Transplant succulents: when and how to do it

The first thing to say here is that not all succulents maintain a proportional relationship between the size of the plant and the size of its pot, so this may not be an effective method for know when a succulent plant needs a transplant. There are succulents that can be without any problem in containers with much less volume than themselves and, in fact, a pot that is too large would not do them any good.

For this reason, when transplanting a succulent, you should not look at the aerial part of the plant, but quite the opposite: its roots. But, how can we see them if they are underground? Some of you will say. It’s very simple: lift the pot or pot and observe. If the roots of the plant are coming out of the drainage holesis that the succulent already needs one larger pot. Prepare a new container slightly larger than the old one, but only slightly, or the plant will collect more moisture than it needs.

There is another very important detail to take into account when transplanting a succulent, and that is that you should never do it in winter. It is preferable that the plant endures the cold months in a pot that is too small, than to risk transplanting it at that time. Succulents tend to develop a very extensive root system, and it is very easy for a root to be damaged during transplantation. This, which is very rarely a problem for the plant in the warm months, in winter can cause humidity and cold to accumulate in the area, rotting the roots of your succulent from the small wound formed.

To achieve this successfully, what you will need, once you have the new container at hand, is to follow these steps to transplant succulents:

1. drop the plant from its current pot. If the pot is made of plastic, it will be very easy to do it: just cut it or squeeze it. If not, tap on the sides of the pot to loosen soil and roots from its walls, and strain a pencil or stick through the unclogged drainage holes to loosen some of the soil. All this is done to never have to pull the plant when removing it, which can cause severe injuries. Also, remember to wear thick gardening gloves if the plant has thorns.
2. Prepare the new pot, which is vital that it has drainage holes, if it does not have them when buying it, do them carefully. Cover the bottom with a coarse rock bed to help keep those holes free and improve drainage, and use succulent soil, ideally enriched with slow-release fertilizer.
3. Transplant the succulent: if it is a complete plant, simply place it in its new container, with the green part a couple of centimeters below the edge of the pot, and add the necessary substrate. If it is an offspring of a succulent plant, try to untangle its roots as much as possible, or separate it very carefully by prying it gently with a fork. In the case of suckers, it is sometimes advisable to wait a few days after separating them from the mother plant so that any possible wounds can heal.

Here you can discover more tips about Transplanting a plant: when and how to do it.

As a summary, we can say that the general succulent plant care are the following:

• Irrigation: The most important thing with these plants is not to over-water. Most of them come from desert or semi-desert climates, and excessive watering will quickly cause their roots to rot, this being lethal in many cases. Here you can learn more tips on How to water succulent plants.
• Earth or substrate: the most necessary thing here is that it offers good drainage, to eliminate that excess moisture.
• Light: Almost all of them need a large amount of light, so it is necessary to place them in very bright rooms. However, direct sun can be very harmful for many of them, especially in the summer months and if it is very intense in that area.

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