Do Succulents Need Fertilizer?

There are many plants that can grow, thrive, and look their best without the use of fertilizer. Succulents, for example, are one of these plants.

In fact, succulents don’t need much of anything as the reason why they are so popular as a houseplant is that they are incredibly easy to take care of. 

That being said, succulents still need the right nutrients in order to thrive and look their best. And, despite most people believing that you shouldn’t have to use fertilizer with them, using it can be beneficial! 

So basically, you don’t need to use fertilizer for a succulent but using a fertilizer can be a good way of giving your succulent some boosted nutrients so that it grows better.

As long as you use the right kind of fertilizer, it shouldn’t cause any harm, and you will notice that your succulent grows better than ever. 

Whether you use fertilizer or not on your succulent plant is up to you. But if you do decide to use fertilizer, which can help your succulent grow better, then it is important that you use the right kind of fertilizer in the right kind of way! 

We can help you out by giving you all of the basics about fertilizers for succulents, so stick around!

What Fertilizer Should You Use For A Succulent?

When using fertilizer on any plant, the first thing you need to figure out is which fertilizer to use. There are many different types, and it is important to use the right kind on the plant you have. Otherwise, it might cause damage instead of helping it grow! 

When it comes to succulent plants, specifically, you might struggle to find a particular brand of fertilizer that is labeled as being for succulents. This is because there are many different types of succulent plants.

Therefore, a single fertilizer can’t encompass all of them properly. That being said, it is still possible to find fertilizers that are designed exclusively for succulent plants, so it’s worth looking around! 

If you can’t find a succulent-specific fertilizer, then we recommend using one that is universal. You can simply apply it in a smaller quantity than it states in the instructions. Adding too high a concentration can cause damage to the succulent plant.

You could also choose to go down the DIY route and make your very own natural fertilizer for your succulent plant, but this takes time, effort, and knowledge on the matter. 

As a general rule, we would say that the best kind of fertilizer to use on a succulent plant is a standard 8-8-8 type (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium).

However, you should dissolve the fertilizer so that it is weaker and not as concentrated. This is to avoid damaging the plant in any way. 

As for what fertilizers you should absolutely stay away from for succulents, here is what to avoid:

• Fertilizers that are high in nitrogen. Although nitrogen helps plants grow faster, it also can make them vulnerable to pests, especially with succulent plants. So make sure the nitrogen concentration within the fertilizer of your choice is never above 15. 
• Chemical fertilizers. Not all of them are bad, but as a general rule these have a higher risk of burning the roots and leaves of your succulents, so you should avoid them as much as possible. 

How Often Should You Fertilize Your Succulent?

Once you figure out what type of fertilizer you should be using for your succulent plant, you have to determine how often you apply the fertilizer.

As we stated right at the beginning, your succulent doesn’t need fertilizer so it is not something that you are going to be adding super regularly. Instead, the fertilizer is there as a boost, to help enhance the health and growth of the plant. 

As a general rule, we recommend fertilizing your succulent once a month. This is more than enough to reap the growth and health benefits.

In fact, if you keep your succulent indoors, and all of its needs are met, then you can probably simply fertilize it once or twice a year! Especially if you are using homemade fertilizer, as it tends to be a lot stronger and long-lasting. 

If you decide to fertilize your succulent once a year (which is usually more than enough if your succulent lives in the right indoor conditions), then we recommend doing so during the spring season.

This is because spring marks the beginning of the succulent’s growth phase. Adding in the extra nutrients at this moment will provide the plant with the biggest and most effective boost. 

How To Apply Fertilizer To A Succulent Plant

So…how do you apply the fertilizer to a succulent plant? That’s the next step, right? Well, it honestly depends on the type of fertilizer that you are using.

You should always carefully read the instructions and labels on the packaging of the fertilizer to ensure that you are using it correctly. 

That being said, when it comes to a succulent, we recommend weakening the concentration of the fertilizer a little, as you really don’t need too much of it. Also, you want to minimize the risk of any damage. 

You should also water the succulent right before fertilizing. This will protect the roots from any burning side effects and it will further help spread the fertilizer. Therefore, it is easier for the plant to absorb it. 

Final Thoughts

Succulent plants do not necessarily need fertilizer but using a fertilizer can be highly beneficial. It will act as a boost of nutrients to help the succulents grow healthier and better. So you don’t have to use fertilizer but using some form of it can make your succulent look nicer. 

If you do use fertilizer, you won’t need a lot of it. In fact, once a year is enough for most indoor succulents, and for the more needy ones, once a month should do it!

Just make sure that you are using the right type of fertilizer and that you are applying it correctly to minimize the risk of any damage done to the plant.