How do I grow in Michigan?

While some of this information is general enough to apply to growing cacti and succulents in many climates, our club will do its best to help educate cold-climate growers achieve success with their plants.

Watering

Admit it. You’ve asked the question: How often do I water a cactus or succulent?

Humans like schedules, but plants don’t. Folks want a recommendation as to “how often” a plant wants to be watered, and to that, the answer is, “When it needs it.” The trick is to look for clues as to whether or not it does...only by observation can we determine if our plant needs water. If schedules work for you, schedule yourself a time to INSPECT the plant versus a time to water it. First of all, identify your plant and determine what its suggested watering requirements are. Most cacti and succulents want the soil to dry out completely before watering again. Different factors can affect how quickly the soil dries; once every two weeks may be fine in May, but in the heat of summer, this might mean watering daily, and in January not at all. Here are some other considerations that affect how often a plant may need water: 

  • Size of plant - in general, juvenile cacti and succulents enjoy more water than adult plants, which develop more drought tolerance as they mature. But consider how dynamic the root system is when assessing each specimen’s needs, and what water storage organs the plant possesses in making this assessment. 

  • Size of pot - make sure the pot size is suitable to the plant and its root system.  Too large of a pot is one of the primary causes of accidental overwatering, as the soil takes too long to dry out if the root system is not well established throughout the soil enough to soak up the excess moisture.

  • Type of pot - terracotta vs ceramic vs plastic* (*SEE INFO BELOW ON POT TYPES!)

  • Type of plant - example: epiphytic jungle cacti will want more water than their arid cousins

  • Potting medium (how well-draining, how much moisture it retains) MORE ON THIS TOPIC LATER...STAY TUNED!

  • Speed of growth (more water during growing season)

  • State of dormancy - many succulents have a dormancy period.  Make a habit of always identifying your plant so you know whether its health is declining, or whether it is just entering a natural cycle of dormancy.

  • Temperature/time of year (less evaporation in cold weather) 

  • Intensity of light

  • Humidity of environment (40-60% = moderate humidity)

What type of water is best for my plant?

Most plants want a neutral ph. Here are some recommendations for waters types:

  • Tap - may contain chlorine or other contaminants (ewg.org to check water in your area)

  • Standing water - leave uncovered 24 hours to evaporate chemicals

  • Rain water - some impurities, some nutrients

  • Filtered water - removes some impurities (carbon filtration available for hose) 

  • Distilled - removes most contaminants, but not chloramines 

  • Reverse Osmosis - removes all heavy metals/fluoride, etc

Am I overwatering?

Signs of overwatering include:

  • Wilted, but soil is wet

  • Yellow falling leaves

  • Brown leaves

  • Root rot (smell)

Am I underwatering?

Signs of underwatering include:

  • Soil is pulled away from pot edge (compacted soil)

  • Wilting with dry soil

  • Discolored leaves

  • Slow growth

  • Dried leaves toward bottom of plant

    How you can tell that you may need to water

  • Color: soil generally lightens in color as it dries

  • Dampness: Feel it with your finger.  Use a moisture meter.  Use a chopstick, and stick it into the soil to check if it is moist below the surface (it will come back damp)

  • Check the drainage hole/saucer.  It may be that there is still moisture in the bottom of the pot even though the top appears dry.  Checking the drainage hole and saucer is a great habit to get into anyway for a variety of reasons:  you may see roots which indicates it’s time to repot, you may spot rot happening there before it affects the entire plant, you may spot pests in the soil, you may spot a drainage issue before it becomes a problem.

  •  Look for changes in the plant: Leaf wilt, leaf shrivel in succulents, wrinkling in cacti.  These types of plants are made to survive drought.  It’s always better to under-water, which the plant can recover from, than to over-water, which it cannot.

What is the best way to water? From the bottom? From the top?

  • Water THOROUGHLY (even for cacti!) to ensure root growth throughout the soil medium

  • Water all around the plant, not just in one place

  • Water until 10-20% of the water exits the drainage hole (empty the saucer or water in the sink)

  • Think “moist” versus “wet” - soil should have squeezed sponge or cake consistency

  • ALWAYS HAVE PROPER DRAINAGE HOLES!!  Decorative pots without drainage should be treated as a “saucer”

  • Know which plants like bottom-watering: fuzzy leaves/boggy plants 

  • For plants that form rosettes, try to avoid getting any water in the center of the plant, as this can cause rot. If some water droplets get where they don’t belong, you can use a plastic straw to blow them away.

Here’s some helpful tools to have on hand for watering:

  • Watering can/bottle = directional watering

  • Spray bottle - good for misting to increase humidity or for foliar feeding

  • Humidity mat/tray - good to boost humidity or keep plants happy that like to be consistently moist

  • Humidifier - use in winter to combat drying effects of the furnace or radiator

  • Top dressing/drainage materials: moss, rocks, or sand

Best strategies for bottom watering:

  • Wicking - good for African violets

  • Soaking - just don’t let them sit in water for too long (5 minutes)

  • Humidity Tray - good for ferns and tropicals

  • Water tray - Good for carnivorous/bog plants and some ferns (as a general rule, most plants cannot tolerate sitting in standing water and will suffer root rot as a result)

Does pot size matter to watering? How do I know what size pot to use for my cacti or succulent?

We recommend THIS article from Drought Smart Plants; We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

What type of pot is best for my plant?

  • Ceramic 

    • Terracotta or unglazed - great for plants that are prone to overwatering, as the pot will absorb excess moisture from the soil

    • Glazed inside - best for tropicals versus succulent/cacti, as this kind of pot retains more water

  • Plastic - basic and affordable, but will retain more water than ceramic

  • Tufa/Cement -  can increase soil alkalinity (good for plants that can tolerate a high ph)

  • Decorative (no drainage) - SHOULD BE TREATED AS A SAUCER by setting the entire properly potted plant into the decorative vessel