When Leaves Depart: Unraveling the Mystery of Falling Succulent Leaves

It can be worrying when the once plump and perky leaves of your succulents start to fall off. If you’re asking yourself, “Why are my succulent leaves falling off?” know that you’re not alone in this garden conundrum.

Water Woes: Too Much or Too Little? The watering can is often to blame when succulent leaves drop. Too much water can cause the leaves to swell, turn mushy, and eventually fall off. On the contrary, not enough water might lead to dry, shriveled leaves dropping in a silent plea for hydration.

A Light Touch Succulents love light, but each species has its own Goldilocks zone. Too little light can weaken the plant, leading to leaf loss. Too much direct sunlight, on the other hand, can scorch the leaves, causing them to drop.

Feeling the Temperature Just like Goldilocks, succulents don’t like it too hot or too cold. Extreme temperatures can stress your plants out, causing them to shed their leaves as a defense mechanism.

The Invisible Threat: Pests Pests are stealthy intruders that can cause leaf drops. Bugs like aphids and mealybugs suck the sap from the leaves, weakening the plant and often leading to leaf loss.

Soil and Roots: The Foundation Matters Poor soil or a bad root system can also cause your succulent leaves to fall off. If the soil doesn’t drain well or if the roots are damaged or rotting, the plant can’t get the nutrients it needs, resulting in leaf drop.

What Can You Do? Review your plant-care routine. Adjust your watering habits, check the light levels, and make sure your plant isn’t in a drafty spot. Sometimes, all it takes is a small change to make a big difference.

In short, leaf drop in succulents is often a symptom of stress from environmental factors or pests. By paying close attention to your plant’s care, you can often reverse the problem and restore your succulent to its full glory.