The proper way to water Elephant's foot requires some timing. For example, you should wait until the spring, when the new leaves are beginning to grow, before considering adding water to this plant’s pot. Once that season arrives, you can add water when the soil inside the pot has become entirely dry. When watering, you can use either tap water or distilled water. It's best not to water this plant from overhead. Instead, you should water at the base of the plant by applying the water slowly and evenly across the entire surface of the soil. This method will allow you to moisten all parts of the soil consistently without dampening the above-ground portions of the plant, which your Elephant's foot will appreciate. Typically, you can continue adding water until you notice a light stream of excess water draining from the pot’s hole.

An overwatered Elephant's foot is a far more common occurrence than one that is underwatered. Overwatering is also incredibly detrimental to your plant's health as it can cause one Elephant's foot to die quite quickly. One way to avoid overwatering is to allow the soil to dry entirely before adding water, as mentioned previously. Especially when it turns into dormancy, lots of people will just water it in the wrong way. As such, we’ll focus on how to remedy the problem of overwatering. When your Elephant's foot shows signs of overwatering, it is often best to remove it from its current pot. After removal, you should access the roots of this plant and remove any that show signs of rot or some other moisture-related disease. While some roots should be removed, others will return to full health after a simple cleaning. After this stage, you should repot your Elephant's foot in soil that has excellent drainage capabilities to lessen the odds of future overwatering. While unlikely, underwatering can take place too. If that occurs for you, all you need to do is supply your plant with water on a slightly more frequent basis, ensuring that you don't overcorrect the issue and end up overwatering your plant.

As a succulent plant, the water needs of Elephant's foot are quite low compared to most other plants because this plant hails from a region that is constantly hot and dry. To give this plant species proper care, you should allow its soil to dry out completely between waterings. Typically, it will take anywhere from two weeks to a month for the soil to dry entirely, at which time you can add water. Watering frequency tends to be very seasonally related. During the spring to summer period, it will be in a growing state and it may take 2-3 weeks for the soil to dry completely, you can follow this watering frequency. During the summer time, the soil may dry out faster. However, when the temperature falls below 60 degrees or rises above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, most of them will be dormant or semi-dormant, which means that the plant does not need more watering at the moment. Instead, you should reduce or even stop watering to keep the soil dry until the temperature is appropriate again for Elephant's foot to grow, and then restart watering.

Overall, Elephant's foot does not need a high volume of water. This is mainly due to the fact that this plant must go for a while without receiving water. However, when the time to water this plant does arrive, you should be ready to give it a lot of water. While there is no set amount of water to give this plant, you should not stop watering until the soil is completely moist. The best way to ensure this is the case, provided you grow this plant in a pot, is to water it until you see water trickling through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. You can also insert a pencil or some similar object deep into the soil to test if you have watered enough. If you remove the pencil and it is moist, then you have provided enough water.

Generally, overwatering is a far more significant issue than underwatering is. When overwatering occurs, you should notice right away as the leaves will begin to lose their form, become mushy, and change colors. This will be a stark contrast to a healthy set of living stone leaves, which should be relatively sturdy and hold their shape. Underwatering is incredibly rare for Elephant's foot, as this species can often survive with no water at all. However, if underwatering does occur, you will usually notice leaf discoloration and dryness.

As mentioned, Elephant's foot needs the most water during the times of year that it is actively growing. By contrast, in winter, when the plant is entirely dormant, you should reduce these already low watering needs. In fact, during winter, you should not water this plant at all. Once spring arrives, wait until your Elephant's foots begin to develop new leaves. Once that occurs, you can return to your regular watering schedule. During the hottest parts of summer, your plant may enter another dormant growth phase, which means its water needs will be lower than normal. As summer ends and fall arrives, you can begin reducing your watering in anticipation of winter. By the time winter arrives, you should cease watering altogether.

By and large, the water needs of Elephant's foot will remain consistent throughout each of its growth stages. Anyway, Elephant's foot prefers dry soil conditions more than moist ones, so watering less is safer for it than watering a lot. However, there are some phases in which your Elephant's foot may need slightly more water than usual. Despite being known for their foliage, Elephant's foots can also provide flowers, but these flowers do not arrive until the plant is at least a few years old. Once flower development is possible, your Elephant's foot may need a minimal uptick in its watering schedule to accommodate flower development. Otherwise, you should not expect to change your watering frequency significantly based on this plant’s growth stages.

Growing Elephant's foots outdoors is not an option for most gardeners in hardiness zones colder than zone 9, as this plant loves areas that have warm or hot weather year-round. Only in regions that do not have yearly temperatures that fall below 40 degrees Fahrenheit can this plant species survive. If you live in such an area, you should study the average rainfall in your area as well. If you live where it rains often, your Elephant's foot will likely die from overwatering. But if you live in a warm climate in which it rains occasionally, you may not need to water your Elephant's foots at all. Those who live in cooler areas of the world should have no issue growing this plant indoors. If that is the approach you take, you can wait until all of the soil in your plant's container has dried out while also following the rest of the general watering advice we've laid out in the sections above.

Elephant's foot should get at least 6 hours of sun per day, and preferably more. An actual minimum number of hours can vary depending on the intensity of sunlight and other environmental factors, but it is unlikely that the Elephant's foot will get too much sunlight. They do fine with up to 14 hours of sun per day.

Elephant's foot needs a lot of bright sunlight. As full-sun plants, they can thrive when given direct light or bright indirect sun. Some types may be able to survive with partial sun, but more sunlight is generally better.

Elephant's foot usually grows in some of the hottest, sunniest places in the world and is well adapted to that kind of environment, so it does not need to be protected from the sun. However, you should be careful about making a sudden move into a very sunny location if your Elephant's foot is not used to it. Plants need time to adapt to different conditions, so start by moving this plant into the sun for a couple of hours at a time each day, then gradually lengthen the amount of sun exposure. Once adapted, most types of Elephant's foot will be fine in full sun and don't need protection.

Without enough sunlight, Elephant's foot will fail to thrive and grow. Common symptoms of inadequate sunlight include pale coloring, wilting leaves, and leaf drop. Elephant's foot may also exhibit etiolation (also called legginess). This condition occurs as the plant attempts to stretch toward the light source, leading to a sparse appearance and weak stems.

Elephant's foot may develop shades of red, pink, or orange as a means of protection from excess sunlight, so many people like to cause mild sun stress to these plants during the summer. This is not harmful, and they will revert to their normal coloring when light levels decrease from autumn to spring. If moved too quickly into direct sun, Elephant's foot can suffer from sunburn. This looks like white or brown spots on the uppermost leaves that have been exposed to the most sun. A sunburned plant should be moved to a shadier location and watered if needed. Sun-damaged leaves can be removed, and should be replaced by new growth over time.

As with most plants, younger Elephant's foot will be more sensitive to strong sunlight and heat than a mature specimen. They should also be protected from direct sun immediately after being transplanted, either by a shade or by keeping the container in a shadier location until the plant is established and putting out new growth.

It is best to water Elephant's foot in the morning, particularly during the summer months. If water sits on the leaves or in the crown of the plant, it can burn the plant when the water heats up. It’s also best not to water in the evening, since cooler overnight temperatures slow evaporation and fungi or bacteria can develop in the moist conditions. Elephant's foot grown in pots should be rotated occasionally to keep them growing symmetrically. Plants will normally grow toward the light source, so they can develop much more quickly on one side than the other if they are not rotated. If Elephant's foot is allowed to get dusty, it will not be able to access sunlight to create energy. The dust acts as a barrier, so the plant may show signs of inadequate light even if it’s in a sunny location. Keep the leaves and stems clean by wiping them periodically with a damp cloth to avoid this issue.

To create the best possible environment for Elephant's foot, you’ll want to grow your Elephant's foot in temperatures between 60-75℉ (15-25℃). They can tolerate marginally higher and lower temperatures, but this range will help facilitate optimal growth. Elephant's foot that experience temperatures below 40℉(10℃) or above 95℉(35℃) will go into a state of dormancy, halting their growth. Staying above 95℉ (35℃) for anything other than a short period can damage these plants; enough time in high temperatures may kill them entirely.

Elephant's foot do require different temperatures to enter their different phases of life, primarily the dormant phase they reach during summer and their growing phase during the winter. Elephant's foot need cooler temperatures to actively grow, but not too cold; anything below 40℉(10℃) will push them into a state of dormancy regardless of season. High temperatures can also induce a dormant state, restricting growth and reducing the plant's watering needs. Too much watering during dormancy can drown the plant and cause root rot, so make sure to only water the soil when it feels dry.

Tip #1: Don’t Over-Water When Temperatures Are High It may seem counterintuitive, but Elephant's foot actually need less water during summer. To see if your plants have enough moisture, check the soil by putting your pointer finger two inches (5 cm) below the surface and feeling to see if it's dry. If it's already wet and you continue to water it, you can cause the roots of your plant to rot. Tip #2: Don’t Panic If Temperatures Occasionally Get Too High or Low While you’ll want to keep your Elephant's foot in the optimal temperature range as much as possible, they won’t die instantly if temperatures drop or rise. Elephant's foot have even been known to survive at temperatures below 0 ℃ for small amounts of time. Temperature fluctuations will usually cause your plants to enter a state of dormancy, going into survival mode and utilizing less water. You’ll want to return them to the correct range as soon as possible, but don’t think all is lost if the temperature suddenly shifts. Tip #3: Avoid Placing Your Elephant's foot in Extreme Heat When exposed to very high temperatures for extended periods of time, Elephant's foot will begin to change and experience damage. The changes may seem aesthetically pleasing at first, with the leaves changing into muted shades of red, yellow, and orange. But eventually they will begin to wither as the plant succumbs to sun damage, eventually stopping it's growth entirely and causing your Elephant's foot to die.

Elephant's foot actively grow in winter, though their flowers won’t appear until the warmer temperatures of spring. If you are planting these succulents indoors, the seasons won’t affect their temperature requirements very much. The focus will be more on the ability for the plants to get the right amount of sunlight. Winters can make it more difficult for Elephant's foot to get the right amount of light, while summers can provide an overabundance. Too much sunlight can damage the leaves and stems of the plant, slowing their growth or halting it entirely. Keep your Elephant's foot in an area with bright but indirect light to see the best results.

If you are growing your Elephant's foot indoors, you’ll want them kept in an area of your home with a climate control system. This system can be an A/C unit if you live in a warmer region or a heater if you live in a colder region, though the air from either should not come directly in contact with the plants. Try to have as much natural air as possible without drastically shifting the surrounding temperature. You’ll also want to be mindful of the sunlight they experience, keeping them in rooms with ample, but indirect, window lighting. If your Elephant's foot is outside, you’ll want to control the temperature by positioning it for optimum sunlight. This means avoiding the direct sunlight and heat of midday; Elephant's foot is full sun or partial shade plants, dappled sunlight filtered through a tree, plant, or fabric structure is the best. An overabundance of sunlight can also expose them to high temperatures, putting them at risk of dormancy and damage.

Fertilizing Elephant's foot adds nutrients to the growing medium. Even though it does store water and nutrients, applying plant food during the growing season helps support healthy growth. Fertilizing can also encourage mature specimens to produce blooms in the growing season.

While all plants benefit from additional nutrients, Elephant's foot only needs a light dose of fertilizer during the growing season. The frequency of fertilization should be 1-2 times a year. It is suggested to fertilize your Elephant's foot in the spring and autumn, but not in winter&summer when it is dormant. Be careful with repotted plants, you will want to reduce the amount of fertilizer. It’s also a good idea to wait a couple of months after repotting before you start applying fertilizer.

Like most plants, Elephant's foot has a dormancy period and it is when you want to stop the applications of fertilizer. In the summer and winter, the plant ceases growing, and it is when you want to stop applying fertilizer. It’s also a good idea to cease fertilizing for the first couple of months after repotting in the spring.

It’s best to use a liquid plant food formulated for succulents and cacti when you are fertilizing Elephant's foot. Dilute the fertilizer with water to half-strength. You do not want the fertilizer building up in the soil. Apply the fertilizer to the base of the plant and water thoroughly, ensuring any excess moisture drains from the container or seeps into the ground.

It is easier to use liquid plant food when you are fertilizing Elephant's foot, but granules are another option. Follow the directions on the packaging, making sure you dilute liquid fertilizers to half-strength. Whether you are using granules are liquid plant food, always apply it to the soil. Cover the granules with a thin layer of soil and water regardless of the type of plant food you are using.

Over-fertilizing Elephant's foot is a common problem with new and experienced gardeners. The plant has low nutritional needs and it’s easy to apply a little too much fertilizer. Over-fertilizing Elephant's foot can burn the plant’s sensitive roots resulting in its slow decay. Without its root system, the plant cannot absorb nutrients and moisture.