How to Prune Echeveria
Answering netizens' questions about how to prune Echeveria and sharing experiences on the pruning time and methods for green plant maintenance, let's take a look!
Echeveria, also known as Sedum, may cause etiolation if not properly cared for, requiring appropriate pruning and shaping. When well-maintained, the plant's branches and roots grow vigorously and can also be pruned. Echeveria is a succulent plant from the southern Africa, belonging to the Crassula family, with triangular, succulent leaves shaped like deer antlers and flowers similar to chrysanthemums, which are graceful. Below is an introduction to the pruning methods for Echeveria.
I. Pruning When Repotting or Changing Pots
1. Pruning Roots
For new plants, roots should be pruned when potting. If repotting in spring or autumn, the roots can be cut heavily, removing dry capillary roots and shortening the main roots to 2 to 3 centimeters. However, pruning in summer should be light, and the main roots should not be cut. After pruning, the plant should be placed in a shady and well-ventilated area, keeping the soil slightly moist, and only potted after about 3 days.
Plants with root rot caused by improper maintenance should also have their roots pruned, especially in high temperatures when the soil is too moist, causing root rot. Rotten roots should be cut off and the plant repotted with fresh soil.
2. Pruning Branches and Leaves
If well-maintained, Echeveria will have lush branches and leaves, and a developed root system. An annual pot change should be done every spring, combining pruning of the plant, including roots, as well as removing etiolated, diseased, and dry branches.
II. Daily Pruning
1. Pruning Branches
If the maintenance environment is inappropriate, the plant may etiolate, for example, insufficient light can cause etiolation. Etiolated stems become too long, the spacing between leaves on the stem increases, and long branches affect the plant's appearance, requiring pruning to shorten the etiolated branches.
Echeveria is susceptible to root-knot nematode damage in wet soil during winter and can also be harmed by scale insects. If there are diseased, insect-infested, or dry branches, they should be pruned promptly. Also, shaping pruning should be done, removing dense and crossing branches, and daily pruning can be combined with propagation by cuttings.
2. Pruning to Develop Old Stems
If the stems of Echeveria become woody, the lower leaves of the woody stems can be pruned to promote stem thickening and woodiness, thus developing old stems.
III. Pruning Combined with Propagation by Cuttings
1. Pruning Method
In spring and autumn, while pruning branches, the cut branches can be used for propagation by cuttings. Propagation by cuttings is the main method for Echeveria, with 2 to 3-year-old plants suitable for cutting. It is best to use robust, woody old branches with several branches and full leaves as cuttings.
2. Propagation Method
Divide the cut old branches into several sections about 8 to 10 centimeters long and let them dry for 2 to 3 days before planting them in propagation substrates, which usually take 15 to 20 days to survive.
The propagation substrates should be loose and breathable with large particle-sized sandy loam, which can be a mixture of peat soil and coal slag, with a layer of coarse river sand on top.
The above are some tips on how to prune Echeveria and the pruning time and methods for green plants, hoping to be helpful in your daily life!