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Succulents are some of the easiest plants to grow. Like cacti, they store water in their tissues and can thus survive relatively long periods without water. They are less prone to fungal rot than cacti and so can tolerate being watered more frequently than they really need. Another advantage succulents have is an ability to survive in a wide range of light conditions. Humidity and temperature variations are also unlikely to cause a problem for them. In general, succulents will thrive as long as they have at least moderate levels, of light, a soil mix with good drainage, and protection from freezing temperatures.

The weakness of succulents is their susceptibility to insect infestation. Because their leaves are thick and filled with water, they make a good food source of bugs of all kinds. Thoroughly misting the leaves with a spray bottle of water is a good precaution, as it mechanically rinses off any insects. Add a drop of plain dish soap to the bottle for a mild insecticide. Neem oil helps control some varieties of insects and is a natural, organic pesticide with no mammalian toxicity. In fact, neem oil is used in many skin treatments for fungal skin infections. For more serious infestations, it may be necessary to use a pesticide such as Seven. Just make sure to take the plant outdoors or into an area where pets and children will not be playing. Spray the plant, allow the pesticide to dry, and take it indoors and place it in its original location.

In most zones, succulents make excellent groundcover plants. Varieties of sedum are easy to find at any nursery and will spread and grow, taking up as much garden space as you need them to. Sedums propagate by growing roots on the above ground portion of the plant. You can thus pinch off a portion that has roots on it and transplant that portion to another part of the garden or to a pot for growing indoors. Sedum comes in a variety of shapes, and some of the cultivars have attractive reddish leaves that will add a permanent splash of color to your indoor or outdoor garden.

Cacti and succulents make excellent "patio plants" if they are brought outdoors in the summer, but if you do that you will need to take precautions against over watering from the rain. The plant may need to be brought inside if the rain continues for more than a day. The soil needs to dry out in order to avoid rot. The extra sunlight and warm temperatures of the outside summer weather can help the succulent grow. In the winter, when it is returned to the inside of your home, it will grow more slowly and need little water.

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