They grow up so fast, don’t they?

Your succulent babies won’t stay babies forever. Eventually, they’ll outgrow their homes and need to be repotted, (the perfect opportunity for a little succulent + plant-parent bonding.) Get ready to roll up those sleeves and get your hands dirty, we’re here to answer all your repotting questions. 

When’s the best time to repot succulents?

It’s always a safe bet to repot a succulent after it comes out of dormancy and before it’s growth season. Some succulents, like most Haworthias, grow in the winter and are dormant in the summer. Repot summer-dormant succulents in the fall and winter-dormant succulents in the spring, so they have a little time to adjust before their growth season.

When should I repot my succulents?

There’s a couple of tell-tale signs your succulent is ready for a new home:

1. The succulent looks too big for it’s pot. This one seems obvious, but it can be easily overlooked if your house is basically a jungle. (Anybody else… No? Just us?)
2. When you see tightly packed roots or roots growing out the bottom of the pot. Keep in mind, aerial roots are a different story, and the presence of aerial roots doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to repot, just that your plants looking for a little more water.
3. When you water, the water sits on top of the soil instead of draining through. This issue is more about replacing the soil and less about the size of your succulent’s container. 
4. There’s a small crack between the soil and the edge of the pot. It will almost appear as though your soil has shrunk in the pot. Again, this is more about replacing the soil, less about the pot.

What kind of pot should I use?

If you’re new to the succulent parent life, always choose a pot with a drainage hole. This will help you avoid overwatering your succulent. (One of the main causes of succulent death!) A small, shallow pot is best. If your pot is too big or too deep, it can take longer for the soil to dry out, and potentially lead to root rot. Eventually, when you understand your plants watering needs a little better, you can plant them in pretty much anything!

What do I need to repot my succulents?

• A succulent
• A pot with a drainage hole
• Cactus soil 
• A small hand held shovel
• Granular fertilizer (optional, but recommended if it’s been 6 months since you last fertilized)

How do I repot my succulents? 

1. Remove it from its current pot. If your succulent is in a flexible container, you can squeeze the sides to loosen the soil. If it’s in a solid container, like a ceramic pot, use your fingers or shovel to loosen the dirt around the edge first, then gently remove the plant, holding base of its stem. 
2. Remove the old dirt from the root ball, allowing the roots to spread out. Gently squeeze and brush the dirt away, be careful not to rip the roots. 
3. Put a layer of cactus soil in the bottom third of your new pot. If you’re fertilizing your succulent, sprinkle some granular fertilizer into the cactus soil you’ll be using.
4. Place your succulent on top of that soil and fill the remaining empty space with more cactus soil. 
5. Gently press the soil down to compact it slightly, and add more if necessary.
6. If the cactus soil you used was completely dry, give your succulent a good drench. If there was a little moisture in the cactus soil, allow it to dry completely before watering.

Can I pot multiple succulents together? 

Yes! Succulent arrangements are all the rage, and great if you need to make room on your windowsill for more succulents. (Oops, the jungle grows.) The steps for group potting are just a little different. Check out our guide to creating an arrangement here. 

Pro Tip: If you’re repotting a Succulent Studios succulent, there’s no need to remove it from the small brown pot it comes in. Our pots are biodegradable, so you can put the whole thing in a new pot, surround it with soil, and it will degrade over time!

Need some oh-so-cute succulents to fill your pots with? Get $5 off your first Succulent Studios box and enjoy two California-grown succulents delivered to your doorstep.

If there’s anything we didn’t touch on that you’d like to know more about, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’re always here to help.