It is not a secret that succulents love sun, and they need sunlight to maintain their unique shapes and colors. While some succulents grow very well in the full sun, some varieties prefer bright sunlight or partial shade to thrive. This blog will show you how succulents react when they get too much sunlight or under-exposure.
Under-exposure
Succulents that do not receive enough sunlight will exhibit problems such as elongation or etiolation, which means the stems and leaves will get leggy because the plants stretch to seek more light to do photosynthesis.
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Another problem is succulents like Echeveria, Crassulas will lose their vibrant pigmentation and will become pale or revert to a dull green color. Succulents need adequate sunlight to become "stressed" and display their true beauty by showcasing their full range of vibrant colors.
Over-exposure
Succulents by nature do better with a lot of sun exposure, but they need protection from direct sunlight or intense heat in hot summer.
As overexposure will cause sunburn on the leaves. Just like people will get sunburn if we don't get any protection on our skin.
Click here to check succlent summer care instruction.
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You can gradually introduce the succulents to the direct sunlight. Most succulents will get used to it when they get stable. That is why we recommend that introducing sunlight gradually to your new succulents.
Check the video below and learn how to take care of succulents in summer.
So how much sunlight they need?
Therefore, we do not recommend exposing your succulents to direct full sun in temperatures above 90°F. Instead, place them under filtered sunlight or give them partial shade to ensure they get at least 4-6 hours of sun a day. Then, they will be happy to thrive.
Is there any ways to fix low-light conditions?
The answer is yes!
1. The easiest way is to grow succulents near the window. A south-facing or east-facing window is a good choice because the morning sun is brighter and lasts for a long time.
2. Different from the 1st way, there are some window box planters which are very beautiful. Growing succulents in a window box is a half indoor and half outdoor way to plant succulents. To avoid the window box holding too much water especially after rain, pick a planter pot with drainage holes to let the excess water drop out.
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3. Using an artificial grow light is another good way to fix low-light conditions especially in the winter and rainy cities. There are lots of grow lights in the market. You can read lots of reviews and compare different brands before placing an order.
