Whether you are new to planting succulents, or simply want to repot your growing beauties into prettier homes, you need to get your hands a little dirty. Repotting is not as simple as pulling your plant out of its current container and dropping it into another terrarium. You need to use a gentle touch and follow a few step-by-step instructions to produce successful results.
First, you need to know when your succulents need to be repotted. Most succulents prefer a tight container and don’t need repotting too often. Aside from repotting for aesthetic purposes, here are a few things that indicate that your plants need a new home:
- If the plant looks like it is too big for the pot, it probably is.
- If you can see roots sticking out of the drainage holes or if they are tightly packed.
- If the water you just put into the pot doesn’t seep through, but sits on top of the soil.
- If the soil has become dry and unhealthy and starts to pull away from the sides of the pot.
To be on the safe side, your succulents should be repotted into terrariums or other containers every two years so that you can replace the soil with healthy fertile soil. The best time to repot is at the beginning of your plants' growing season, which is often in the springtime. By planting according to season, your plant will have the best chance at survival.
The 46 & Spruce collection of succulent terrariums look gorgeous in any room of your home. The Pyramid Geometric Hanging Terrarium is a great option if you have limited space for plants.
Follow these five simple steps to successfully repot your succulents or cacti into one of these attractive terrariums:
- Remove the plant from its original pot. You need to remove as much of the old soil as possible without breaking the roots, using a small stick can help with this. If you see dead roots, those need to be carefully pruned as well. If you notice that the roots are tightly packed, that is a sign that it is definitely time for repotting.
- If you are planting your succulent alone into a new container, the roots should be left intact as much as possible. If you are creating an interesting terrarium with a few succulents, gently spread out the roots and prune any that need to be removed.
- In your new, bigger and better container, either place a small piece of mesh over the drainage hole if you have one, or place a few small stones at the bottom of your terrarium to allow water to drain.
- Fill your container or terrarium just past halfway with fresh soil, a mixture of 1/3 sand and 2/3 soil is ideal. Place your plant/plants onto the soil and top up with more of the soil mixture. The soil should be gently compacted around the base of the plant, ensuring all of the roots are covered.
- Add a top dressing, such as gravel or moss, to finish off your freshly-potted terrarium garden.
Once you have finished repotting your succulents, you need to bear a few things in mind to keep your plants alive and well in their new terrarium. After you have repotted your plants, wait between two to seven days to water your plants. This gives the roots time to heal and adjust to the new soil.
Always make sure that the soil doesn’t cover any of the leaves and that there is a small space between the two, this will prevent the leaves from rotting. Remember that succulents should only be watered when the soil feels dry, and that they need 4 to 6 hours of indirect light every day in a terrarium to grow healthily.
Now that you’ve done your research on how to transplant succulents, take a peek at our succulent terrariums here: https://www.46spruce.com/collections/terrariums.
If the thought of planting or repotting succulents is still a bit of a daunting one, start with our easy DIY Terrarium Kit which makes the process that much easier for you. This kit, along with our beautiful containers and terrariums also makes gorgeous gifts for your friends and family! What are you waiting for? Get shopping at 46 & Spruce to create your very own succulent gardens.