HOW and WHEN to repot cactus and succulents | 5 Essential Tips 

“I am a professional!” I totally love everything plants. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you saying “I got this as a cutting about 3 years ago” vs what most plantubers say- I’ve had this plant for quite a while (which gives us no idea how quickly the plant grows!). You da man, Jeff! 😊

Just a small tip, you really do not want to water cacti and succulents right after repotting. The roots get wounds from removing them from their old soil. You run the risk of introducing harmful pathogens to your roots like bacteria and/or fungi. This is of course in exception to certain epiphytic cacti and succulents, some of those can take a light watering after repotting. But, the cacti and succulents that come from arid climates, like the ones you repotted today, can wait 7-10 days before watering following being repotted. They are already used to going without water for long periods, so this will not effect them whatsoever. If you ask any experienced growers of these types of plants, they will give you the very same advice.

I use a paint brush to brush off any remnants of soil etc off my cactus. A thin soft brush is ideal as it can get into all the crevices without damaging the plant.

the amount of uses that single pencil has in your hands is amazing lol

FINALLY! A plant that your reversed green/white velcro plant fabric WORKS with!

Great tip using a plastic cup for repotting! I enjoy all your videos.

Tip: when getting your pots at dollar store, get some wooden/bamboo skewers (they can come in two sizes, about 12 inches & 21/2 to 3ft). I use smaller ones in repotting to remove soil from roots, using blunt side of skewer, not pointy side. Using pointy side tends to remove more roots. I also use skewers as stakes to prop up plants. Also, dollar store has decent garden gloves. Save you hands, man!!

Thank you, this was really interesting. I am not much of a gardener but i do love having my succulent and cacti collection. I am in my 2nd phase of collecting and this time i am determined to know more about them, so that they don't die on me.

Appreciate how well the viewer can see the plant(s). You make it look easy.. Polly’s mix looks very good! Will check for a prior video for how to fertilize cactus and succulents.. I’ve been fertilizing and flushing same as other plants (just not as much, & let them dry well in between), they are doing well.. ready to take it to next level. Thanks for your informative videos ☺️♥️

Nice and clear instructions--thank you! Watching the water drain really brings home what type of medium they need, and I imagine that new one won't get compacted or hydrophobic over time. I want a tiny little shovel now 🥹

Really appreciate the visuals!! And thanks for the laughs. You ARE a professional! 😂

Thanks for your tips. I appreciate it very much. 👍

Great video Jeff. Your brave repotting those bare handed. 😁 🌱💚🌱

Very informative, thank you. I'll be heading out to purchase some cactus mix and give my succulents a new lease on life

Always impressed what you can do with your pencil! 😉 Really great information. I tend to drown my succulents. 🌵

Thank you for sharing beautiful and amazing succulents lovely cactus beautiful collection

The one time your Dollarama plant velcro being the wrong color actually matched the plant!! YAY!!!

This way to hold the beefs is amazing! I really want to try this soil!

Very timely! Thank you. I have several cacti due for repotting. I love the idea of using something to cover the plant so as to prevent the prickly parts from hurting you. Jeff, I am not a professional and I find this trick of the trade pretty clever! Also… a salad tong…? Awesome! I always learn something from you. Thanks!

Outstanding looking quality mix by Very Plants! Thanks for the video Jeff! 👍

Very nice and informative video! Thanks.

Love your videos, and especially appreciated the "taco test"! 🌮

Easy and readily-available way to handle spiky plants (without special tools or raiding the kitchen) is to fold up A newspaper sheet into a wide band, wrap that around the plant and hold the two ends. Not sure that makes sense… hard to put into words.

Try blowing the soil crumbs off the cactus with the blow dryer on the cool setting!

Så fint de blev med samplanteringen. Gillar att titta vid omplanteringen. Tack för dina lärorika vidios😊🙏

Great tips. A small nitpick, is that anaerobic doesn’t mean “bacteria”, it means literally “lack of air” (and the opposite is… aerobic, like the 80’s workout thing 😊). The roots cannot get enough oxygen so they start rotting. So overwatering, not enough drainage, not enough evaporation, or a kratky plant sitting outside after a heavy rain, all possible culprits… (just lost two pepper plants after last days typhoon in Japan 😢).

Thank you Jeff for advertising this mix, I’m going to order some. I have been using Jacks for years and have been looking for something new. They do ship to the US now. I can’t wait to try it.

Molly’ Succulent Mix resembles a bonsai mix. The Mammalaria is a really large plant! Simply Stunning! Watching you from Arizona USA

Great timing and thank you for the code. FYI: I went to our local nursery yesterday (I’m in Toronto) and saw a Chameleon ZZ. I bought it right away, the variegation is beautiful.

As always, love your videos. Thanks Jeff!

Again, such a timely video! Kudos to you putting out videos that you know we want/need to see! Simply love your videos!

Very beautiful plants! 👍💚

I'm growing 10 Giant Segaro Monster cacti in tree pots. They grow up to to be this exact type of cactus 🌵.

I just came across this I just purchased five cactuses and I am so excited to plant them soon. Thank you so much for sharing your information and knowledge I just purchased one of each items that they have for potting 😂so thank you.❤❤❤

Perfect timing!! I was just looking for a video on how to maintain these guys, thank you for the information

Hey Jeff! Great video. You are a professional!

Really like that succulent/cacti mix, will be looking for something similar here.

Thanks Jeff,I always enjoy your videos! Robin in Florida🏖

Thank you for the good idea,much appreciated.

Hi I really enjoyed this video so I subscribed to your channel. Great timing since I have succulents and cacti to repot. Looking for to both old and new videos 😊

Thanks!

I like your Style!!!

Segaro cactus needles are painful, I had to pay $70 for a dirmitogist just to get them removed. He used a microscope and sharp jewelers tweezers . The pain got relieved but never went away in my fingers afterwards .

Great tips,they look 👍 💚🌵☘️🌱💚

A pencil is also a great item for testing your soil to see if it needs to be watered. If the soil sticks to the pencil it still has moisture.

Always enjoy your content. The “brain” cactus is a Stenocactus, unless those pesky taxonomists have reclassified it. 😂 I have no idea which one, but you should have an easy time narrowing the ID now, should you wish. Enjoy your weekend. 😺✌️

I'm from the US and I use Bonsai Jack's gritty mix. Mostly, I use Terra Cotta pots. I have a holiday cactus that's still in its plastic grow pot. I'd like to re-pot it. What type of pot and type of soil do you suggest? Also, I have a spider plant that's still in its plastic grow pot and I'd like to re-pot it. I know that spider plants like to be root bound. I have a Terra Cotta pot and I read that spider plants like African Violet soil. Suggestions on these plants?

Thank you

I have 😅 been buying my succulents pots at Rona 😃 I definitely need to get some from the dollar store in the future.

Use a paint or makeup brush to get the soil out of the crevices thanks for the video

I finally found out how to keep Joshua tree seedlings alive the trick is to keep them out of direct sunlight.

He is better at keeping the cactus straight then I, I have to use a shish-kwbab stick to straighten them out once in a while as they sink crooked after I water the newly transplanted cactus.

To get the soil off a plant or cactus you could use a mini vacuum cleaner that they use for cleaning the keyboard of a computer

I had a Madagascar palm years ago that was 2 feet high. To repot it I had to wrap it in a towel and then wear oven mitts to handle it lol the spines were 1 inch long. Really ouchy 😅

Thank you so much. 👏🏻🙏😍⭐️😘😍🙏👏🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Why didn’t I think of that 👍👍👍strategy to repot cactus😳😁

🥰 Great timing, repotting Cacti today 🎉. I love all the new little Jade leaves.💓. I am propagating little Sansevieria leaves in Perlite and water. They have white roots. What soil would you use to pot them up? Do I water more often initially?

I just got one of those stenocactus multicostatus (Brain Cactus) I am IN LOVE ♥️♥️so far, but unsure when to water due to how wrinkly it normally is, I can’t yet tell if it’s dehydrating as easily as I can with my mammilaria hahniana 😅😅

That brain cactus was very cute! Do you put any of your succulents or cacti outside for the summer?

Do you want reuse the water that drains off? I use distilled water(not sure if that’s necessary) but I can only imagine you would go through a lot of water quickly with as fast as it drains when soaking it several times back to back. Ok to water immediately after disturbing the roots?

I use an oven mitt when transpotting cacti.

I can't remember which RU-vidr I heard the tip from but use silicone tongs for an ouchless hold the cactus❤

Hi Jeff, do you mind making an updated euphorbia white ghost care video? I got one a while ago and I’m still pretty unsure about it’s care (the colour isn’t really where I want it to be - yours is beautiful!) It did topple over once and I ended up having to cut a small bit of it; I let it callous over for a few days and stuck it in soil but it didn’t quite take… please help 🥺

I bought cheap salad tongs from the dollar store specifically for my cactus.

The native American Indians loved to eat the cactus.

Jeff London here .all my cats.stay outside all year round ....do think they should come inside for winter .cos I do worry about them .thank you

I saw someone mention not to re-pot cacti in the winter months, November-February. Thoughts on this "advice"?

Hey Jeff!! Do you have any stapelia? Would they be potted in similar cactus mix, I'm assuming as I think they are are in the same family. i am not good with catcus or succulents lol so i appreciate all your vidoes on them, i currently have 2 succlents and a stapelia haha so fingers crossed i dont kill them. Also just ordered some succulent and aroid stuff, thanks for the code!!

I use salad tongs to transplant my cactus so I don't get pricked .

What do you do with dead plants? Do you leave them in the soil so they can be used for repotting other plants in?

Is all purpose potting mix good for my cactus?

I have a Euphorbia trigona (African milk tree). I never know when to water it. It doesn't wrinkle and I can't do the taco test. I usually just water once a month. Any tips? I love this video! Your the best! 💚

If a plant is root bound in a pot, once you take off all of the old soil wouldn't you be able to fit the roots back into the original size pot with new soil? It seems like it's only squashed into the shape of the original pot because of the soil.

I can't put my segaros in direct sunlight or they will turn yellow.

I think my current pot situation is no ideal, I think the diameter of my cactus takes up entire pot and hardly any space to water.

Peat soil is not enviromentfriendly. Arent there peat free soil to buy in the US?

💚🌿💚

A bit of a challenge to decide where to start. It seems cacti are not your specialty. The previous potting mix you used in the past had far too little drainage, needed to be boosted with pumice. The new one looked OK. You fail to put a gravel/rock top dressing on the pot. This is an important step and is universally practiced at cactus nurseries. By the way, I'm in Tucson. I grow a large collection (200 or so) of cacti in pots ranging to 27" diameter. Also, I'm a retired nursery owner. Have grown these for years,. Cacti can grow quickly given the right light and soil and watering. Just lightly loosen roots in pot bound plants before repot. No need to attack them and bare root them. You demolished the roots on the Mammillaria, then put it in way too small a pot for optimal growth. These are plants that form clusters. A bowl at least 12 inches in diameter would have been more appropriate. After the attack, it probably won't develop pups soon. I guess I'll expect a Canadian to have limited cactus skill. If someone views this tutorial, for goodness sake, don't copy. Cacti can cling to life in a northern climate, but if you want them to grow, add lots of light and for most species, keep them warm away from cold windows. Visit Tucson. See the beautiful large specimens in our gardens. In as little as a couple of years I can grow a full 14" pot here of many species. Cactus beginners often confuse survival/suspended animation for a happy plant. They will survive much mistreatment, but you'll love them so much more if you get them to actually grow. Just starting? Maybe try a pine cone cactus as a first effort. I can go from one or two segments to a full 12" pot in 14 months or so. Mammillaria plumosa clumps up really fast...two years can give a mound with many heads in a 12 to 14" bowl. Give them light, an adequate pot and gentle fertilizing and enjoy!

Use tongs!!

"Spikey potato"!! Lol snort...

👍👍🌱🪴

O Gosh,stop.Nevever,never watering cactus and succulents after reporting.Wait 1-2 weeks.