Showerthought: People keep saying 'succulents need no water' and it's killing plants

In my experience, that old advice gets taken way too far. I saw a friend's jade plant in Denver last summer, and its leaves were paper thin because she hadn't watered it in over two months. They do need less water, but they still need some, especially when it's hot and dry. How do you figure out the right schedule for your own plants?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_pat2mo ago

That "paper thin" look is actually a good sign. A thirsty jade plant will have soft, slightly wrinkled leaves, not paper thin ones. Paper thin means it used up all its stored water and is now dying. Two months without water in Denver sounds about right for a healthy one. The trick is to water deeply when you do, then wait until the soil is completely dry and the leaves give a little when you gently squeeze them.

the_hannah2mo ago

Yeah, the "need no water" line got me too. I learned the hard way after a few crispy aloe plants.

patking2mo ago

Wait, two months without water in Denver is normal? That's crazy to me, it gets so dry there in the summer. My cousin's place in Arizona and her plants need a drink way more often than that.