Getty Images Polina Strelkova
Succulents frequently arrive jammed together cheek to jowl in lovely tiny plates. Succulents are among the plants that don’t do well in this arrangement. One of the best ways to promote mold and bug infestations is overcrowding.
The second problem is that although though succulents are excellent at surviving on meager supplies, they still require food and water. If there is too much competition, they will probably lose out. If your succulents are delivered in a crowded arrangement, carefully remove them and give each one its own roomy miniature dune.
When should I repot my succulents?
Evergreen succulents have always captured my heart. Succulents are low maintenance plants that thrive in containers because to their unusual forms and thick leaves; I have a large collection of these well-liked varieties.
Repotting succulents every two years is a good general rule of thumb, if only to give them access to new, fertile soil. The beginning of a succulent’s growing season is the optimal time to repot it because it provides the plant its best chance of surviving. My gardeners, Ryan and Wilmer, took advantage of the snowy weather earlier this week to repot many succulent plants and propagate a variety of cuttings. Here are some pictures of the steps we took.
In times of drought, succulents, sometimes known as fat plants, store water in their fleshy leaves, stems, or stem-root systems. Because of their eye-catching shapes, succulents are frequently planted as attractive plants.
I needed to repot a few of the succulents in my collection either they had outgrown their pots or I wanted to relocate them into more attractive clay containers.
He stamps my name and the year the pot was produced on the reverse side. When I host big events in my home, they invariably look fantastic.
To aid in drainage, a clay shard is placed over the hole. Additionally, I like using clay pots because they permit adequate aeration and moisture to reach the plant via the sides.
We always keep the shards from broken pots; it’s a fantastic method to use those parts again.
Wilmer carefully takes a succulent from its pot without damaging any of the roots.
Wilmer then conducts a meticulous test to determine if the pot is the proper size for the plant. He picks a pot just a hair bigger than the plant’s original container.
Prills are the name for osmocote particles. A core of nutrients composed of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is covered by the prill’s beige shell.
For the finest drainage, we mix equal parts of sand, perlite, and vermiculite for succulents. The correct soil mixture will also aid in promoting rapid root growth and provide young roots with quick anchoring.
Wait a few days before watering the succulents after repotting to give them time to become used to the new soil.
Wilmer shifts to the following plant. This one too need a little maintenance attention. He picked up any fallen leaves.
In order to promote new development, Wilmer lightly pruned the roots after manually loosening the root ball.
Wilmer inserted the plant into the pot after adding some Osmocote and a little amount of potting soil.
The pale blue-gray leaves of Echevaria runyonii ‘Topsy turvy’ curve upward, are prominently inversely keeled on the bottom surface, and have leaf tips that point inward toward the center of the plant.
Echeverias are among the most alluring succulents, and plant aficionados greatly respect them for their brilliant colors and lovely rosette shapes.
An aeonium is a succulent with rosette-like leaves that grows quickly. Aeonium is a varied genus that includes little or medium-sized plants, stemless or shrub-like, and plants that favor sun or shade.
Succulents should be placed on a table so that they can get enough of natural light even when the sun isn’t shining directly on their pots.
Moreover, propagation is fairly simple. Here, Ryan uses sharp pruners to cut a three to four-inch portion of stem off the mother plant.
There should be about a half-inch of stem showing. A handful of them are ready to be planted here.
Ryan provides plenty of space for the plants. There will be plenty to use in mixed urns during the summer if all of these take root and grow into succulent plants. Four to six weeks following planting, new growth should start to show, at which point each plant should be repotted independently.
Inside my main greenhouse, all of my priceless plant collections are kept on long, sliding tables. They all have such lovely looks. Which succulents are your favorites? Please share your feedback in the spaces below.
Do I need to divide my succulents?
It’s time to divide your succulents after they have outgrown their containers or have produced a lot of new plants. Often, dividing your plants is simpler than repotting a large, multi-stemmed specimen. Each repotted component can grow and fill a new container thanks to division. During the growing season, plants develop more swiftly.
When should succulents be crowded?
Now that you are aware of what to anticipate throughout the vigorous growing phase in the Spring and Summer, I have a suggestion for you.
You can leave a small gap between each plant in your succulent arrangement so that it will have room to flourish.
Succulents’ active phase may last for two to three months before they begin to fill in.
This will allow your plants to grow and get bigger while also giving the appearance of a congested arrangement.
Why do succulents like dense populations?
The succulents in arrangements that are planted closely together don’t develop as quickly since there isn’t enough area for them to spread out and flourish.
This arrangement is firmly packed, so it will maintain its shape better and maintain a better appearance for a longer period of time.
When gifting or selling succulent arrangements, this technique works well because an arrangement like this generally looks better and more polished.
Downsides to planting succulents close
Planting succulents closely together has some drawbacks, like making it more difficult to water and really reach the roots.
Using a watering can with a very small spout and pushing it in between the leaves of your succulents will allow you to reach the roots, which is a fantastic solution to this issue.
Although you can certainly pour water directly on top of the arrangement, I’ve discovered it’s best to water between the leaves to make sure the roots are also getting moist.
The fact that succulents eventually grow to look far too big for the planter is another drawback of growing them closely together. At that point, they are so firmly embedded in that pot that it is difficult to trim and remove them.
They are frequently “root bound,” which means that the roots are taking up the majority of the pot or planter that they are in.
Once more, a solution exists for this. Simply remove everything from the pot, cut through the roots with a pair of sharp scissors or a knife, and separate the components.
You might try to prune and maintain the arrangement now since it will take some time for it to reach that degree. Remember that it will be more challenging to remove the succulents and redecorate the arrangement if it becomes too overgrown.
How do you repot succulents that are too crowded?
Begin by tilting the plant sideways and snatching it by the stem base. Shake the container a little after giving it a little tap on the bottom. The plant can also be removed from its previous pot by gently pulling on the stem after loosening the soil with a stick or your hands. Chopsticks can be used to further loosen the dirt if you are still unable to remove the succulent after doing so.
Instead, you can slowly hammer the old pot until it breaks. This would enable you to take the plant out of its old pot without damaging its root system, even though you would be sacrificing it.
After removing the succulents from the old pot, you should just brush the soil away from the roots or give them a light tap or tickle to loosen as much soil as you can. If you decide to wash the roots with water, be careful to allow them to dry for three to five days in a cool location out of the sun. If the roots of your succulents have grown too long, you can also clip them.
Fill the new pot with soil mixture by at least two-thirds before you plant your succulent. Once finished, carefully lay the succulent in the center and completely cover the roots with additional soil. To keep the succulent’s leaves from rotting, make sure they are entirely above the soil.
Place the succulent gently in the center and completely encircle the roots with additional soil.
If you want to repot a cactus, follow the same procedures as above. To prevent getting pricked by the thorns, just be sure to use a kitchen tong or wear gloves, such as gardening gloves, work gloves, or leather gloves, before you carry out the next tasks.
On the other side, repotting succulent arrangements is fairly challenging. However, to make things simpler, carefully remove each plant from its previous pot, taking care not to damage any of the roots. To accomplish this, make cuts through the soil and roots, then scrape off as much of the old dirt as you can from the roots. When you’re finished, carefully examine your succulents’ roots before putting them in their new pot. Make careful to leave any plants with damaged roots out of the pot for two to three days, or until the roots callus over, if you notice any.
Can you transplant a succulent’s top?
Your succulent won’t appear as stretched out and leggy when you remove the top and transplant it in soil. Grab a good pair of gardening shears or a knife.
Succulents prefer tight pots, right?
Succulents should be planted in pots that are about 10% broader than the plants themselves. Choose the shallow pot whenever the choice is between a deep or shallow pot. The pot’s depth should be 10% greater than the plant’s depth.
Let’s clarify using instances from real life:
- Grab a 2.5 (the best option) to 4 inch pot (the exact maximum size) for optimal outcomes if you have a 2 inch succulent.
- Grab a 4.5 (the best option) to 6 inch pot (the exact maximum size) for optimal results if you have a 4 inch succulent.
Right After They Have Been Purchased
When new succulents are brought home, they might need to be potted again. This is due to the fact that they are usually cultivated in containers with a substantial volume of unused soil and little to no air space around the roots.
However, if you’re not sure whether your new plant requires repotting or not, you may always try to gently twist the succulent out of its container. If it breaks into several pieces or has numerous roots protruding from the sides, this indicates that they require a new pot.
Soil Dries Fast
Your succulents need to be replanted when their soil begins to dry out quickly.
It is possible that the potting soil mix is drying out too soon as a result of improper drainage, poor aeration, or an excess of fertilizer.
To prevent drying out when you neglect to water them, succulents require a potting mix that holds onto water and has strong drainage qualities.
Succulents Are Falling or Leaning Over
The roots of your succulents may have gotten too big for their pot if you notice that they are toppling over or tilting.
It will be necessary to place the plants in a larger container with a succulent/cactus soil mixture.
Succulents Stop Growing
When the roots can no longer expand and begin to round the pot, the plant requires repotting.
Because it need a larger new container so the roots can grow better, doing this will help the plant grow more and survive longer.
Succulents Leaves Start Drooping or Begin Looking Wilted
When the leaves on your succulent plant start to droop or start to seem wilted, that’s a surefire sign that it needs to be repotted.
This occurs when they are either in inadequately sized pots, are not receiving enough water, or require more sunlight.
The absence of space for the roots to expand is another factor that contributes to this.
This results in them spreading out only at the soil level, where they need room to grow new roots, store more moisture, and release oxygen, as opposed to growing on top of one another.
Succulents Become Root Bound
The roots will spread from their containers and land on the floor or nearby furniture. Additionally, they start to spread horizontally rather than vertically, which can eventually lead to issues.
It’s best to check how much potting soil mixture is still in the pot before adding more water when you notice symptoms like these in your plants.
Is there a lot of room up there? If not, you should consider repotting your plant.
Succulents Get Too Big
When planted in a pot with plenty of soil and water, succulents grow quite quickly, but eventually their roots outgrow the pot.
Repotted succulents are necessary since overgrown ones will stop producing new fleshy leaves or flowers and may even appear unhealthy.
Succulents Have New Growths
On the underside of their leaves, succulents develop new offsets. It’s crucial to repot your succulents since the offsets will eventually grow new roots.
You should eliminate the offsets rather than just leave them in place if there is no room for offset growths. By doing this, more room will be made available for other plants so they can flourish there without being overcrowded.
Succulents Look Unhealthy
This may occur for a number of reasons, such as inadequate space in the pot or excessive sun exposure on the leaves.
Succulents occasionally simply need extra room to grow since they have outgrown their pot. This is especially true if you intend to grow more of them by cuttings off the stem or tip of the plant.
There Is a Small Gap Between the Soil and the Pot
When water doesn’t drain through the succulent soil but rather remains on top, the plants need to be repotted. The reason for this is typically that the pot requires more drainage holes so that the extra water can flow out.
Your succulents will begin to establish roots around the edges if they are too large, creating an unhealthy root structure that leaves no place for future growth.
Having a separate planter and relocating them from their present container into one with superior drainage might be your best option.