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.
Can a succulent fit in a pot that’s too large?
It can often be difficult to determine the proper size of pot for your succulents and arrangements. In order to give your succulents some room to spread out and expand, I generally advise allowing about a half-inch between them and the pot’s edge.
Because the roots stretch out before the succulent has a chance to catch up, too much room can actually stop a succulent from growing much larger. A 2.5 inch pot is typically a decent choice if you’re planting a two-inch succulent alone.
You should allow some space around each succulent in your arrangement if you’re mixing many of them so they have room to spread out.
Once completed, a closely packed arrangement like the one below will be stunning and will typically stop the succulents’ growth.
Give your succulents enough “breathing room” so that new growth may occur if you want them to grow bigger and spread out. The optimal ratio is often 1/2 to 1.
You ought to feel better prepared to buy a new pot for your succulent plants today. Even though there are many factors to take into account, picking a pot is still a lot of fun when growing succulents.
It’s time to start potting after choosing the ideal container! For a detailed guide, see my post on potting succulents.
How can you tell when a succulent requires a larger container?
Succulents are a favorite among home gardeners because to their distinctive colors, odd shapes, and low maintenance requirements.
Succulents are low maintenance, but that doesn’t mean you should plant them and leave them alone. There will probably come a point when your succulent requires a little more care in addition to making sure it gets the right amount of water and sunlight. Your succulent will eventually need to be repotted in order to give it a suitable environment in which to develop and flourish.
Continue reading for four reasons to repot succulents if you’re unsure whether or not yours does.
Roots are growing through the bottom of the pot
Do you notice white roots clogging the drainage holes in the container when you turn your succulent over? It’s time to repot your succulents if the answer is yes. It’s definitely time to repot if roots are the cause of your pot becoming unsteady. A decent rule of thumb is to leave about a 1/2-inch space around the pot’s edge and between your succulents (if you’re using more than one plant in a pot). Although you want to give your succulent some breathing space, a pot that is too large will actually slow down its growth. Additionally, make sure it has drainage holes. Drill a few holes into the bottom if there aren’t any. If you don’t want to drill holes in your pots, adding a layer of stones, like our Hydro stones, in the bottom of your pot is a fantastic alternative drainage method.
The soil dries out too fast
Have you ever noticed that after watering your succulent, the soil is completely dry again after a few hours? This is a clue that your succulent needs to be repotted because the potting soil is no longer suitable. Succulents want soil that drains easily, but they also require soil that remains damp long enough for the roots to absorb the liquid. Make sure to get the best potting medium for your plants when you repot succulents because of inadequate soil. Succulent soil and perlite, both of which are available at your neighborhood garden center, should be mixed in a ratio of 1:1.
Your succulents are top heavy
Your prized succulents need to be replanted if they are leaning or tipping over, which is an evident symptom. This does not necessarily imply that they require a larger pot, though! Some varieties of succulents grow tall while maintaining shallow root systems. Therefore, even though the roots of your succulent are content in its current container, you must repot it due to the top’s weight. In this case, you simply need a heavier pot—no need to acquire a bigger one. Use a hefty clay container or large stones in the bottom of a lighter pot to add weight when repotting your succulents.
Your succulent looks unhealthy
Have you observed that the once-plush and luscious leaves of your succulent are now limp, shriveling, or yellowing? These are symptoms of a sick plant, therefore it’s time to identify the issue and perhaps repot your succulents. If your succulent receives adequate water and light, then you should check for pests, disease, and rot as potential offenders. Examine the leaves of your succulent; if no issues are there, take the plant out of the pot and check the roots. Cut the roots back to where they seem healthy if you notice a problem with them. Repot your succulent after that in a clean container with new soil. Hopefully, your succulent plant will recover quickly after being re-potted.
Size
Choose a pot that is just big enough for the plant to grow in, but not too big. The circumference of the appropriate pot is 5–10% greater than the size of the plant. Choose pots with a maximum excess space around the sides of an inch or two. The delicate roots will spread if the pot is too big before the plant has a chance to develop. There won’t be any room for the roots to spread in a pot that is too tiny.
Style
The ideal pot should not only complement your style and decor but also the physical properties of the plant. Tall pots look excellent with upright-growing succulents, like aloe. Low-growing cultivars, like Echeveria, look fantastic in little pots. Not to mention spillers with trailing growth tendencies like String of Pearls. Spillers in shallow pots or hanging plants look fantastic and grow well.
Material
There are many different types of materials for pots. The most prevalent materials are wood, terracotta, metal, ceramic, and resin. Terracotta or ceramic pots work best for succulent plants. Both of these materials allow for proper air and water circulation because they are both breathable. Just keep in mind that both ceramic and terracotta are weighty, especially after adding soil and plants.
Pick resin or plastic pots for larger plants, especially ones you plan to move around. Your back will thank you for using those lighter pots as you move or reposition plants.
Drainage
Before you plant and cultivate succulents, the most important thing to understand is that they don’t like a lot of water. Even before you develop a watering schedule, this is relevant. Without adequate drainage, water that accumulates at the bottom of a container without anywhere to go may cause root rot in your succulent.
The ideal pots for succulents, regardless of design, are planters with drainage holes in the bottom. Since many succulent planters lack drainage holes, you can use any of them as long as you keep in mind to water succulents sparingly and keep an eye on them frequently.
Are smaller pots preferable for succulents?
Any succulent plants you purchase in a tiny grow pot can be replanted and kept alive for at least 6 to 12 months in a small ornamental pot. Succulents that remain small and compact are the best for growing for a long time (more than a year).
The ones that remain little or grow slowly are my favorites. They include Gasterias, Panda Plants, some Echeverias and Crassulas, Living Stones, Sempervivums (the rosette-type succulents known as Hens & Chicks), Haworthias (genus of the well-known Zebra Plant), and Living Stones.
Are succulents tolerant to root confinement?
Neither of them. They would continue to live while rootbound for a long time, but I don’t believe any succulents fare better than others. It is significantly more challenging for a grower to overwater a plant when it is rootbound since the plant readily and quickly consumes the water that is available. As a result, although it may appear that a rootbound plant thrives better because you didn’t drown it in water, you are actually preventing it from thriving.
It’s comparable to questioning which women look better in corsets. There is no answer, but it sure is harder to eat a lot if your waistline is constricted by gear, haha. So while some women may experience weight loss while wearing a corset, no one achieves “better” results by having their organs compressed to the point of preventing breathing. However, just because things appear better doesn’t guarantee they are better for the experience. 🙂
When is it time to repot?
When will your plant be ready for a new pot? It’s time for a new pot if it has been in the same container for a number of years (or at least a root checkup). Typical indications that a plant requires extra space or more soil nutrients include:
- a discernible decline in the level or quality of the soil (soil level has dropped over time or appears dry and hardened)
- Roots that are clearly protruding from the pot’s bottom, top borders, or pot itself
- Plant dries out erratically quickly and requires more water than it once did (or water runs right through pot, not seeming to saturate the soil)
- The plant lacks any surface space for fresh development and is either plainly top heavy or excessively large for its pot.
The majority of plants will require repotting once a year, while certain slow-growing plants may only only a topdressing (adding a few inches of new soil on top of the old) to survive. Repotting should be done in the spring. As they come out of their winter slumber, plants are ravenous for new nutrients and more space to flourish. Additionally, the weather is warm and sunny, so the soil will dry out quickly in between waterings (which is important after repotting to avoid root rot).
If spring is not an option, summer is still a wonderful season to repot your indoor plants. Just be sure to avoid extremely hot and dry days when plants may already be under stress and find it difficult to acclimatize. Because your plants are dormant (or about to go dormant), which essentially means that they are hibernating and would like not to be disturbed, in the fall and winter, these seasons are less optimal. Even the moisture in new soil over the winter can be too much for some plants, leading to root rot.
It’s a frequent misperception that repotting a stressed plant would give it a boost. This is true in some circumstances, such as acute overwatering, specific pests and fungal problems, or if the plant is genuinely potbound (needing new soil and a bigger pot), but in many cases, repotting a stressed plant will just make it more stressed. Repotting is a significant alteration for a plant and its delicate root system, hence it should only be carried out in extreme cases.
Won’t a larger pot help your plant grow big and strong?
The size of the new container in comparison to the previous is a crucial factor to take into account when figuring out how to choose the best pot for your houseplant.
A widespread misconception holds that plants will enlarge if placed in a larger container, much like a goldfish in a fishbowl. This makes sense, yet most houseplants really prefer a tighter fit. When given room, roots don’t instantly take up all available area; instead, they expand when and where they like, usually very slowly. The roots sink when you repot them into a much larger container because they are encircled by soil and unable to draw water from it quickly enough. Less soil dries up quicker and lets more oxygen reach the roots, which is what they require to survive.
You should only size up a few inches at a time due to these reasons. Most pots fit loosely within the horticultural industry’s system, which uses the numbers 2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches, and up. The majority of pots are categorized into these groups, albeit these measurements may or may not be perfect.
This implies that if your pot is about 6 inches wide, you should probably size it up to an 8 inch pot. When looking for pottery, it can be a good idea to carry a measuring tape and be aware of the dimensions of your existing pots. Many employees at nurseries and garden centers are quite experienced and willing to provide repotting guidance if you need assistance narrowing down your options.
Drainage Demystified
Some pots have bottom holes, while others don’t. These nuances may seem overly technical when you’re eager to get your plant into a useful and attractive container, but it is in the best interest of any indoor gardener to understand how drainage functions and how this may influence their preferences for pottery.
Simply said, for plant health, a pot with drainage (holes) is nearly always preferable to a pot without (no holes). That’s not to suggest you can’t choose a pot without drainage, but if you’re a beginner who is having trouble deciding on the best pot, drainage holes will undoubtedly make your maintenance routine simpler.
Burlap or cheesecloth covering a drainage hole allows for soil retention without obstructing drainage.
A pot with drainage allows excess water to escape out the bottom rather than collecting in the bottom, where it could quickly result in fungus growth or root rot. These containers, which we prefer to refer to as cachepots because they lack drainage, are best used decoratively by encasing a plastic nursery container with drainage within. Use Spanish or sphagnum moss to hide any gaps or edges if the appearance of plastic bothers you. If you wish to protect the interior of your pot or basket, most nurseries provide plastic liners.
Why do so many of the pots lack drainage? For starters, it was a common misconception among gardeners that adding pebbles or clay shards to the bottom of a pot provided drainage that was just as effective. Numerous institutions, including Washington State University and Fine Gardening, have since refuted this, although the notion still exists.
Having said that, some individuals have a strong preference for a pot without drainage and possess a natural ability to determine when and how much water to apply. You do you. Taking care of plants is a very individualized activity that eventually aims to cultivate happiness in our lives. Some plants are better prospects than others if you wish to pot them immediately into a cachepot. Cacti, succulents, and some semi-succulent tropical plants, such Sansevierias (snake plants), make suitable options because they require little water, lowering the chance that you’ll overwater them accidentally.
Here at Pistils, we line the bottom with little activated charcoal chips when we pot directly into a container without drainage. Unlike pebbles, charcoal actually absorbs moisture like a sponge, and because it is anti-bacterial, it filters pollutants and inhibits the formation of fungi.
What about soil?
A larger pot is only one aspect of repotting. When you repot, you shouldn’t just transfer the old soil because it’s also about rejuvenating the soil. Never use soil that has been harvested outside. Rich, fluffy potting soil is very different from the run-down material in your backyard. To prevent attracting insects, use a sterilized, bagged mixture that is kept tightly wrapped and kept in a cool, dry location.
Different plants’ preferences for potting mixes should be taken into account while repotting them. Carnivorous plants and African violets are two examples of plants that require specific mixtures to grow. To replicate the conditions found in their native desert habitat, cacti and succulents need a specific mix that drains quickly. We make our own cactus soil by generously incorporating pumice (a volcanic rock that resembles popcorn) into potting soil to produce a loose, permeable mixture that dries rapidly.
Epiphytic plants like orchids (as well as staghorn ferns, jungle cacti, philodendrons, and countless other common houseplants) would typically grow in the moss and leaf litter of tree branches in the rainforest, being dampened and drying out again in quick succession. As a result, they typically prefer a mixture that can absorb some moisture but still has plenty of room for air.
Mixtures of cacti and orchids are widely available in nurseries and garden centers (and easy to mix yourself). Most epiphytic plants can be started using one part orchid mix and two parts potting soil, however it can be enjoyable to experiment and monitor your plants to develop your own formulas.
Moisture Retention
You should also take into account the pot’s material when deciding how to care for plants because it has a bigger impact than you might realize.
Purchasing unglazed terra cotta pots can be a smart move if you have a habit of overwatering plants. Unglazed clay dries out much more quickly than plastic or glazed clay because it wicks moisture out of the soil. Since these materials are not permeable, the soil will retain moisture for a significantly longer period of time. Additionally, you can think about adding a little extra pumice to each planting.
Remember that adding pumice, orchid mix, or utilizing terra clay can make your plants dry up more quickly and necessitate more frequent watering if you’re more likely to forget to water your plants. A moisture meter is a useful instrument that can assist you in determining when to water your plants if you are unsure of where you lie on the spectrum.
Rolling Up Your Sleeves
People from all across the world have engaged in the filthy, sentimental ritual of repotting each spring for generations. Treat it like such by deciding to reflect on it on a day when you can take your time, pay attention to your senses, and have fun. This is best if you have access to an outdoor area. If it’s a communal environment, keep in mind that, despite being organic, soil and leaf litter might take a very long time to disintegrate. Spread a tarp or newspaper on your floor so you may have some space and can quickly sweep it up afterwards if you don’t have access to an outdoor area (and you will need todirt has a way of getting everywhere).
Gloves are optional but recommended because many soil mixtures contain woody material that might irritate your hands with minute splinters. It’s time to get started now that you know how to pick the ideal container, so grab your plants, ceramics, and soil.