Let me tell you why you should not water during the potting-in period

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ForewordQian Yan

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Editor / Succulent Plant Hub

During the potting-in period, the plant detects that its roots are damaged and can no longer rely on the roots to extract energy from the soil!

So it begins to consume the energy (water and nutrients) of one old leaf at the bottom to convert and generate new roots, so as to rebuild the circulation system.

This is because the old leaves at the bottom, first, cannot participate in photosynthesis; second, are closer to the soil surface and can protect the new leaves after drying and shrinking; and third, gradually age, with growth points that no longer have reproductive capacity, so they are eliminated first.

Usually potting in requires consuming 1-3 bottom leaves, and during the potting-in period the plant will lose its condition, dry and shrink, and turn green.

Therefore, for mail-order succulents, or succulents with trimmed roots, after potting in dry soil, it is completely fine to water again after a week,it just depends on whether you can hold yourself back!

But for those repotted from your own home, with untrimmed roots and well-developed roots, no pests or diseases, and the whole root ball moved intact, just switching to a larger pot, in this case you can absolutely water immediately; this is called settling-in water,because the roots are well developed and still functioning, and a good soak of clear water can help the soil fit around the roots, adjust the space, and so on.

In fact, so-called condition is just the increase in carotene caused by sunlight, which is why red and yellow colors appear. Carotene is used for sun protection and cold resistance, and does not promote growth. (Think of the principle behind leaves turning red in autumn.)

During the growth period, a lush green expanse is usually chlorophyll, that is, caused by insufficient light and an urgent need for photosynthesis, so it turns green. When it is green is also when the plant is growing madly.Generally it will desperately grow taller to get closer to the light source, and desperately grow larger leaves to absorb more light..

In this way, if green is applied at the right time, it is actually very helpful for rapid growth. During the potting-in period and seedling stage, indoor cultivation should be used, with ordinary light being enough.During this period, rooting and development are the main task.

Once the root system is good, it is not too late to take it outside for sun. As long as it gets a few days of ultraviolet light, plus the large temperature difference between day and night outdoors, before long the leaves will slowly cup inward and become shorter and change color, which is the so-called condition.

Developing condition actually must happen in healthy adult plants. Blindly pursuing condition is also unhealthy. For example, in summer, all plants are the same and should be a lush green expanse.

Therefore, potting in dry soil during the potting-in period is to get the plant's repair system running, whilethe moisture in wet soil basically will not be absorbed by the roots at this time, and instead is prone to producing rot fungi。

So, if you want rooting, you must wait patiently, wait for the plant to confirm that the roots are damaged (root trimming), and that the new environment is stable (not wobbling) and suitable for regeneration (dry soil),that is to say, you must not keep wobbling and disturbing the plant.

In addition, when you see dried old leaves, unless they are the kind that fall off at a touch, do not give in to your itchy hands and pull them off. In fact, even if old leaves shrink to a mummy-like state,there will still be a little bit of nutrients that can be absorbed. The body will not waste even half a bit of resources.

Moreover, dried and shriveled old leaves themselves have a protective effect. Unless they fall into the flowerpot and need to be picked out (they will not become fertilizer), generally do not interfere with them artificially. Only in this way will theypresent a striking effect of new growth and aging coexisting.

Root trimming is a way to stimulate the circulation system to start. After root trimming, drying the roots actually marks the beginning of the plant having started its system, automatically sealing the damaged wounds, and then growing new roots again.

Growing succulents should be done slowly; do not rush success. Once you understand the principles of the body's growth, you will not be so discriminating about beauty and ugliness, and you will not desperately cover up ugliness in pursuit of beauty. As long as they are alive and well, that is enough.

(The picture below shows Blue Beans during the potting-in period. At that time I still did not understand the principle of not watering, and it was hanging by a thread.)