Growing Succulents Indoors: Light, Pots and Watering

Succulents can live indoors if they get at least six to eight hours of bright light, a pot with a drainage hole and water only when the soil is completely dry. Illinois Extension says to add fluorescent or LED light if a window is not enough. This guide sits under our main succulent care guide and applies to succulents in general, not one genus.

Pick the brightest spot

Penn State says most succulents prefer about six hours of sunlight daily but can get sunburned easily. Illinois Extension says they do best in a window with bright indirect sunlight for about 6 hours a day, and elsewhere says it is best to provide at least six to eight hours of bright sunlight. Our sources do not say which window direction is best, so we will not guess. A window that is bright for most of the day is the target.

If your light is not enough, Illinois gives two fixes. One is to rotate succulents between sunny windows. The other is to provide supplemental lighting using fluorescent or LED bulbs. Our sources do not give a distance or a number of hours for grow lights.

Signs of low light

Illinois says that without adequate light succulents begin to stretch and elongate, and colorful succulents begin to revert to green. The fix the sources point to is more light.

Pots and mix

Watering indoors

The rule is the same indoors as out. Water only when the soil is completely dry, and water deeply until water runs out of the drainage holes (Illinois). Penn State says to put your finger in the soil to tell when it is dry. Illinois gives about every two to three weeks as a general guide, and one Oregon State grower waters about once a month, so there is no single calendar. Overly moist soil resulting in root rot is the number one killer (Illinois).

In winter, Illinois says succulents go dormant and can be watered even less, perhaps only a couple of times, and need no fertilizer because growth has slowed with shorter days.

1. Find the brightest window. At least six to eight hours of bright light (Illinois). Add LED or fluorescent light if needed.
2. Use a pot with a drainage hole. Terracotta or clay pots dry faster (Illinois).
3. Fill with succulent mix. Or one part organic to two parts mineral (Illinois).
4. Water only when completely dry. Soak deeply, then let water run out of the holes (Illinois).
5. Water less in winter and skip the fertilizer. Perhaps only a couple of waterings (Illinois).

Feeding and cleanup

Illinois Extension and Penn State differ on feeding: one Illinois article says low-nitrogen fertilizer at half the labeled rate, the other says once a year in late spring or summer at a quarter to half the rate, and Penn State says about once a month. All say feed lightly in the growing season. Penn State says to remove dead leaves regularly to prevent pests and diseases, and to wipe off mealybugs with a lightly alcohol-soaked cotton swab. Illinois says scale and mealybugs can occur.

Moving plants outdoors for summer

Penn State says succulent containers can be moved outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. Illinois says to transition plants slowly, because unfiltered sunlight is much more intense and causes leaves to burn. Bring tender types back in before frost: Illinois says soft succulents can only be planted outside in zones 9, 10 and 11.

What the sources do not say

No source here gives indoor humidity, a window direction, grow-light distance or hours, or a minimum indoor temperature. Our succulent cuttings guide covers propagation. For a plant that flowers in winter and has its own light rules (long nights), see the Christmas cactus guide. Another plant that wants a bright indoor window in winter is potted jasmine, for which Clemson says at least four hours of direct sun daily or 14 to 16 hours of strong artificial light; see our guide to jasmine in pots. Back to the succulent care guide.