Have you noticed that the leaves of your succulents are falling off or becoming soft? Rather than being over- or under-watered, there can be one or more reasons for this.
What caused my succulent plants to die? Better yet, how did I revive them?
If you think you have “bad luck” growing healthy succulent plants, the solution may be simple. Here are the six most common reasons your succulents keep dying and how to revive them.
The low maintenance of succulents is why more and more people are taking care of them.
Moreover, they are living things, and no matter how easy it is to take care of them, they won’t survive in sub-par conditions for long.
Taking care of your plants is like taking care of a baby. As a parent, you should be aware of some visible signs of distress exhibited by your child.
Their overall appearance changes when something is wrong, especially when their leaves turn soft or fall off.
Common Issues To Look For In A Dying Succulent
What can you do to determine if the plant is dying and not just experiencing a rough patch?
Here are some visible signs to watch for:
Drying Up Or Dried Up, Brown Leaves On The Upper Parts Of Your Plant
A plant that’s acting like this most likely means that it’s dehydrated, but sometimes it’s just a natural process for plants to dry up so they can grow new leaves.
Succulent Leaves Turning Soft
Unless there are visible signs of rot, this may be a sign that your succulent is in distress. If the succulent’s natural texture isn’t that soft, this might be an indication that they have rot.
Drooping Or Sagging Leaves
The moisture content inside your plant may be very low, and you may see tiny wrinkles appearing, which indicates that the internal tissue volume of your plant is quickly diminishing.
Black Leaves
If you spot black spots or leaves on your succulents, you should be very concerned. If they are completely black, unfortunately, there may not be anything else you can do if the roots are rotting up to the stem.
Succulents Are Turning Yellow
Did you notice that your succulent’s leaves were yellowing?
You should avoid watering them for a few days to avoid them rotting. Check the soil too.
Rotting Stems
Just like black leaves, this indicates that rot is advancing. Don’t let it completely destroy your succulent.
Translucent Leaves
Translucent and soft leaves are also signs that your plant is overwatered.
Why Are Leaves Falling Off My Succulents?
In most cases, succulents don’t need all these signs at the same time to indicate they’re dying. It’s more about the underlying cause of their declining state.
As an example, black leaves appear when your plant is overwatered, while brown or yellow leaves indicate that your plant needs water.
Additionally, succulent leaves can sometimes die and dry out in the course of their lives. It means you shouldn’t panic if you ever discover leaves falling off succulents.
It’s perfectly normal for some plants to shed their dried leaves as they grow so new, healthy ones can grow. These dried leaves are usually found at the bottom of the plant.
7 Reasons Your Succulents Are Dying And How To Revive A Dying Succulent Plant
1. Over-Watering: You Are Giving Your Succulents Way Too Much Water Than Necessary
In fact, over-watering can cause succulents to die. Believe it or not, succulents that are over-watered die more often than not.
Unlike most plants, succulents don’t really need a lot of water to survive. Overwatered succulents will get rot at the bottom and eventually die.
Because succulents don’t require too much water, they make a great first plant for beginners.
If you are just starting out, you might feel the need to water them constantly, without knowing that giving too much can actually be detrimental to your succulent.
A mistake I made once involved overwatering my Echeveria Elegans Blue. The leaves became soft and mushy, and I did not pay much attention to them. I only moved when they started turning black.
We couldn’t revive it since the rot had already spread to the upper parts of the plant.
However, you might wonder how you can recognize if your succulent has been over-watered. Well, the answer is easy since it is easy to tell if it has been over-watered.
The first sign of overwatering is puffy, translucent, and mushy stems and leaves on your succulent. A succulent with yellowing leaves is also overwatered.
How Do You Save An Over-Watered Succulent?
You will always be better off if you prevent the problem from occurring in the first place. Be sure that the soil is completely dry before watering your succulent again.
Then you can wait a few days before watering the plant since it does not require it yet.
Over-watering can be indicated by signs such as rotting spots, particularly black ones. Use a sharp knife dipped in alcohol to cut off the rotting stem, leaves, or tissue. This will leave you with a healthy plant.
Follow these steps before replanting the treated plant.
To dry out your succulent, give it 3-5 days of air circulation and bright light before placing it in an area where it is overwatered.
Since you’re dealing with an overwatered plant, it’s essential that they heal in an area with enough light and air circulation to expel moisture.
After your succulent plant has been treated, let it heal for a few days. Once it is healed, you can now propagate them or transplant them in another soil. They now have a rot-free root system.
2. Under-Watering: Your Succulents Don’t Get Enough Water
Since you are now wary of over-watering your succulent, you limit its water consumption.
But what has happened to my plants? Why are they now dry and crispy?
This is due to dehydration or under-hydration.
Especially the outdoor ones need to be watered frequently during hotter days.
Nevertheless, it depends on the kind of succulent that you have. Certain succulent varieties require more frequent watering than others, so be sure to check the specific watering requirements of your succulent first.
Your succulents’ leaves will become flat and droopy when under-watered. They will lose their moisture by opening their leaves.
How To Revive A Under-Watered Succulent Plant?
It’s easier to revive an under-watered succulent than an overwatered one. Just soak it for a few minutes.
Adding more water to the plants can also replenish the plumpness of the leaves.
For extreme cases of under-watering, you can try water therapy. Make sure your plants’ roots are free of soil, and then submerge them in water for 24 to 72 hours.
If you start the water therapy with soil on the roots, you should make sure that all organic matter has been removed from the root.
As soon as you are certain they are healthy again, you can resume watering your plant according to its recommended schedule.
You should consider their natural habitat as well as their dormancy period in order to determine their optimal watering requirements.
3. Your Succulent Is Planted On The Wrong Soil
The root of this problem is closely associated with overwatering your succulent. If you plant it on the wrong soil, water will stay in your succulent, eventually leading to rot.
Rich soil tends to retain water, but if you combine it with too much water, your plant will die for sure.
Use Well Draining Soil For Succulent Container Gardens
Succulents can live in any soil as long as it is well-draining, so if you notice that the soil where you planted them stays too moist, then you need to replant them in a new pot and soil.
Succulents need soil that retains just enough water for them to absorb, but also dries it out so it won’t rot their roots.
Furthermore, succulents get their water from the air moisture around them, so you don’t need to water them directly.
If you don’t want to make a succulent mix, you can always buy cactus mix at some stores.
In general, soil with particles about 1/4″ or 6mm in size is best because these soils drain well.
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