I started growing haworthias last year, just a small one on my windowsill. It was going pretty well, but I got a bit nervous about watering. You know, everyone says succulents are easy, but I didn’t want to kill it by overwatering.
So, I did some reading, and it turns out, haworthias are a bit different. They store water like little camels, so they don’t need much. Watering them is kind of a guessing game. What I did first is that I felt the soil. If it’s dry, it’s time to water. I’d stick my finger in the soil, about an inch or so. If it felt dry, I’d give it a good soak. But, here’s the trick, I make sure the water can drain out. I don’t let it sit in water. That’s a big no-no.
Then, I got a bit more specific. During the summer, when it’s growing like crazy, I started watering it about every two weeks. I watched it, and if it looked a bit plump and happy, I knew I was doing okay. I also noticed that when it’s sunny and hot, it dries out faster. So, I might water a bit more often. In the winter, though, it’s like it goes to sleep. I only water it maybe once a month, sometimes even less.
- Summer: Water every 2 weeks.
- Winter: Water every 3-5 weeks.
Now, here’s a mistake I made. I used tap water at first. It seemed fine, but then I read that haworthias can be sensitive to the minerals in tap water. So, I switched to rainwater. If I don’t have rainwater, I use bottled water that I set out overnight.
There was this one time I watered it too much. I was so worried about it drying out that I ended up giving it too much water. The leaves started to look a bit yellow and swollen. It was a wake-up call. I immediately stopped watering and let the soil dry out completely. Thankfully, it bounced back.
I also moved it to a brighter spot. Not direct sunlight, because that can burn them, but a nice, bright spot. They seem to like that. And I started using a special succulent fertilizer, very diluted, during the growing season. I think that helped too.
So, yeah, it’s been a learning process. But now, my haworthia is doing great. It even had a little baby plant! I’m no expert, but I think the key is to pay attention to the plant and not to overdo it with the water. They’re pretty forgiving, as long as you don’t drown them.
My haworthia are now happy.
I would say, just watch your plant. If the leaves are plump and green, you’re probably good. If they start to look thin or wrinkled, it might need a drink. And if they’re yellow or mushy, you’ve probably overdone it. Just take a step back and let it dry out.
Growing haworthias has been a fun little adventure. It’s taught me a lot about patience and paying attention to the little things. And, it’s pretty cool to see something you’ve cared for thrive. I even gave one of the baby plants to my friend, so now she’s on the haworthia journey too!
