Agave, Yucca, Sansevieria, Haworthia, Aloe, Echeveria, and Sempervivum are just a few examples of succulents that grow in rosettes and are simple to split into new plants by cutting off tiny offsets coming from their base or from short rhizomes. The popular long-stemmed and branched succulents Aeonium, Crassula, Euphorbia, Hoya, Kalanchoe, Sedum, and Senecio can all be quickly obtained by growing succulents from cuttings.
It’s simple to grow succulents from stem cuttings. Cut the mature stems off at the tips or ends; the original plants’ bare stems will immediately produce new stems. Over the course of a few days, let the cut ends dry and heal.
Wait a few days to plant succulent cuttings in new soil, or water those you plant right away, before doing so. Succulent cuttings can be planted without them decaying by placing them in a well-drained rooting mix, which solves the problem. By adding coarse sand or perlite, any commercial cactus mix or decent potting soil may be made better drained; typically, a one-to-one ratio of potting soil and drainage material is good to start with.
How is a succulent transplanted?
From the leaves of Crassula, Stapelia, Opuntia, Graptopetalum, Sedum, and Sansevieria, many new plants can be quickly developed. Because the tips of some unusual varieties of Kalanchoe’s long, succulent leaves frequently have little, mature plants sprouting on them, they are known as “mother of thousands.”
Simply break off mature, full leaves and tuck them stem-tip down into potting soil that has good drainage. Each will begin to sprout new plants in a few weeks if kept moist but not soggy.
Is it possible to remove a piece of a succulent and replant it?
Because succulents are such hardy plants, you can actually plant a piece of one and it will develop into a new plant. It may sound like a horror film or the premise of an upcoming science fiction drama on Netflix, but it’s truly possible to regenerate something new from a severed limb. Even if one of its branches is cut off, they will still manage to survive.
Yes, you can prune or cut off a section of a succulent and plant it elsewhere. The clipped succulent piece will adapt to its new home and develop into a full-fledged succulent with the right growing circumstances.
If you want to learn more about pruning succulents, keep reading. It’s like getting numerous plants for the price of one if you get the technique down!
How are succulents placed in pots?
- Repot your succulents in well-draining potting soil—anything with “cactus” on the bag will do! Any nearby hardware or gardening store will have this. Here is an illustration of cactus dirt.
- Pick a pot with a bottom drainage hole. Before adding the cactus soil, add a layer of rock if the pot of your dreams lacks drainage holes.
- Fill your pot with cactus dirt about 3/4 of the way up.
- To remove your succulent’s soil from its plastic container, gently squeeze the sides of the pot to release the soil.
- Remove any remaining soil from your succulent’s roots by gently crumbling it.
- After setting the succulent in its new pot, top out the pot with extra dirt to keep it in place.
- Now is an excellent time to water your succulent if you haven’t in a while. If you’re unsure, give your succulent a week or so to adjust to its new environment before watering. Then, wait until the soil is fully dry before watering it once more (usually about two weeks).
Succulents may be repotted in ordinary potting soil, right?
I’ll address some of the most prevalent queries concerning succulent soil in this section. If you can’t find your answer here, ask it in the comments below.
Can you use regular potting soil for succulents?
For succulents, you could probably use ordinary potting soil. It might work quite well, especially if you frequently forget to water your plants or if they are small. However, make sure the soil thoroughly dries out in between waterings to prevent them from rotting.
What happens if you plant succulents in regular potting soil?
Succulents planted in normal potting soil run the danger of being overwatered. Your succulents may quickly decay if the soil absorbs too much moisture.
What is the difference between potting soil and succulent soil?
The components and consistency of succulent soil and regular potting soil are different. Succulent dirt is permeable and created to drain very rapidly, unlike regular potting soil, which is composed of organic ingredients that hold onto moisture.
Making my own potting soil helps me save a ton of money, plus my succulents thrive in it. Your succulents will flourish now that you are aware of the ideal soil to use and have my formula for creating your own.
When transplanting succulents, do you water them?
The reputation of succulents as being “easy. There is still a lot to learn about these oh-so-Pinterest-worthy plants, even though they would make decent starter plants for someone with a less-than-green thumb. Your succulent’s luscious green leaves could turn mushy, wilted, and brown if it doesn’t receive enough sunlight, water, soil, and container. If one of your summertime projects involves repotting succulents, be sure to read these six suggestions first.
Understand your plants before repotting succulents
Your local garden center was your first stop for an equally colorful assortment of succulents after you pinned a picture of a trendy combination of succulents in a stunning container. You then ordered our Large Mixed Material Terrarium to replicate the Pin. Understanding each plant’s needs for heat, water, and sunlight is crucial before beginning the job. Many people believe that all succulents require the same types of growing circumstances, however each species actually has different requirements. Only a few succulents will grow if you place several of plants in a pot with different requirements. You can repot your succulents into communal containers once you’ve assessed your plants and determined which ones would thrive together. More advice on how to do this may be found in our piece on repotting succulents into terrariums.
Beware of glued-on accessories
You recently purchased a cute prefabricated succulent garden from a big-box retailer, and you now want to repot the plants. You might be surprised to learn that these ready-made succulent gardens frequently contain “On the soil and the plants, there are embellishments like rocks and imitation flowers. Your succulents will benefit from being repotted because the glued-on rocks may be preventing them from accessing the water they require. While removing each glued-on ornament can be time-consuming and tiresome, your succulents will appreciate it once they are free. If you like prepared gardens’ convenience, you might consider our DIY Terrarium Kit, which comes with everything you need for repotting succulents but without the soil “glued-on decorations!
Don’t skip the drainage rocks
You undoubtedly already know that succulents require adequate drainage, and you may have also heard that adding rocks or stones to the bottom of your planter will facilitate this. A drainage layer is required if a container lacks drainage holes, but it can also add a lovely ornamental touch to a glass container or terrarium. You need a well-draining soil in addition to a drainage layer to assist shed excess water, which avoids root rot. This brings us to…
Supplement with perlite
When it comes to giving your repotted succulents a well-draining soil, you’re halfway there if you bought a succulent potting mix at your local garden center. Your plants will prefer a 1:1 ratio of succulent soil and perlite, despite the fact that many potting mixes promise to have all the nutrients and characteristics you need when repotting succulents. Perlite helps with water drainage when well included with your potting soil. You may get it from any garden supply store.
Don’t water right away
Your first reaction after rehoming a plant might be to water it. However, it’s recommended to wait a few days before watering succulents after repotting. If you attempt to water your plants too soon, the roots will not have had time to heal and will be vulnerable to root rot.
Avoid sunburn
Make cautious to protect your succulents against sunburns the same way you protect your skin from sunburn! A freshly potted succulent will frequently develop wilted, mushy leaves and brown blotches, also known as a succulent sunburn, if placed in direct sunlight. It’s crucial to gradually acclimate succulents to direct sunlight when repotting them.
How may succulents be replanted without getting them sick?
Select a container that is roughly 10% larger than your succulent. Avoid choosing a pot that is too large as it can startle them. Additionally, because they hold more water, your succulents may become overwatered if they remain wet for an extended period of time.
This step is not required. There is no need to cover the holes with such materials if the pot is very porous and has good drainage holes that still permit water to travel through them.
In the bottom of your new pot, add one to two inches of dirt and lightly compact it around the drainage hole.
By doing this, you should avoid damaging your succulent when you repot it.
- You can: cultivate your succulents in plastic containers;
- Tap the bottom of the pot, then gradually slide it out: Holding your new plant firmly by the stems or leaves, turn it sideways, and tap the grow pot’s base until the plant slides out. To help your succulent escape the pot, you might also give it a little tug.
- If you don’t need the plastic pot any more and prefer to avoid having to handle the plant too much, you may also cut the pot out using a flush cutter.
- If your succulent is grown in clay or another material:
- Take each stem out one at a time.
- To avoid touching the tendrils too much while repotting the plant, wrap a cloth around it and carefully ease it out.
Before planting, use your fingers to gently loosen the roots. If the roots on your succulent are particularly thick, you can trim about an inch from the root ball and use a clean, sharp knife to cut through the knotted roots. By doing this, the dirt in the bigger pot should begin to fill with fresh root growth. Just leave it alone if the root system is modest.
Remove at least a third of the old potting soil that is surrounding the plant. As they have likely ingested a significant portion of the nutrients in the old potting mix, this should enable your succulent to receive all the nutrients it requires.
Ensure that your succulent is erect and centered in the arrangement. After that, use the new soil mixture to fill in around the rootball and gently press it down so the rootball is surrounded.
After you’ve finished repotting your succulent, give it at least a week to become used to its new surroundings before giving it a nice soak in water. Your succulents should experience less shock as a result of this.
Succulents can be repotted into bigger containers to promote new development, which will help them stay healthy and get bigger. Nevertheless, certain plants don’t like to be transplanted, so exercise caution and make sure you’re doing it at the right time.
How can you root succulents the quickest?
So, you may be wondering how to quickly propagate succulents. I can relate to both the joy and frustration of watching a new plant develop.
Since I’ve been growing succulents for a few years, allow me to give you some advice on how to quickly propagate your succulents as well as some alternative techniques you can try.
Stem cuttings are the simplest and quickest method of propagating succulents. If the plant is a fresh cutting from the mother plant, it will already have a strong foundation from which to build its new root system. Another instance is when you cut off the succulent’s top portion because it has been stretched out significantly (etiolation), this stem will likewise give rise to numerous new plantlings (pups). Due to its existing root system, the plant will also have a great possibility of producing more offset and growing quickly.
Always check that the stem cuttings are a respectable size for the plant’s typical size.
According to my experience, I always want to make sure that the succulent has a lot of nodes where the leaves attach to the stem and a lot of leaves in its stem. Once the succulent is put in soil, these stem nodes will form roots, and the leaves will serve as the succulent’s water source until its root system matures.
Is it possible to remove the top of a succulent and transplant it?
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. Additionally, you should put on gloves. Succulents can irritate your skin since some have milky sap while others have thorns.
Do succulents require certain soil?
Regular potting soil from your yard won’t work for succulents since they need soil that drains. Select cactus soil or potting soil that has been mixed with sand, pumice, or perlite. Be gentle when repotting because succulent roots are extremely brittle.
Which type of soil is ideal for succulents?
Succulent soil is the basis for a plant’s ability to thrive, whether you are planting succulents outside or indoors. Larger soil particles are necessary for succulents to have a well-draining soil that allows water to enter quickly and drain away from the roots without compacting the soil. Use a soil test kit to verify the ideal soil for succulents and adjust the soil to a pH range of 6.0 to 6.5 before planting.
- Succulents prefer well-draining soil and have short root systems.
- The ideal soil is one that is nutrient-rich, loose, and rocky.
- Use a potting mix designed specifically for succulents and cacti when planting in containers, and place the plant in a pot with drainage holes at the bottom.
- Succulent plants could die off if their soil is too alkaline.
- Add soil amendments to the existing soil to make it more suitable for succulents’ needs.