Should you prune the roots when planting succulents in winter?
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Should you prune the roots when planting succulents in winter?
Since succulents need to go through an acclimation period after repotting and root pruning, the task of repotting and pruning roots for succulents is generally carried out during the vigorous growth periods of spring and autumn, which is conducive to a quick acclimation. When pruning the roots of succulents in winter, attention should be paid to these issues: try to do it in an environment temperature above 5℃, as too low temperature will keep the succulents in a semi-dormant state, extending the acclimation period.
Caring for succulents in winter is quite challenging. It is harder to care for them in the low temperature season than in the high temperature season, especially for the succulents bought in winter, which require a lot of effort to thrive.
No matter whether you repot the succulents at home, during the growing season, in high or low temperature seasons, if you want to repot or replant, you must prune the roots.
The best time for repotting and pruning roots for succulents is in spring and autumn:
Most succulents have their main growing periods in spring and autumn, with only a few that do not have an obvious dormancy period or can tolerate short periods of temperatures below 0℃.
With their preference for sunlight and drought resistance, they need plenty of sunlight and a relatively dry growing environment, as well as a temperature difference of more than 10℃ to develop color. Therefore, autumn and early winter are the most beautiful seasons for succulents!
Summer, with its high temperature and humidity, is the peak season for diseases and pests in succulents and also their dormancy period, making it the clearance season for succulents.
Since succulents need to go through an acclimation period after repotting and root pruning, the task of repotting and pruning roots for succulents is generally carried out during the vigorous growth periods of spring and autumn, which is conducive to a quick acclimation.
Issues to consider when pruning the roots of succulents in winter:
Try to do it in an environment temperature above 5℃, as too low temperature will keep the succulents in a semi-dormant state, extending the acclimation period.
It is recommended to prune the roots of succulents in a small area, only trimming off some fibrous roots, empty roots, and rotten roots.
After pruning, it's best to soak the roots in a fungicide solution to do a good job of disinfection, then let the wounds dry before planting in slightly moist soil and placing them in a warm, well-ventilated area with scattered light to acclimate.
The acclimation period for succulents generally does not exceed 2 weeks. During this period, pay attention to controlling the moisture of the potting soil and keeping the ambient temperature above 5℃, even if the pruning and repotting is done in winter, it can still acclimate normally.
Compared to summer, as long as the local temperature in winter does not drop below 0℃ and the potting soil is relatively dry, succulents will not easily show symptoms such as leaf drop, leaf rot, and black rot even if they do not grow much.
However, they are prone to fading and stretching in environments with low temperature and insufficient sunlight. Therefore, even if succulents are brought indoors in winter, they should be placed in an area that receives scattered sunlight.
In wet and cold areas, you can also consider using grow lights for a short period, which can provide both light and heat, achieving two benefits at once.
The above content introduces whether you should prune the roots when planting succulents in winter, hoping it is helpful to you!