All My Indoor Potted Succulents Are Dying

Overwatering

• Potted succulents lose moisture quickly, especially if their containers are porous clay. Overwatering, however, kills succulents more than underwatering; their moisture storage ability allows them to remain healthy for weeks without rainfall or irrigation. Insert your finger or a moisture meter into a succulent's soil to determine whether or not the soil is dry at a 1-inch depth. Water only potted succulents that have dry topsoil. Water should flow through a pot's bottom drainage holes when the pot's plant has been irrigated properly. Refrain from watering your succulents frequently during their dormant period, which is winter. They absorb more water from spring through fall, especially if they are on a windowsill. If possible, irrigate them with collected rainwater to add natural elements to their potting soil.

Poor Soil

• Overwatering is often coupled with poor soil conditions because excessive moisture causes soil compaction. Succulent roots cannot spread through hard-packed soil, preventing their access to nutrients, oxygen and moisture. They effectively suffocate, causing die-back across entire plants. Most succulents do well in well-drained potting soil mixtures containing a 1-to-1-to-1 ratio of grit, compost and horticultural sand. Water moves through that potting soil mixture in containers quickly but slows just enough for maximum root uptake. Do not use garden soil as an alternative; it does not drain well in a container environment.

Rot

• Your dying succulents may suffer from black stem rot. Because that ailment is not caused by a pathogen, such as a bacterium or fungus, simply alter your care practices. Reduce how frequently you water the plants, allowing their roots and stem to dry between watering sessions. A bright indoor location, such as an east- or south-facing window, gives succulents optimum sunlight exposure. Such a location also increases photosynthesis for their recovery and allows them to dry out faster than darker locations, eradicating the stem rot problem.

Repotting Frequency

• If succulents are watered with tap water, minerals tend to build up within their soil, stunting the plants' growth and possibly causing the plants to die. Repot your succulents every year with new potting soil. Because your succulents can outgrow their current pots, use the repotting process to transplant the plants into larger containers. Succulents that remain pot-bound in small containers are subjected to stress and possibly die-back. Allowing their roots to spread in larger containers encourages healthy growth and long lifespans for the plants.