Repotting Instructions - Step by Step

Our Korean succulents are bare roots. This means that all of the soil has been washed away, and the roots are exposed. This allows your succulents to be shipped more easily, but it does lead to one common question: How do I plant my succulents?

This guide will give you all of the helpful tips you require to plant your succulent and allow it to grow strong and healthy.

You can also follow the video here

Reasons for repotting:

There are many different reasons that you may want to repot your succulents, including:

• The plant is bare-roots
• The original pot is too small
• The roots are growing out of the soil through a drainage hole
• There isn't enough soil, and the plants are falling over
• The soil quality is deteriorated or is dry and can’t absorb water
• You want to change the decor style of your home or office

Having a pot that is too small is one of the most common reasons for repotting. If the pot is too small, there won’t be enough room for the succulent’s roots to grow. If you want your plant to grow big, you will need a bigger pot.

The best time for repotting is before the growing season. We recommend doing this in the winter as succulents grow slowly and sometimes not at all during this time.

How to repot your succulent:

Step 1 - Remove the plant from its original pot

In this image, we are repotting the Echeveria 'Peach Pride'. It has lovely big, round leaves and warm green color.

Most succulents come in plastic nursery pots. To select a more decorative planter, you can check out here.

First, gently pinch the pot to loosen the peat soil inside. It will be easier to remove when the solid is dry. Do not use too much force. This could break the leaves and damage the plant.

Step 2 - Clean up the dried leaves

The bottom leaves of the succulents would shrink and drop, especially soon after we plant the bare-roots ones into the soil. It means they are absorbing the nutrition from the soil and they are growing. You can see new leaves are growing from the centre. It is normal and does not need to be a worry at all. You can clean them up before planting into the new pots.

Step 3 - Clean up the roots and soil

Clean the soil around succulents' roots as much as possible. If you see any worms or black roots at this time, you need to get rid of them for the plants to grow healthy in the future. Ensure that you don't put any pests into a new bowl. Cut off any dry roots to stimulate the growth of succulents.

Step 4 - Let's start putting things into the pot

First, put the Hole Mesh/Screen covers over the drainage hole. We highly recommend using pots with a drainage hole for succulents. Succulents require good ventilation for their roots. Without it, it could be deadly for them. Covering the drainage hole is necessary to keep the loose soil from emptying out. If you don't have a mesh screen, you can use a cotton pad or a napkin.

Step 5 - Place a layer of Ceramsite

Ceramsite is used to prevent the root from becoming too wet. It has numerous independent pores, which means the surface can absorb a large amount of water while the interior still retains the dual structure of air. This makes it both water-retaining and breathable. It is biologically free, clean, and sterile, with a beautiful arc and hard texture, and does not crush or deteriorate easily, even after long-term use.

Step 6 - Put in the soil

Use a mixed soil that consists of a combination of Peat soil and granular soil. For more tips on soil selection, read this blog. Place just enough soil into the pot to cover the Ceramsite, giving some space for the roots of the plant.

Step 7 - Plant your succulents

Once your pot is ready, and the roots of your succulents have been cleaned, place them in the pot. Next, fill the gap between the pot and the plant with the mixed soil. You can use tweezers to help press the soil to make the top layer soil firmer and more secure for your plant.

Step 8 - Add paving soil

Next, place a layer of paving soil on top. You can use white stone/pebbles or Maifanitum, which can help make the top layer of soil firmer and adds a nice decorative touch. Maifanitum has the exceptional advantage of absorbing moisture from the air, which is why it is used as a root trap for decapitated plants, and it is water-retaining and water-exhausting.

Final Step - Air it out

Allow the succulents to air out and dry in a cool and ventilated place. Avoid wound infections, and remember, do not insulate them. Finishing these steps can greatly prevent succulents from insects, pests, and diseases.

What should we pay attention to after repotting?

After repotting, you want to pay special attention to your succulents to ensure that they thrive in their new environment.

• Do not water them for a week. Since the root system is probably damaged from the root removal process, you need to give your plant time to heal and dry. However, if you are planting new, bare-root succulents, like our Korean succulents, we have already cleaned up the roots and are dry, so we can water a little bit of water around the plant to moisten the roots after you are finished planting.

• Do not expose your succulents to direct sunlight for a week. Place it by the window or balcony to let the roots slowly adapt to the new environment.

• Water them in the morning until water comes out from the drain hole the first time you water them. Then, continue watering regularly after one week.

• Water them once a month in wintertime and once a week in the summertime, changing the frequency depending on the weather. Remember, watering succulents too much will kill them.

• Do not rush to fertilize unless you are an expert.

Happy planting! Leave the comment if you have any questions, or tell us your thoughts. If you would like to see similar content in the future, subscribe our newsletter and follow us on Facebook or Instagram ❤