How Often to Water Yucca Plants?

Watering your yucca plant is not so stressful because these plants do not require a lot of water. Unlike most houseplants, yucca plants are made of spiny leaves and are a rare specie where you do not have to water constantly to get the best out of the plant.

Yucca plants are drought resistant and require the top 2.5 inches of the soil where they are planted to dry out between each watering interval. For best result, you need to understand how often to water yucca plants.

You should water yucca plants with an excellent soak, so that excess water runs out of the pot through the drainage holes. Depending on the climatic conditions, it would be best to wet your yucca plants every 10-14 days

Keep reading for you to get more knowledge on how and how much water yucca plants needs and how to go about it.

How Often to Water Yucca Plants?

Yucca plants are drought-resistant varieties of plants that are food between Mexico and south western USA. These plants are primarily found in rocky deserts or mountainous areas with well-draining soil and infrequent rainfall.

Yucca plants can quickly adapt to their area because of their thick and fleshy roots that store water from the infrequent rainfall, so they hardly lack water. When you touch their leaves, you will notice that it has an oily substance that helps reduce the amount of water that leaves the leaves through transpiration.

Due to the way they have been building, these yucca plants are so suited to fit in areas where there is dry soil without much moisture, and that is why your biggest watering mistake would be watering too frequently, which eventually leads to root rot and drooping; as a sign of stress.

Yucca plants would require you to let the top 2.5 inches of your plant feel dry before you water them again. If calculations are done, that will amount to watering every 10-14 days, but this can vary depending on the specie of yucca you would be getting, the size, and the climatic conditions of the area.

Another reason that can affect how often you water your yucca plant is how quickly the 2.5 inches of dry soil dry out. Some factors that can lead to fast drying out of the topsoil include;

• Humidity; higher humidity would require you to water less because the water in the air constantly drops on the plants bit by bit
• The size of your plant pot; smaller pots would dry out quickly because the ratio of the pool to the amount of water is less compared to larger ones
• Whether your yucca is currently under an air conditioner or a fan, if your yucca plant is under a source of air, it is more likely to dry up faster
• The type of soil used; the capacity of the earth to retain water also matters. While some soil mixtures hold water a bit more, others are looser

See Also: How To Save a Dying Yucca Plant

How To Know If You Are Watering Your Yucca Plant Enough or Not

Yucca plants are prone to root rot, yellow leaves, and stress due to their preference for dry conditions, but you might not know the cases of all these. If you are not watering your yucca enough or adequately, some common signs are drooping of leaves, leaves turning brown, or curling of leaves.

If this is the case with your plant, then the first step you should take is watering your yucca more frequently, and for the first week or two, you should ensure that you properly soak these plants in water.

You should leave a dehydrated plant pot in a basin of water for about 20 minutes so the soil gets a good soak, and the plant can restore the stored water that the plant supply in its roots. When you repeat this method four times, your yucca plant can return to its correct rate.

In cases where you overwater your yucca plant, some visible effects you would see are the yellow discoloration of the leaves, and eventually, the roots start rotting.

The easiest solution for these cases is gently digging the plants out and any of them that have been affected too much. You should gently cut off from the rest and replant the yucca plants in a better container or the same after if you have it clean thoroughly.

After this has been done and your yucca plants start returning to normal, ensure that you do not overwater and maintain the average amount of water you should use.

How Much Water Does a Yucca Plant Need?

You must know how much water your yucca plant requires and the correct watering method to avoid root rot, drought or stress. We know that sometimes, there are many reasons why you should water less or more, but in most cases, we recommend that the amount of water stays the same.

You should water your yucca plant generously so that visible water trickles out of the pot. By well, we do not mean excessively; just enough water should be what you’re putting in and not too much in that after water trickles out of the pot, you still see a few amounts of water left at the top of the pool.

When you water generously, your plant’s root system is improved positively, which in turn improves your yucca plant’s ability to be resistant to drought.

See Also: Common Indoor Yucca Plant Problems

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Light Does a Yucca Cane Need?

Like most house plants, the yuca cane works better with indirect bright light. You can provide this light through a medium, but your yucca plant will not do well in low lighting. Also, avoid placing it under direct sunlight; it gives rise to sunburn or other related damages.

Does A Yucca Cane Need Fertilizer?

Yes, you can fertilize your yucca plant thrice every year, depending on the specie or reason you are fertilizer. Avoid fertilizer in the winter, and you should get fertilizer more in the summer and spring seasons when this plant is actively growing.

Common Yucca Cane Problem

Some common problems you can encounter with your yucca plant are improper watering and pest and disease infestation. If you water your plants too much or too little, you will observe yellow and brown leaves, respectively.

A famous insect that infests these yucca plants is the mealybugs, and you can check blogs that talk about how to cure this problem and find a way to fix the issue.