When to replant
The plant needs replanting if:
- roots begin to crawl through the drainage holes;
- when watering, water does not penetrate into the soil, but stands on the surface;
- the substrate separates from the walls of the pot or dries out too quickly;
- The succulent is significantly larger than the size of the pot.
Immediate replanting is required for plants purchased at a flower shop. They are planted in special transport soil, which is not suitable for permanent cultivation.
It is recommended to replant young plants (1–3 years old) annually, and older plants (4–10 years old) once every 2–3 years. Large succulents do not need to be replanted; it is enough to regularly apply fertilizer or change the top layer of soil annually.
It is believed that the ideal time for transplanting indoor flowers is spring, when the growing season begins, which promotes rapid establishment and adaptation. But some gardeners argue that it is best to replant succulents in the fall and winter, when they go into dormancy. At this time, their metabolic processes slow down, which minimizes stress caused by damage to the root system. Therefore, if necessary, you can replant indoor flowers at any time, avoiding the flowering period.
Description of succulents
Plants with fleshy leaves are grown at home. With their help they accumulate water. Such a need arose among cultures due to specific living conditions, since they originally inhabited deserts. The most popular species grown in Russia include:
- Agave. It is presented in several varieties. All of them are unpretentious and look like a miniature Christmas tree in appearance. Their leaves are pointed and curl upward. They have a light green tint and are collected in a kind of rosette.
- Aloe. This plant, popular in Russia, is also a succulent. It has a central stem from which long shoots extend. They are arranged in a circle. There are different varieties of aloe, but they all have a green tint, sometimes with spotted spots.
- Argyroderma. Its rosette is formed by several fleshy and thick leaves. Usually there are 2 of them. Between the main leaves there is a beautiful flower, occupying the diameter of the entire plant. Its petals are pink or white.
Choosing a pot
To plant a succulent, you need to take a pot that is 2-3 centimeters wider than the previous one. You should not use flowerpots “for growth”, as cacti grow very slowly. In addition, the transplanted flower will not increase green mass until it fills the entire earthen ball with roots.
For spherical cacti, the pot should exceed the diameter of the flower by 2–3 centimeters. When planting columnar cacti, the volume of the pot should exceed the volume of the roots by no more than 3 times.
Which pot to choose: ceramic or plastic? It is easier to maintain a constant temperature in ceramic dishes; the soil dries out faster, which prevents it from stagnating. But the roots often stick to the wall, which is why they are injured during transplantation. A plastic container will not protect against temperature changes and may crack due to pressing roots, but it is easy to wash and can be cut when replanting, which will ensure the safety of the root system.
Succulents are planted in low, wide pots. But if the bush is too big, then take an ordinary flowerpot. If another plant previously grew in it, the pot should be disinfected to prevent infection.
Freeing the roots
Try to separate the roots from the compacted soil. When clearing old soil from the roots, be careful not to pull too hard to avoid breaking the succulent's fragile roots. It is best to use a small wooden stick.
You need to break up the shape of the root ball before planting the flower in a new pot. This will help it grow better and make the most of the increased space.
Pay attention to dead and damaged roots: these should be trimmed .
Next, you need to choose a new pot - it is best to take a slightly larger pot, but still not too big.
Soil selection
It is best to prepare the soil yourself by mixing garden soil, black soil and coarse river sand or perlite in equal proportions. It is advisable to add some tree bark or charcoal as organic fertilizer.
If you are using a purchased substrate for cacti and succulents, it is recommended to add 20–30% sand to it to make it more loose.
Purchased soil is not suitable for echeveria. Due to the large amount of peat, it causes rotting of the roots.
How to properly replant succulents
Watering should be stopped 7–8 days before transplanting. It is best to start work in clear weather.
The transplant includes several stages:
- Carefully remove the plant from the pot, avoiding any tension. To better separate the soil from the walls and bottom of the pot, you need to knock on them first. If the pot is plastic, then the walls can be squeezed.
- Lightly shake the earth ball, getting rid of the remaining substrate. Then the root system is cleaned with a brush. Scissors remove diseased, damaged and dry roots. The sections are treated with crushed charcoal. If white spots are noticeable on the roots, which indicates the presence of pests, then you need to treat the plant with an insecticide.
- Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot (you can use gravel, crushed stone, brick chips, expanded clay, vesiculite, foam) to prevent moisture stagnation.
- Fill some soil over the drainage and install the plant, straightening the roots. Then fill the entire space with soil, compacting it. A centimeter layer of sand is poured on top of the substrate.
- The soil is slightly moistened. Water the flower only every other week. You can fertilize no earlier than a month later.
Large plants are replanted using the transshipment method - with a lump of earth.
Additional nuances
Succulents need to be sprayed every 3-4 days. Each type of plant may have its own requirements regarding this procedure. It is better to do this when the soil is completely dry. It is recommended to create a schedule for watering and stick to it strictly.
This is especially important when it comes to young plants.
Mature crops should be watered using a watering can. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is completely saturated with water. Thanks to this technique, the root system will always remain healthy. Some gardeners recommend completely avoiding watering in winter, but much depends on the type of succulent. At the same time, all varieties require the most active supply of water in the summer.
Gardening professionals sometimes experiment to determine how often to water succulents.
Sometimes it's even useful to skip an extra couple of days.
This only makes the roots stronger. There are certain signs that indicate a lack of moisture:
- fragility and dryness of the upper foliage;
- wrinkling of the entire plant;
- the appearance of folds at the ends of the shoots.
If you spray succulents carefully and at regular intervals, they will quickly get used to the constant flow of water. At the same time, you should not water them with the standard portion of water after they have experienced a period of drought. In such cases, the volume of moisture must be increased gradually. But even with this regime, succulents will be able to return to normal only after a week.
Plants should be planted in a pot with holes for drainage. Too wet soil is not suitable for them. In such an environment, mold grows quickly. Pests also feel comfortable here. If you have doubts about the amount of water used, it is better to underfill than overfill. To properly care for a succulent on a daily basis, you will need a spray bottle and a small watering can.
Tips for post-transplant care
In order for the flower to quickly acclimatize to new conditions, it needs to be properly cared for.
Cacti and other succulents love sunlight. Therefore, it is best to place them on a south window. In a dark room, the flower will begin to stretch and lose its attractiveness. But it should be noted that the first days after transplantation, the plant needs to be shaded.
The color of the leaves of some types of succulents (Nussbaumer's sedum, red-colored sedum, Echeveria agavoides and Pulidonis) directly depends on the intensity of sunlight.
Watering
Water succulents once a week, after the top layer of soil has completely dried out. It is advisable to use bottom watering - pour water into the pan. The water should be filtered or settled and at room temperature.
Too frequent watering can cause root rot and flower death. But drought is not a problem for succulents. In nature, they are able to easily tolerate long dry periods. But still, do not overdry the plants , otherwise the leaves will become limp.
When watering a flower, you need to make sure that water does not get on the leaves, which can cause rotting. For the same reason, you should not spray succulents. They do not need high humidity and thrive in dry air.
Temperature
The optimal daytime temperature for succulents is 25–30°C, night temperature is 15–18 degrees. They are not afraid of temperature changes, but cannot tolerate drafts.
Feeding
Flowers are fed only during the growth period - in spring and summer, and in minimal quantities. It is best to buy ready-made fertilizer for cacti and succulents. In its absence, you can use universal drugs. But you need to make sure that potassium is in the first place in concentration in the fertilizer, and phosphorus is in second place. Excess nitrogen should not be allowed, which can cause root rot.
Succulents are unpretentious plants. Even with minimal care, they will delight you with their beauty, creating comfort and tranquility in your home.
Children on cacti
Question: Over the summer, almost all childless cacti on the sunny side grew babies, from five to two dozen per cactus. The cacti themselves have grown quite a lot over the summer, and even these children. Was this bad or good for the cactus? What does this actually indicate?
Colleague: To have fewer children, you need less nitrogen in the soil. Babies are formed from an excess of nitrogen. So it is better to transplant the cactus into poorer soil (more sand and brick chips), or fertilize it only with special cactus fertilizers, which contain a minimum of nitrogen. By the way, cacti that are planted from children in the third generation (a child from a child taken from another child of a cactus grown from a seed) do not bloom - they simply do not know how. They are just growing into children.
It could also be a bushing cactus, for example, Mammillaria prolifera or Wilda, or maybe some kind of aylostera. And there is no need to rob their children from them.
Freya: Transplant into fresh soil for cacti, you can also add sand from your own soil to the already prepared soil, and during the growing season feed it with lightly potassium fertilizers, in special ones “for cacti” the proportions are usually correct, but avoid nitrogen ones, because they are unhealthy “ cacti are born, as a rule, precisely from excess nitrogen in the soil! Yes, if the cacti are wintering now, then don’t touch them until February-March - during the winter they don’t care how much nitrogen there is!
Melnikov Vladimir: It seems to me that first you need to decide what you actually have. After all, there are a lot of turf, bushy, profusely growing cacti. For them, the removal of children is a reason for even more children. And, naturally, after such operations they will not bloom - all the energy goes to vegetative propagation.
