Question
I purchased a haworthia attenuata plant from the store and I'm really not sure how to take care of it overall. One website I saw recommends watering once every three weeks, another says to water much more frequently. Should I let it be until the top soil looks very dry? The plant is in a ceramic pot so I won't be able to lift it and tell by weight like a plastic pot. The plant doesn't seem like it will wilt or droop to give clues as to whether it is over or under watered so is there another way to test how damp soil is?

The plant came in a very small pot so I recently put it into a slightly larger one to make watering easier since the plant almost entirely covered the soil and I wasn't sure if getting the leaves wet was good. When I pulled the plant out, I noticed the roots are white on top and dark brown lower. I assume I've overwatered the poor thing and it has root rot, but I'm not sure how to proceed with that. I purchased some soil (for another plant) that is specifically mixed for cacti, citrus, and palm plants that claims to be fast draining- should I repot into that type of soil, removing as much of the original soil as possible?

There are also some tiny insects walking along the roots. They have clear wings and black bodies from what I can tell, but I see no evidence of them anywhere outside of the roots, even when watering. I tried to look them up online, but it seems like all insects in the soil come up during watering and these do not that I can see. Basically I'm not sure if they are the cause of the unhealthy roots or if they are there BECAUSE the roots are unhealthy. Above the soil, the plant seems healthy still, with dark green leaves and bright spots. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Answer
Hi Melinda, Here is the cardinal rule on growing your succulent, if you remember or do nothing else, "water only when dry"...this is paramount to prevent root rot; they store their water in their leaves, hence the soft , tissue type elongated , aloe type leaves. When you water, water them well, then let them dry out completely before watering again, they will let you know when they need water, for the leaves will begin to shrivel (as they use up their supply). While they are actively growing, use a soluble (Peters, Miracle-Grow) fertilizer at half strength during one of the watering sessions. Grow them in a ceramic pot, this way they water will dissipate quicker, and there will be less chance of root rot from sitting water. Soil that is quick draining, like Cacti soil is perfect, again, the quicker the water is used and then drained off , the better. The tiny insects are a mystery to me, but I would simply clear as much of the old soil off as possible and repot in a new container. If the insects appear again, then put a little insect granular on top when you water, and this will eradicate them without hurting the plant. They like sun and heat, but if you have it inside now, gradually move it into the direct sun to avoid sunburning. Nick