How to repot a succulent with an old stem? If you go too long without repotting, you may end up losing it

If your succulent has been growing poorly for a long time, its roots may have already filled the entire pot, and this is why many succulent growers' plants look fine all year round and then suddenly die mysteriously. It is because it is time to repot. Below, the garden keeper will introduce the steps for how to repot succulents, so please be sure to remember them~~~~

Tips for repotting

Removing from the pot

Generally, after one year of cultivation, the nutrients in the pot tend to be exhausted, the soil becomes compacted, and aeration and water permeability become poor, while the plant roots are packed tightly in the pot again, so repotting is needed. Squeeze the pot with your hands and tip the whole plant out together with the soil. If it cannot be removed, you can tap the pot wall with a rubber mallet and take it out after the pot soil loosens.

Pest removal

When changing the soil, also check whether there are "scale insects" or other diseases or pests in the root system of the succulent. If scale insects are found in the roots or soil, you can soak the roots in medicated water for half an hour before planting. At the same time, carefully check the dead leaves, because pests and diseases like to hide under dead leaves.

Shaking off soil

If the succulent is growing robustly, many soil particles will cling to the root system, and the excess soil can be gently flicked off with your hands. Using this "flicking" method to shake off soil can minimize damage to the root system.

Cleaning up

If there are too many roots, it is very necessary to prune the root system when repotting, cutting away all rotten roots. Also check whether there are dead leaves or rotten leaves at the base of the leaves, and these should be cleaned away too. Then rinse once with clean water, which can also remove some pests and diseases.

Adding soil

Prepare new soil. Most succulents are suitable for neutral soil containing an appropriate amount of humus. Remember, add soil only up to 1-2 cm below the pot rim, leaving space for top dressing stones.

Top dressing

While preparing the soil, you also need to prepare top dressing stones, such as volcanic rock, akadama, and maifan stone. Do not use materials with poor breathability, as they easily smother the succulent.

Root care

Pruning dead roots

Whether a succulent looks good or bad and whether its leaves are thick are all related to whether the root system is healthy. When repotting, most succulents need root pruning. Even if it is a healthy succulent, upon inspection you will find that the lowest part of the root system is basically dead. After being planted for a while, the lower leaves are very likely to turn to water and rot, and in severe cases the whole plant may die, so the dead roots need to be pruned at this time.

Removing dead leaves

If there are dead leaves at the base of the leaves, they also need to be cleaned away. These dead leaves may hide insect eggs, and too many dead leaves can easily induce disease. After cleaning, rinse with clean water, or soak in a potassium permanganate-type sterilizing solution, which can reduce the chance of pests and diseases.

Drying the roots

After cleaning, the roots need to be dried. Turn the succulent over with the roots facing up and place it in a bright area without direct sunlight. This generally takes 2-3 days, and depending on the weather and indoor environment it may need to be extended by 2 days. It must be thoroughly dried so that the wounds at the pruned areas heal.

New roots

After drying, plant the succulent in the pot, and in about a week new roots will grow.

Pruning the stem

Cut off the lignified, blackened old stem. If such an old stem is planted directly into the pot, 80 to 90 percent of them will rot.

Do not prune short roots

For some succulents with healthy roots or not many roots to begin with, such as Aeonium (Black Rose, Aeonium 'Zwartkop', etc.), Sedum (Sedum lineare, Sedum pachyphyllum, etc.), Graptopetalum mendozae, string of pearls, Sedum rubrotinctum, and Othonna capensis, it is not really necessary to prune the root system; simply rinse them with water.