From my perspective, my soft, squishy leaves are a clear and desperate signal of a fundamental imbalance in my water intake. You see, my thick, fleshy leaves are my water reservoirs, evolved to store moisture for long, dry periods in my native arid habitat. When they are plump and firm, it means my internal water storage is perfectly balanced. When they become soft and yield under gentle pressure, it indicates a severe depletion of those reserves. This can happen for two opposing reasons, and it is crucial for you to correctly interpret which one it is.
If my soil is pulling away from the edges of my pot and feels dust-dry to the touch deep down, then I am simply parched. My roots have absorbed all available moisture and have begun to pull the stored water from my leaves to sustain my core metabolic functions. This is a survival mechanism, but it leaves my leaves deflated, wrinkled, thin, and soft. I may also start to drop leaves to reduce my overall water needs. In this state, I am in a critical condition, and my photosynthetic capabilities are severely compromised. A deep, thorough watering is required, allowing excess water to drain freely from my pot's base, so my roots can drink their fill and begin the process of replenishing my leaf reservoirs.
Conversely, if my soil is persistently damp or soggy, the problem is far more sinister. My roots, like all of me, need to breathe oxygen from the air spaces in the soil. Constant water-logging fills these spaces, suffocating my root system. The delicate root hairs die first, rot sets in, and the once-healthy white roots turn brown or black and become mushy. A rotten root system is a blocked pipeline; it cannot absorb any water or nutrients, no matter how wet the soil is. Therefore, even though I am sitting in water, I am dying of thirst and starvation because my means of uptake have been destroyed. The soft, squishy leaves you feel are a direct symptom of this systemic failure underground. They may also appear discolored, turning yellow or brown.
While water is the primary culprit, other environmental stressors can exacerbate the problem. If my pot does not have adequate drainage holes, water becomes trapped around my roots, creating the perfect conditions for rot. A potting mix that is too heavy and moisture-retentive, like standard garden soil, acts like a wet sponge around my root zone instead of a well-aerated, gritty medium I prefer. Furthermore, a sudden extreme temperature drop can damage my cells, causing them to break down and become soft, mimicking the symptoms of overwatering.
Your immediate action is vital. First, you must investigate the soil moisture an inch or two below the surface. If it is bone dry, please provide a deep, thorough drink. If it is wet, you must gently lift me from my pot to inspect my roots. Healthy roots are firm and white or light tan. If they are brown, mushy, and smell foul, you must act decisively. Using sterile shears, trim away all the rotted roots and any severely affected leaves. Repot me into fresh, dry, well-draining succulent mix and a pot with excellent drainage. Do not water me immediately; allow my root system a week to callous over and heal in the dry soil to prevent further fungal attack.
