The Latest Method for Repotting Succulents and Points to Note

Spring has arrived, and quite a few succulents that have outgrown their pots need repotting, and the empty pots left by those that died from your neglect over winter need filling. I used to hear from fellow plant lovers that their newly purchased or freshly repotted succulents were in terrible shape, all limp and dropping leaves, and they were worried sick. So let me clear up some basics here; if you already know how, you don't need to read on. First, let me talk about the general method for repotting newly purchased succulents.

Just bought a succulent and want to give it a prettier pot? By repotting, you can move the plant into a completely new environment, which has a beneficial effect on succulents. That is why some plants grow even better after repotting. But repotting carries risks, because any plant, once its roots are disturbed and its soil changed, needs time to recover before it can grow again; after repotting, if external conditions are unsuitable, such as high heat or cold, it will affect the plant's growth, or even cause death outright, especially on snowy days.

Here's what to do.

1. Removing from the pot

To remove the plant from the red plastic pot, you can first gently squeeze the outer pot to loosen the peat soil inside; it is recommended to do this when the soil is completely dry, for two reasons: when the soil is wet, it means the plant's roots are actively absorbing water and are more easily damaged; plus, removing the plant from the pot easily leaves wet soil clinging to the pot and the plant, which is not very attractive. Once the soil is slightly loosened, you can tip the soil out; there is no need to use too much force during the process! The plump, tender leaves break easily with too much force, so be gentle.

2. Tidying the root system

After a succulent has grown for a period of time (about 1-2 years), some roots will die off, for many reasons: bacterial infection, soil compaction, etc. That is why you need to repot to clean out these dead roots; once roots die, not only do they affect the plant's absorption, but if the wound becomes infected, it will continue to spread and affect healthy roots, and finally spread to the plant itself.

Brush the soil away from around the roots; at this point you will smell a fragrance like ginseng, which only healthy roots give off! If you see pests or rotten roots at this point, then you would wash the roots or behead the plant and re-root it; right now the plant looks very healthy, so we did not wash the roots! After cleaning off most of the peat soil, you can move on to the next step.

3. Preparing to plant - the bottom layer

Most pots have holes; if the medium you bought is on the small side, it is recommended to use a permeable net or paper towel to partly cover the bottom hole, so that during planting the stones won't quickly wash out through the hole every time you water or move the pot. (A little tip: a cotton pad used by women works well as a substitute for a bottom screen.)

Next, for the bottom layer we put in expanded clay pebbles about one-fifth of the pot's volume; expanded clay pebbles are made by mixing a special clay with water and firing it at a high temperature of 1,100°C, producing a reddish-brown, loose, gravel-like product of varying coarseness, and they are the best medium for hydroponic cultivation. They have countless independent air pores; the surface can adsorb a large amount of moisture while the interior still retains air, a dual structure that gives them both water retention and breathability. They contain no organisms and are clean and sterile, attractively rounded, and hard and not easily crushed; even with long-term use they will not deteriorate or break down.

4. Start planting

It will be clearer if I show you with illustrations; because the pot being changed this time is relatively small, before replanting the succulent, first put in a little mixed soil, not too much, just enough to cover the expanded clay pebbles; the purpose is to plant the plant firmly and completely. Putting in too much mixed soil at the start will leave the plant no space and it won't be planted deep enough, making it easy for it to wobble.

Next, place the succulent you just removed from its pot into the pot, then fill the gaps between the pot and the plant with mixed soil; you can use tweezers to help, and press the medium down a little to make it firmer. Don't worry about filling it too full, because there will be gaps between the stones, and the roots won't easily suffocate.

5. Tap the pot lightly

Finally, tap the pot lightly to reduce the gaps; sometimes you can add even more soil, and after repeating a few times, you're done.

The benefits of repotting:

Points to note after repotting:

1. For plump, tender succulents, the best repotting season is October to March (30°C to 5°C).

2. Do not water for a week, because during the process of separating the roots, the root system will inevitably be damaged to some degree, and the wounds need to heal and dry out.

3. Do not expose to direct sunlight for a week; place in a spot with diffused light by a window or on a balcony edge, so the roots can slowly adapt to the new environment.

4. The first watering is done in the morning, watering until water comes out through the hole; the plant will grow new roots after a week, and then you can water normally.

5. In an outdoor spot with good ventilation, water once every 1-2 weeks; indoors, water once every 2-4 weeks.

Actually, all these methods of mine are the most conservative approach; many succulent varieties are far tougher than you can imagine, and once you've kept them for a while you'll find these methods are all too cumbersome, and only the more delicate varieties need such a complicated process. Hehe, but if you haven't been into succulents for long and haven't yet fully grasped their habits, then it's still best to follow the conservative approach. If you're already an experienced grower, then just carry on as before.