Help! My succulents are dying

[Nes]

Hi all
My experience in indoor plants and keeping them alive has not been great.
I've already had a few die and I'm beginning to give up.
Anyway I've got these succulent plants, purchased from Bunnings.
The soil designed for succulents was also purchased from there.
Pebbles on top are for decoration.
I've had a big problem with fungus gnats appearing in them and the plants look rather unhealthy.
Many of their leaves are appearing to rot and fall off.
I water the plants scarcely as I'm worried about over watering especially since there are no drainage holes.
There's plenty of natural light coming through a large window.
Any ideas why they're dying? And if they can be saved?

 

[Beth_B]

Define watering "scarcely." You are very right to be concerned about over-watering; quite right.

Most succulents can and should go months without water. In a natural desert environment, they'd only get water a few times a year. A couple times in the spring, maybe one or two times in fall.

 

[Nes]

Thanks for the info, Beth

I usually water them every 3 weeks.

Might have to stop watering for a while.

Define watering "scarcely." You are very right to be concerned about over-watering; quite right.

Most succulents can and should go months without water. In a natural desert environment, they'd only get water a few times a year. A couple times in the spring, maybe one or two times in fall.

 

[Beth_B]

There ya go. Let them dry out completely, cactii draw moisture from the air, they won't die. Maybe every couple of months.

Used to be a woman I knew, she commercially grew all sorts of exotic cactii and was well known for it. She monitored the weather in her plants' natural habitat and tried to replicate it.

 

[Plantdoctor]

Fungus gnats,typical sign that the compost is too wet.

 

[ApidAdi]

Does the container you have them in have a drain hole?

 

[Tech]

The fungus gnats are a key sign of over watering. One thing to keep in mind is that 95% of moisture is lost due to evaporation from the sun beating down on the earth. (that's a made up number but I'm using it to prove a point that plants use very little of the water that they receive) So when your growing indoors, you don't have access to the full power of the sun drying out your soil. This can be very problematic especially for plants growing in short pots, (roots are sitting in water) especially pots that don't have drainage holes plus plants that are native to rocky/dry climates and prefer good drainage.

I'd take them out of that pot for the time being and replant when the soil completely dried out and I'd only use a spray bottle to water it until they are really established.

 

[Belmont]

Depending on the material that pot is, you may be able to drill some holes in it. I find several 1/8 in. works well. Might help.

 

[Nes]

Hi all
Thanks for your replies.
Unfortunately the pot doesn't have drainage holes so I'll have to take them out into new pots until they dry out.
Fingers crossed they survive.
I really didn't realise how little water they need

 

[Belmont]

As a rule of thumb for most (If not all) succulents, don't water them until they look like they need to be watered

 

[ApidAdi]

Hi all
Thanks for your replies.
Unfortunately the pot doesn't have drainage holes so I'll have to take them out into new pots until they dry out.
Fingers crossed they survive.
I really didn't realise how little water they need

I think you were giving them the right amount of water, but the lack of drainage was what killed your babies. They aren't adapted for wet feet at all.
I water my succulents once a week, but all the pots are unglazed terra cotta with drainage holes, and the soil is gritty and has a lot of bark (Miracle Grow succulent and cactus potting soil). So drainage is key. For more delicate succulents - in my case it's a carrion flower plant - I water from the bottom once a week, however much it'll take up in a 10 minute period.
I would say if you have them inside every other week is probably a good rule of thumb for watering. I keep mine outside in the summer so I water more frequently.