Just as a child’s foot grows and you have to change the size of the shoes, similarly when a succulent grows, we must transplant it. Today we show you when and how to repot succulents step by step.
How and When to Repot Succulents
Let’s talk first about when to repot succulents. We might think that when the plant reaches a certain size, we should move it to another pot, but this is not the case. Size should not be a factor when repotting our succulent plants.
When to Repot Succulent
There are many succulents that need very little soil to grow, and their size in most cases is not proportional to the size of the pot. What should you look for then? The roots.
“But the roots are under the soil”, you may say. Don’t worry, simply lift the pot. If you see the roots escaping through the drainage hole, you know that you should look for a new pot.
How to Repot Succulents Step by Step
The most important thing when removing the succulent from the pot is not to pull it out. Do not do this as you will end up breaking the roots and even the succulent.
If the succulent is in a plastic propagation pot, simply break the pot with a pair of scissors. What if the succulent is in a terracotta pot? That’s a little more complicated. In that case, turn it upside down, and insert a pencil through the drainage hole to try to loosen the soil a bit.
You can also cut some roots with scissors. Once you do this, tap the pot a few times and that’s it. With these steps, the succulent should come out without a problem.
Once the plant is out of the pot continue pruning some roots that are damaged or very bent. Now just get a pot one or two inches bigger than the one you had and that’s it.
Do not plant your succulent in a pot larger than 2 inches from the previous size. Why? Because it will have too much space and water will accumulate, drowning the succulent.
Learn more about succulents with this article: How to Propagate Succulents in Water.
