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by Rachel
(England)

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Tall Plant

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Hello, How would I repot a tall succelent? It started off very tiny and now it is very “tall.” It is so pretty so I hope the answer isn’t chopping it! :O) Thank you.

Also, I have another plant that is growing very big, but not sure exactly how to cut it without killing it. Any ideas? (I think I could possibly get a few new plants from it as it is so big.) Thank you! :O)

Hi Rachel, sadly, the best way to rejuvenate all kinds of plants is to chop their heads off. You can get lots of cuttings off both of those; the tall one is looking like it’s aging a lot; that is what causes the dead leaves at the base.

Cut off at least the top half, root those as new plants, and then the bottom part will also shoot out some new growth, in time. You can repot it at the same time, to give it a chance at some better soil.

One interesting thing that I have found is that growing my own plants from cuttings is that they are completely adapted to my conditions. They are healthier, grow better and have less issues.

You can also tailor the soil to their needs, not as they come from the nursery. In many cases, the soil they are potting in is meant to be easy to water, so that they don’t require as much care when they are in the grocery store (or anywhere else that they might be in the hands of the inept or unknowledgeable).

The second one is a bit different; these little guys are Haworthia; use the ‘unscrewing the lightbulb’ method of taking cuttings.

This is when you just select the tip of the stem, and holding firmly, just start twisting. The tip will eventually come off, in the exact right place to start some roots.

Try it; be brave! You may be surprised at how easy it is.

Happy Propagating!
Jacki

Have a look on these pages for more;

Succulent plant propagation

How to prune succulents

Pruning succulent plants