# rooting succulents **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730 "2017-12-17T20:28:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/1 "2017-12-17T20:28:27Z")
so, I can get the bastards to start rooting: you just ignore them. lay them on gravel and pay no attention to them whatsoever. I have TONS of different kinds of succulents, making roots, no problem. the problem is when I try to then plant them. the root die, the plants do not grow. what am I doing wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/2 "2017-12-17T21:46:31Z")
What are you planting them in? What’s your watering regime? ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/3 "2017-12-17T22:00:01Z")
Take some pictures and ask at [http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/cacti](http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/cacti). They will likely be rude and demand more information but eventually they will tell you all you need to know. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/4 "2017-12-17T22:03:51Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > They will likely be rude and demand more information but eventually they will tell you all you need to know. Very much like this place, then.😉 ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/5 "2017-12-17T23:13:54Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > What are you planting them in? What’s your watering regime? cactus soil not very much or very often! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/6 "2017-12-18T02:38:35Z")
The answer(s) depend on what succulents are being rooted, the time of year (the process works better when plants are in active growth), the potting medium (needs to be well-draining; so-called cactus soil sold in bags is often crummy stuff) and watering (moisten well at first, then let the medium nearly dry out completely is a good general rule). As an example - I’ve taken lots of cuttings of Euphorbia milii (crown-of-thorns) hybrids. It’s pretty easy when I let the cutting dry out for a few days before planting (prevents rot) and do the rooting during the summer outdoors. It’s tougher doing it indoors during the winter - cuttings are less prone to root and have a greater tendency to rot. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/7 "2017-12-18T05:30:27Z")
Mix potting soil 2:1 with sand and don’t pack it in, keep it a little loose. Its what I did with my snake plant (sansiviera cylindrica) after I took it out of gravel and it is doing quite well indoors. Don’t water them more than once every two months, depending on plant, and when you do use only very little water, about 4 oz… No expert on it, but its been working out for me (and the plant) pretty well. EDIT: I agree with Jackmannii. Always make sure the soil is dried out first before watering again, I’ve killed a big Aloe that way. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/8 "2017-12-18T13:56:41Z")
> [@](#): > > so-called cactus soil sold in bags is often crummy it is? that’s all I’ve been using. > [@](#): > > moisten well at first, then let the medium nearly dry out completely is a good general rule yes, that’s what I do. I suppose this is the worst time of the year to be working on this. 🆒 thanks for the info, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/9 "2017-12-18T14:22:25Z")
I’ve bought small bags of “cactus soil” before to use for repotting, and wound up amending them with sand, vermiculite and/or perlite (the original mix always seems to have a bunch of peat which is hard to wet but then retains too much water). Using clay pots is helpful for getting soil media to dry out more quickly. My succulents (including Euphorbias and a large jade plant) do well in clay pots in a half and half mix of quality potting soil and vermiculite. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/10 "2017-12-19T20:14:52Z")
Are you trying to move them after the roots appear? If so, can you start the rooting process directly where the plant will live? Transplanting the freshly rooted plants disturbs the new roots, which are fragile as hell. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/11 "2018-04-04T17:20:37Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Are you trying to move them after the roots appear? If so, can you start the rooting process directly where the plant will live? Transplanting the freshly rooted plants disturbs the new roots, which are fragile as hell. I wasn’t going to bump this up because I did try it this way with similar results. mind you, I have managed to root a couple, just not many compared to the dozens and dozens of leaves I have had start to root. NOW I am needing to repot a jade plant that has been doing pretty good - in fact, I have done so well not over-watering it I have had bottom leaves dry up and drop off. but it needs a new, bigger pot so I googled and read a bunch of sites. they pretty much agree except for one thing: at least one site says, DO NOT WATER after the repot because the roots are recovering, wait a while. wikihow, however, says > [@](#): > > The jade plant needs to be watered more often than usual because the root system has been compromised and cannot absorb water efficiently so my question is - assuming I’m doing everything else right - after the repot, do I water or wait? I think some sites said add timed-release food while the same wiki how says do not feed/fertilize while the roots are still healing from the transplant. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/12 "2018-04-04T17:51:43Z")
If it were me, I’d wait to water, and I’d definitely not fertilize. If your plant was well-hydrated before the repotting, it shouldn’t need extra watering afterwards. Unless you are beating the hell out of the root system during the repotting (don’t; be gentle), why would it be compromised? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/13 "2018-04-04T17:52:21Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > so my question is - assuming I’m doing everything else right - after the repot, do I water or wait? If you damage the roots (root pruning for instance) then you should not water right away. If the transplant is done without damaging the roots, watering is helpful to eliminate any air pockets around the roots. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/14 "2018-04-04T20:22:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Unless you are beating the hell out of the root system during the repotting (don’t; be gentle), why would it be compromised? I just repotted a spider plant and I had to cut it out with a knife, the roots were just too huge to get out. it’s looking Not So Hot since then so I’m trying to plan ahead. it will be much faster to grow another spider plant if this one doesn’t make it but the jade grows more slowly. also, some sites recommend trimming the roots. I guess I’ll wait til I see what the roots look like. thanks, folks. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/15 "2018-04-04T21:11:04Z")
I don’t use what they call cactus soil anymore. I use a course sand with about 20% mix of my regular yard soil which is a heavy clay soil. Once they get a good hold they do fine anywhere in the yard planted in the ground. Too much water on young roots will quickly rot them if you have too much organic in your soil. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rooting-succulents/804730/16 "2018-04-04T22:03:57Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > I just repotted a spider plant and I had to cut it out with a knife, the roots were just too huge to get out. it’s looking Not So Hot since then so I’m trying to plan ahead. it will be much faster to grow another spider plant if this one doesn’t make it but the jade grows more slowly. > > also, some sites recommend trimming the roots. I guess I’ll wait til I see what the roots look like. > > thanks, folks. A plant like that tolerates root pruning. Use a little saw and reduce the rootball 50%, removing from the sides and bottom. Then replant in the same or different container.