A Simple and Practical Trick for Beheading Succulents to Make Them Grow Denser and Denser

For the twelve-type succulents such as the crystal-clear Haworthia cooperi and the short, thick-leaved Haworthia retusa, the leaves are often packed tightly together, and once they need beheading, it becomes especially troublesome. Today Huahua teaches everyone a simple little trick to easily solve the beheading problem for Haworthia retusa and Haworthia cooperi.

The Fishing Line Beheading Method

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1. Prepare No. 3 fishing line, a plastic sheet, a sharp small knife, and carbendazim powder.

2. Choose the head you want to cut off; it is best to leave 1-2 layers of leaves on the base, insert the plastic sheet between the head to be cut off and the base, and be sure to insert it tightly.

3. Wrap the fishing line around the inner side of the plastic sheet and tie a knot, making sure the fishing line reaches the deepest part of the leaves, otherwise the cut-off head may easily fall apart.

4. After carefully checking every leaf, hold the succulent with one hand and pull the fishing line tight with the other, give it a slight tug, and the head of the succulent comes right off.

5. Use the small knife to cut away and remove the damaged leaves at the wound, then wipe the tissue fluid flowing from the wound clean with a clean paper towel.

6. Sprinkle carbendazim powder on the wound and keep it in a ventilated, shaded place for care.

Why Behead?

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Not all succulents need beheading. Beheading is mostly done because the succulent has developed disease, or has become leggy, or to turn one head of a succulent into multiple heads. Of course, beheading is not limited to just one method~

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Root Rot and Black Rot

Root rot and black rot are among the most common ailments of succulents. Today Huahua will take the "king of black rot" - Echeveria 'Runyonii' - as an example to explain how to behead and handle it after black rot.

1. Take the black-rotted succulent out of its pot, use a sterilized small knife to cut off the rotted roots and the black-rotted stem, keeping only the head.

2. Check the wound on the cut-off head; if there is still black rot, continue cutting until the wound is a healthy cross-section.

3. Find a bottle with a diameter smaller than the succulent, fill it with clean water, and place the cut-off succulent head on the bottle, being careful not to let the cut surface touch the water surface; it is best to keep a distance of 2-3cm.

4. Place the glass bottle on a windowsill with bright, indirect light and ventilation. After about ten days, the water-cultured succulent will grow white roots.

5. Repot the rooted succulent; the previous soil cannot be used, and the flower pot must also be disinfected.

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Beheading for Legginess

Insufficient light very easily causes succulents to become leggy, affecting their ornamental value, and at this time beheading is needed.

1. Wipe the prepared small knife with alcohol to disinfect it, then cut off the leggy head of the succulent, leaving the leggy stem at whatever height you prefer.

2. Apply carbendazim powder to the cut surface of the succulent and keep it in a cool, ventilated place for care.

3. Place the cut-off head in a cool, ventilated place to dry for 2-3 days, then gently bury it in soil; the burying depth only needs to be enough to keep the succulent from toppling over, then keep it in a bright, indirect light environment for care.

4. After about ten days, the succulent head will grow new roots, and new small heads will also grow on the leggy stem.

5. After 4-5 months, the small heads on the leggy stem will have grown larger.

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Beheading for Clustering

Many friends like succulents with many heads packed together, with a whole pot full of succulents. To achieve this shape from a single succulent, beheading is the simplest way.

1. Using the fishing line method, cut off the head of the Echeveria 'Ice Berry', apply carbendazim powder to the cut surface, and place it in a cool, ventilated place.

2. After drying the cut-off head for 2-3 days, place it in the original pot to root.

3. After about ten days, new heads will grow from the cut leaf core, and new small heads will also grow from the stem below the leaves.

Have you learned today's little knowledge about beheading succulents?

That's all for Huahua's tips

If you have a better method, you can leave a comment to share~