I love my string of pearls plants, but at first, I had trouble getting the watering right. I treated them like the similarly named string of pearls, but I found my heart-shaped leaves were curling with the same watering frequently as some of my other succulents.
So, with some testing, research, and experimentation, I developed the perfect watering protocol for strong hearts in terms of watering frequency at different times of the year and learned which method of watering works best.
In this article, I share with you all my best tips, techniques, and secrets step-by-step to ensure you have everything you need to water your string of hearts successfully…
In summary…
Water string of hearts plants generously and wait for the soil to dry out completely before watering again. Typically, watering string of hearts plants once a week in Summer and once every 2 weeks in Winter allows the soil to dry out after watering to meet the string of hearts plants’ water requirements without causing root rot.
We needed to know how often and how much to water string of hearts plants (Ceropegia woodii variegata) as they are drought-resistant plants that are susceptible to root rot, which is caused by overwatering and slow-draining soils.
String of hearts require watering less often in the Winter as they are in a state of dormancy.
I have grown succulents for years (both at home and commercially at work), and I’ve learned the optimal watering regime should be in conjunction with the well draining, succulent soil and the right pot to prevent water stress and keep your string of hearts plant healthy.
Keep reading for more on how to establish how often and how much to water your string of hearts plant in your climate and conditions and for the correct potting soil to ensure that your string of hearts plant…
How Often to Water String of Hearts
To understand how to water string of hearts, we need to appreciate how they grow in their native environment…
String of hearts plants are succulents that are specially adapted to growing in hot and dry climates with infrequent rainfall in South Afrcia.
As string of hearts plants are adapted to survive drought they prefer dryer conditions then most of our other house plants and are prone to problems associated with watering too often such as a yellowing of the leaves and stems and root rot.
So, to grow a string of hearts, we need to replicate the typical watering and soil moisture conditions of their native environment.
I water my string of hearts plants with a generous soak when the potting soil has dried out completely. Typically, I water my string of hearts once a week to meet the moisture requirements and to allow the soil to dry properly before watering again to avoid root rot.
However, I quickly learned that potting soil for string of hearts plants can dry out at different rates due to the climate and indoor conditions due to several factors:
- Humidity level and temperature of your climate.
- The size of the pot (smaller pots dry out much quicker).
- The material of the pot (plastic retains moisture whilst clay is porous).
- Whether your string of hearts is in an area of significant air flow, outdoors or because of air currents from, air conditioning or forced air when indoors.
- The capacity of the soil to retain moisture.
So, to deal with all these variables, I did some testing and came up with my best method for determining how often you should water your string of hearts…
Pro tip: To establish how often to water string of hearts, according to your climate, I feel the soil at the bottom of the pot through the drainage hole. If the soil feels moist then I don’t water just yet, but if the soil feels dry, this is the perfect time for watering.
So what we are achieving by doing this is, once you know how long it typically takes for the potting soil to dry out from your string of hearts, you can establish a watering schedule that accurately emulates the drought, followed by rainfall, cycle of moisture of the string of hearts native Southern African environment. Pretty cool, huh?
Pro tip: If you have problems with overwatering, then I recommend repotting your string of hearts into a clay or terracotta pot as they are porous and allow the soil to dry out more evenly, whereas plastic and ceramic pots are impermeable, so they retain moisture, which can exacerbate the effects of overwatering and promote root rot.
How to Tell if you are Watering String of Hearts too Often
If you are watering your string of hearts plant more than once per week, then you are likely over-watering your plant!
The symptoms of an over-watered string of hearts are:
- Leaves that turn brown,
- Leaves turn yellow and translucent, and
- Leaves and stems turn black and mushy.
From my experience, it typically happens in that sequence, from initially turning brown to eventually black and mushy.
If your string of hearts is showing symptoms of over watering then scale back the watering immediately and let the soil dry out completely to give your plant a chance to recover.
(If your string of hearts plant looks unhealthy read my article for how to revive a dying string of hearts plant).
How to Tell if you are Watering String of Hearts not Often Enough
The leaves of your string of hearts plant start to shrivel and eventually turn brown when are not watered often enough or watered too lightly.
The leaves can also appear to be thinner as the moisture they store becomes depleted due to drought stress.
In my experience, with succulents, it is much easier to solve the under-watering as giving the potting soil a good soak can save your string of hearts plant.
Wait for the soil to dry out again over the next 2 or 3 weeks, and then soak it again.
When this happened to me, my string of hearts, recovered with 2 watering cycles, the string of hearts should show signs of recovery, and the leaves should feel firm and look plump rather than shriveled.
It is also worth noting that string of hearts may require more or less watering at different times of the year…
How Often to Water String of Hearts in Winter
I personally found that watering string of hearts plants once every 2 weeks during Winter worked best as String of hearts is a Winter dormant plant so it requires watering less often compared to Spring and Summer.
As with lots of other of our houseplants, String of hearts enters a state of dormancy in response to fewer hours of light, lower light intensity and cooler temperatures.
During the Winter dormancy, the string of hearts plant barely grows, if at all, which reduces the demand for water.
We need to keep in mind that our string of hearts is at more risk of over watering during dormancy and it is easier to revive an under watered string of hearts then an over watered plant so scale back the watering.
However, as I found out myself first hand it is important to consider whether the string of hearts plant is near a source of heat during Winter which can cause daily temperatures to fluctuate significantly and dry out the soil more quickly.
My own string of hearts was right in the path of my indoor heater, which just dried out the soil completely as the leaves started to shrivel.
If the leaves start to look shriveled (a sign of under-watering), then give the string of hearts plant a generous soak. Mine perked back up once I moved it to a location with more consistency in temperature and had a generous watering.
We should always keep in mind that as long as the soil has a chance to dry out between watering then the string of hearts plant should stay healthy.
(Read my article how to care for string of hearts plants for all the best practices for care).
My Method for Watering String of Hearts
I always water my string of hearts with a generous soak so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot.
I then allow excess water to trickle from the base of the pot and stay in the saucer underneath. I find if I come back half an hour later, the water is drawn up by the soil through the drainage holes in the base.
The reason why I favor this method of watering is because it ensures the soil is all evenly moist after watering. Before I did this I just soaked the soil and trained the tray underneath the pot straight away. What I found was that my string of hearts was curling due to drought stress, despite watering.
After some testing, I found that the soil was damp in some areas but relatively dry to the touch in others, indicating how uneven overhead watering can be when it comes to hydrating the potting soil.
Since I have implemented this method of watering my string of heart leaves stay healthy and plump.
A good soak like this encourages roots to develop properly and keeps the string of hearts healthy.
We have to avoid watering too lightly (which is a really common mistake I encounter) results in only the top inch or so of the soil being moist, and the water does not reach the roots where it is required, which causes the string of hearts plant leaves to shrivel and eventually turn brown as a sign of drought stress.
(It should be noted succulents sometimes shrivel when over watered as well as under watered so read my article for how to tell the difference).
It is worth emphasizing that watering with a good soak and then allowing the soil to dry out replicates the watering conditions of the string of hearts plants’ natural environment in Southern Africa with a deluge of rain followed by a period of drought and high temperatures.
Well-Draining Soil to Avoid OverWatering
The first thing I think everyone should be taught when it comes to keeping succulent is that good watering practices should be in conjunction with planting string of hearts plants in a well draining soil mix to avoid root rot.
I found out the hard way that ordinary potting soil retains too much moisture around the roots for the string of hearts, which is adapted to tolerate drought rather than live in damp soil.
Saturated soil can cause the leaves to turn yellow as a sign of stress.
Potting mixes that contain peat also have a tendency to repel water when they dry out which causes water to run off the surface of the soil and prevents moisture from reaching the roots of your string of hearts plant which causes the leaves to shrivel due to drought stress.
Our string of hearts plants grow naturally in sandy or gritty soil on hill sides in Southern Africa, in soil that drains well and does not hold much moisture.
To keep the string of hearts plant healthy and avoid root rot we need to grow string of hearts plants in special succulent and cactus potting mix (available from garden centers and Amazon) as this emulates the specific well draining soil characteristics and soil profile of a string of hearts plants native environment.
With right soil it is much easier to maintain the perfect moisture balance for string of hearts plants and prevent any affects of over watering such as the roots and tubers rotting, keeping your plant healthy.
Water String of Hearts in Pots and Containers with Drainage Holes in the Base
I know this one may seem obvious, but I see a lot of people make this mistake. String of hearts do not tolerate their roots being in saturated soil, so it is essential that you ensure your pot has a drainage hole in the base to allow the excess water to escape.
As I said, watering so that excess water trickles from the bottom of your pot is also the best to to ensure your plant has been sufficiently watered and a good way to detect whether the soil is moist or dry at the bottom of the pot to so you know when your string of hearts plant should be watered.
If you plant string of hearts in pots and containers without drainage holes in the base, then this causes water to pool around the roots which causes root rot with yellow leaves.
Water can still pool around the roots of your plant in its pot if:
- The drainage hole becomes blocked with roots or compacted soil. If you notice your soil draining slowly then it is worth checking whether you should clear the hole in the base to allow excess water to escape properly.
- Saucers and trays underneath your pots. It is very common to use a saucer or tray underneath your plant pot to prevent water from spilling into your home. Empty the saucer or tray half an hour after watering to prevent water pooling and keeping the soil too boggy for your string of hearts plant.
- Decorative outer pots. String of hearts plants are often sold in a plastic pot with drainage holes, but put in a decorative outer pot that looks good and prevents water from spilling in your home. However, the outer pot prevents excess water from escaping and keeps the soil too damp, which causes root rot, so either empty the pot of water regularly or plant in a pot with drainage holes in the base.
Key Takeaways:
- Water string of hearts plants with a good soak, wait for the soil to dry out completely before watering again. Typically, this means watering string of hearts plants once a week. Water string of hearts once every 3 or 4 weeks in Winter when the plant is dormant.
- String of hearts plants should be planted in special succulent and cacti soil which is formulated to recreate the drainage conditions and soil nutrients of their native environment for the string of hearts plant to stay healthy.
- String of hearts plants should be planted in pots and containers with drainage holes in the base to prevent excess water pooling around the roots and causing root rot.
- The symptoms of an under watered string of hearts are shriveled leaves that turn brown whereas the symptoms of an over watered string of hearts are leaves that turn yellow with mushy leaves and stems. Water string of hearts plants when the soil has tried out completely to avoid root rot.