Ever had a succulent that looked totally fine, and then all of a sudden it started falling apart? You pick it up and a bunch of leaves dropped or the whole top comes off in your hand or it just died. It feels like it happened out of nowhere. If its all soft and mushy, the roots could have been rotting for a while before you saw anything above the soil.

What causes root rot?

Root rot happens when the soil stays wet for too long of a time. Some people think its caused by how much water you give a succulent in one watering but it's not. You could give your succulent seven cups of water in one sitting and it can be just fine if the extra drains away but if you water every week or two while the soil is still wet from the last watering (even down below) especially with little light or airflow, the roots can struggle to get enough oxygen and start to rot.

Roots need air, and when the soil stays even slightly wet, they start to die. Staying too wet also helps the organisms that cause rot spread.

Watering again before the pot dries fully out is one way this happens. Packed and dense soil that doesn't have aeration, a pot that’s too big for the root ball or a pot without a drainage hole can all keep the roots too wet. 

Can a rotting succulent look thirsty?

Yes! Confusing, we know! Damaged roots can't to take up water, so the leaves can start to wrinkle even while the soil is still wet. It’s easy to look at those wrinkles and think your plant needs another watering. Here’s what to check first.

Wrinkled leaves, dry soil all the way down, and a firm stem means your succulent is thirsty. Give it a good soak and let the pot drain excess water.
Wrinkled leaves and soil that’s still wet means do not water. If the succulent keeps getting worse slide it out of its pot and check the roots. Rotted roots feel soft or slimy and are black. Sometimes they can even smell.

Can you save it?

If the stem is still firm and some of the roots still look healthy just trim away the rotted roots with clean scissors and repot it in fresh dry succulent soil.

If the stem is mushy but the top is still firm, you might be able to save the top as a cutting. Cut above the rot  to firm stem. Let the cut end dry and callus before potting again. If the whole stem is soft and collapsing there usually isn’t enough healthy plant left to save.

Are there signs before rot?

Yes! Sometimes your succulent tells you before it falls apart. If leaves start turning yellow, feel mushy or fall off when you barely touch them, check the soil all the way down. You could be overwatering or your soil isn;t drying fast enough after watering. Your succulent drooping or can also be a sign that the roots are struggling. If you catch it while the stem and roots are still firm, giving the soil extra time to dry all the way through can help prevent root rot.

How to water to prevent root rot

When you water, give the whole root ball a good soak and let the extra water drain out the holes. Then let the soil dry all the way through and stay dry until the plant starts showing signs of bring thirsty. Depending on the succulent, the leaves might get a little thinner, less plump, not as shiny or slightly wrinkled.

One of our favorite ways to check is to pick up the pot. A small nursery pot with dry soil can feel light as a feather. Pick it up after watering and again once it’s dry so you know what your pot feels like both ways. If you’re still not sure, put a wooden skewer down near the edge of the pot to the bottom. If it comes out wet with soil stuck to it, give it more time. Kinda like a brownie and a toothpick.

For many indoor succulents, two to three weeks between waterings is normal and some can go closer to a month between waterings.

A lot of that time difference depends on your soil. A really gritty mix that dries fast might be ready for water after a week but a mix that holds onto water might go closer to a month between waterings. If you’re keeping your Succly plant in the soil we sent it in, start by checking around the two- to three-week mark. But again thats all dependent on your house and where you keep it. Is it under a grow light? Are the windows open? Is it Hot? Cold? Humid? It really isn't a one size fits all so you have to figure out what watering looks like for your personal growing conditions.

Remember to look for signs that your succulent is getting thirsty, like the leaves that are a little less plump or starting to wrinkle. If you water the moment you think the soil is dry, it’s easy to catch the pot while it’s still wet at the bottom and keep the roots wet long enough that rot starts. 

Our biggest tip? If you’re unsure, wait. We’ve had succulents outside our home in the California heat go six weeks without water and still be alive. That’s an example of how much water they can store in their leaves. If the plant is still firm and you can’t tell whether the bottom of the pot is dry, give it a few more days and check again, it will not hurt to wait. In fact its probably better ◡̈