, but the general rule of thumb is to water your succulent every week or every other week during growing season. Believe it or not, the most common cause of succulent death is underwatering. Even though they’re desert plants, they still need water, just not too frequently. You don’t even need to use a lot of water; when the water starts draining, you can stop watering. When your succulent is dormant, meaning it stops growing for a while (think of it as hibernation), you should generally water your succulent every month. To tell if you need to water the succulent, gently squish the leaves. If they’re firm, it’s fine; if they’re a bit squishy, you should water the plant. An important thing to remember when watering your succulent is never water the leaves because this can cause leaf rot. A Beginner’s Guide to Caring for a Succulent
3. Use a well-draining soil: As desert plants are prone to root rot, succulents need well-draining soil. You can use cactus soil or succulent soil from your local plant nursery because they’re geared to drain well. Adding sand to your soil also helps the water drain more easily. The reason succulents need well-draining soil is because other soils hold on to the water rather than release it. Never let your succulent sit in water. If you use a tray under the pot, dump out the excess water once the soil has drained. Another helpful tip for good drainage is a loose layer of gravel underneath and on top of the soil mixture.
4. The Problem of Bugs: If you have an outdoor succulent, you might find that it attracts pests. Usually overwatering, too much fertilizer, and some weather conditions can lead to more bugs. Don’t worry about this, as it can be easily fixed by using rubbing alcohol the next time you water the plant.
5. Protect Your Succulents from Rain: As mentioned before, rain can cause leaf rot on outdoor succulents. To take care of this, you don’t need to move your succulent inside and outside during the rainy season. A little bit of rain won’t harm your plants; it will only give your succulents nitrogen and wash away chemicals on the leaves. If you have heavy and frequent rain, however, you should keep your plant covered with an umbrella, tent, tarp, or some other form of protection. It’s also good to watch the forecast, which will help you predict rain. After rain, dump out any excess water, dry the leaves, and put the succulent in the sun so it dries out more quickly. You should also check the succulent for dead or rotting leaves and prune the succulent. This prevents the rotting leaves from retaining moisture after rain, which invites bacteria to grow. After rain, if the soil is moist, you might not need to water your succulent.