How Much & How Often to Water Yucca Plant: Signs & FAQ

Yucca plants are drought resistant, which means you need to be careful about how much and how often you water the plant. Because they are drought-resistant, Yucca plants can easily become overwatered.

As a rule of thumb, you want to water your Yucca plant whenever the top 2.5 inches of the soil are dry. Once the top of the soil is dry, soak the soil surrounding the plant. For most plants, this watering is needed every 2 weeks, but you will need to adjust watering based on your climate.

To learn more about how much and how often to water your Yucca plant, keep reading.

How Much Should You Water Indoor Yucca Plants?

Indoor Yucca plants rely entirely on you for water. As such, it’s important that you know how to water an indoor Yucca plant accordingly.

Yucca plants inside are planted in a pot. As described above, you should water your indoor Yucca plants anytime the top 2.5 inches of soil are dry. You want about 75% of the soil to be dry. If you have a large pot, more than 2.5 inches of the soil may need to be dry first.

You can test the dryness of the soil by sticking a pencil into it. If the pencil comes out relatively clean, it’s time to water your plant.

In most indoor environments, this watering is needed every 14 days. The temperature inside your home, the humidity within your home, and the season will impact how quickly the Yucca needs to be re-watered, though. It’s important to test the soil frequently until you understand how the environment impacts the watering schedule.

Whenever it’s time to re-water your Yucca plant, soak the soil. You want water to run out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. This soak reenacts the alternating windows of intense dryness and intense moisture in the Yucca plant’s native habitat.

How Much Should You Water Outdoor Yucca Plants?

Planting a Yucca plant outside is not ideal unless you live in an environment that replicates its native environment. Yucca plants are native to the southwest US and Mexico, which is known for its rocky, dry deserts, infrequent rainfall, and well-draining soil. If you don’t live in an environment like this do not plant Yucca outdoors.

If you live in the southwestern part of the US, you can plant Yucca outdoors. Better yet, the plant will need minimal care on your part since it has adapted to grow in this environment. Only water the Yucca plant if it is showing signs of dehydration or if it is the dry season.

Should You Water a Yucca from the Top or Bottom?

Whenever you water Yucca, you want the soil to get drenched. As a result, it’s best to water the Yucca right at the level of the soil. Continue watering the plant until water begins to spill out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

Signs You Need to Water Your Yucca Plant More

Even though Yucca can survive with minimum water, they will eventually die if they don’t get enough water. Knowing the signs of dehydration in the Yucca plant will help you know when you need to start watering your yoga plant more.

The most common signs of underwatering include curling and drooping leaves. Likewise, the leaves will start to turn brown. If you see these signs, make sure to soak the soil well each watering time to ensure the Yucca has enough water.

Signs You Need to Water Your Yucca Plant Less

Overwatering your Yucca is just as dangerous as underwatering it. The signs of overwatering your Yucca plant are similar to the signs above. However, knowing these signs will tell you when it’s time to cut back on your watering schedule.

If you notice that the leaves are developing brown tips that are surrounded by a lighter yellow area, you are likely overwatering the plant. Additionally, the roots will look like they are rotting out.

Once you have overwatered your plant, it’s important to act quickly. Re-pot the plant so that it is in healthy soil and cut back any rotted roots. If you leave the rotted roots to remain, the rest of the plant could get infected.

Final Thoughts

Because Yucca is drought resistant, it doesn’t require as much water as other plants, but it’s still important that you water the plant enough. Check the soil every week or two weeks. If the top 2.5 inches or 75% of the soil is dry, it’s time to water.

Featured Image Credit: Gladskikh Tatiana, Shutterstock