{"id":1550,"date":"2024-03-27T00:04:01","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T00:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.succulentsforlife.com\/?p=1550"},"modified":"2024-03-27T00:04:03","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T00:04:03","slug":"repotting-succulents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.succulentsforlife.com\/care\/repotting-succulents\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need To Know To Repot A Succulent"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you own succulents then at some point you\u2019re going to have to repot them, but if you\u2019ve never repotted anything before then it can be a daunting prospect, especially if you\u2019re new to succulents. Don\u2019t worry though it\u2019s actually pretty straightforward to do and in this article we\u2019ll look at exactly how to do it without harming or damaging your beautiful plants. We\u2019ll also look at why they need repotting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do you need to repot your succulent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All plants need to be repotted from time to time but there are a couple of different reasons why you might need to repot your succulents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New succulents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve just bought a new succulent from your local nursery then there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s been planted in regular potting soil which won\u2019t be good for it. This is why it\u2019s recommended that you repot a newly bought succulent shortly after you get it home, or at least within the first week or two of getting it home. This will make sure the soil is suitable for the plant, allowing it to be healthy and grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Change of soil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s advisable to repot new succulents you should also do the same with succulents you had for a year or two, especially if you\u2019ve not repotted them for a long time. This is because the nutrients in the soil are finite and, over time, your succulent will use them up so replacing the soil will help to replenish this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, if your succulent is suffering from being overwatered or from root rot then, changing the soil can help to save the plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing plants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like all plants succulents will continue to grow so will eventually outgrow the pot they\u2019re in. Moving them to a bigger pot will give their roots a chance to spread out and therefore allow the plant to grow again.<\/p>\n\n\n

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When is the best time to repot your succulent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most people will tell you that you should repot your succulent in the spring but, while this can be true for some plants, for others it can also be the worst time to repot them. This is because different succulents have different growing periods and you should repot them just before they start to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know that might sound like every plant is different and they all have different growing times but it\u2019s a lot more straightforward than that because a succulent will either be winter or summer dormant and this will dictate when to repot them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter dormant: <\/strong>As you can probably tell, winter dormant plants don\u2019t grow during the winter which means their growing period is during the summer. With this in mind, it\u2019s best to repot them in the spring, just before they start to grow again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summer dormant: <\/strong>Conversely, summer dormant plants will grow in the colder months which means that the fall is the best time to repot them. While most succulents are winter dormant, there are a few varieties, such as haworthia and agave that are summer dormant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of when your succulent\u2019s growing season is you should NEVER repot them when they\u2019re dormant. This can cause them a lot of stress and, in extreme cases, result in the loss of the plant. It\u2019s also not a good idea to repot them while they\u2019re in bloom as they\u2019ll stop flowering immediately and you may even lose the flower altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When do you need to repot your succulent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Knowing why you need to repot your succulent is one thing but knowing when to repot them is another. Sometimes it can be obvious that your plant needs new soil (or a new pot) if any one of the conditions below apply to you then it\u2019s safe to say it\u2019s time to repot your succulent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve just bought a new succulent: <\/strong>Most nurseries plant succulents in plastic pots with any old potting soil but this sadly tends to be unsuitable for succulents. The pots don\u2019t allow them to grow and the soil stays moist (which succulents hate). This is why it\u2019s good practice to give new succulents a few days to acclimatize to their new home and then repot them with fresh, succulent potting soil.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The roots are growing out of the drainage holes: <\/strong>Even if you\u2019re not seeing new growth above the soil your succulent is still growing (or at least trying to grow) but in order to remain healthy it needs a certain amount of space. If they don\u2019t have enough room to grow then the roots can become bound up and will look for any space to grow, including coming out of the drainage holes. Repotting your succulent will give its roots a chance to breathe and the plant to produce new growth.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Your succulent is leaning to one side: <\/strong>If your succulent is leaning over then it could be a sign that they\u2019re not getting enough light and are stretching towards what light there is, but if this isn\u2019t the case then it\u2019s a good indication that it\u2019s outgrown the pot. This doesn\u2019t mean the pot is too small but what it does mean is that the pot is no longer strong enough to support the plant, hence it leaning over. I had this issue once with a baby snake plant, the leaves had grown too tall and the pot just wasn\u2019t strong enough to keep the plant upright. I repotted in in a string pot and the plant has been fine ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your succulent is producing pups: <\/strong>While it\u2019s not essential to repot your succulent if it\u2019s producing pups (or offsets), especially if it\u2019s got plenty of space in the pot but it\u2019s often good practice to do so. The reason for this is that the pups will need their own nutrients too and will be taking some away from the parent plant. Repotting them all will mean that they have fresh, nutrient-rich, soil in which to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your succulent is showing signs of pests or disease: <\/strong>If your plant is looking unhealthy and a little lacklustre, despite getting the right amount of water and light then it\u2019s a good sign that it might be suffering from some sort of bug infestation or from a disease such as root rot. If left there\u2019s every chance the plant will die, but if you act quickly, clean, and repot the plant, then there\u2019s a very good probability you\u2019ll save it. If you’re not sure what to look out for with bugs don’t worry, I recently wrote an article on dealing with bugs on succulents<\/a> that you right find helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The soil is drying out too quickly (or isn\u2019t draining at all): <\/strong>We all know that succulents need soil that drains well but if it\u2019s draining too quickly (or at least quicker than it used to) then it’s a good sign that the soil has lost its nutrients or has become compacted and needs changing. Conversely, if your soil isn\u2019t draining at all or takes too long to do so then there\u2019s a chance your succulent\u2019s roots won\u2019t be able to breathe and could, therefore, end up suffering from root rot. Something that, if not acted upon could result in your succulent dying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been years since you last repotted your succulent: <\/strong>Even if your succulent hasn\u2019t outgrown its pot, isn\u2019t showing signs of disease or if the soil is still draining properly you should still repot the plant. The reason for this is due to the fact that the soil will naturally lose its nutrients over time as your succulent makes use of those natural resources. As a rule of thumb, you should repot your succulent every one to two years, although this can be extended to three to four years for cacti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What tools do you need to repot your succulent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There aren\u2019t a huge number of tools that you need when it comes to repotting succulents but I would recommend the ones listed below. Where necessary I\u2019ve also included links to buy them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n