Looking after house plants: cacti and succulents

There is a houseplant revolution happening; everyone can’t get enough of them. One of the favourites, and thought to be one of the easiest to care for, are cacti and succulents. 

However, if we had a pound for every time we’d heard “So, my [cactus/succulent] died and I have no idea why! It got floppy so I gave it some more water but that didn’t help and then it became a mushy mess.” we’d have a lot of pound coins. So we’re here to help you keep those cacti and succulents alive. 

Some of the incredible cacti and succulents you can see at The Barbican Conservatory

Don’t overwater cacti and succulents

Desert cacti and succulents are specially adapted to survive in areas where water is scarce. Some have no leaves or teeny tiny ones, some have huge water stores underground, and most have plump leaves and stems which are packed with water. This is why lots of them have spikes; to stop animals from getting to the water they’ve stored away.

Similarly, jungle cacti and succulents tend to live on and under trees, so they won't always be showered from rainfall. This is why misting them is so important; they're used to the high humidity of jungles which helps them stay moist.

So, how should you water them?

The best way to water cacti and succulents depends on where they come from. For desert cacti and succulents, wait until the soil is very dry - the easiest way to test this is just to pick it up! If it’s super light, then it will need a good watering. For jungle cacti and succulents like bromeliads and fishbone cacti, you want to maintain moisture in the soil with regular misting and a consistently moist, but not soggy, soil.

You should always water them from above, so pop them in a sink and pour water into the soil until water drains out the bottom. Leave the plant to drain for a good 10-15 minutes and then place them back in their pots. They hate having a soggy bottom!

How much light do they need?

Most cacti and succulents have high light requirements but they can survive with less light, they just won’t grow much. Some succulents, like hoyas, actually prefer indirect sunlight or part shade, otherwise they might suffer leaf scorch. We have a hoya in our biggest, sunniest window, but it does fine because there’s an opaque curtain between it and the window, diffusing the light. 

It’s always best to check with the plants person in store, or you can ask us! Even if they don’t have high light requirements, most cacti and succulents still like to be kept in a warm environment that’s well ventilated. 

Our top houseplant tip

We’ve learnt that it’s best to have a space in mind before we buy a plant, so we know exactly what conditions are available. This means that we don’t have to spend hours shuffling the plants around or end up having one windowsill with a clutter of plants on it. 

We hope you’ve learnt something new from us at Lilac Tree Gardens. You can follow our journey to that dream farm life on our Instagram. 

One of the cactus rooms at the Jardin Botanico in Valencia.