My mom recently gave away her huge Sedum 'Burrito' because she was worried about damaging it while repotting. She didn't want to end up with a bunch of bare stems. Are there any effective methods to repot it without knocking off the leaves? I have a smaller one too and I'd love to know how to avoid this in the future without having to chop it down unless necessary!
3 Answers
I've heard of people using chopsticks to gently lift the plant from the base and transfer it to the new pot. It's tricky, and you might still lose a few leaves, but it works well if you're careful. You can also cover any bare spots with extra soil afterwards, which helps disguise any naked stems.
Honestly, having a buddy helps a lot! One person can gently hold the plant while the other flips the pot to remove it. Since the roots of these plants are usually quite shallow, you shouldn't need to disturb the soil much. Just be prepared that some loss might happen, but this method minimizes damage.
Trimming the longer stems before repotting can make the whole process easier, plus you can use those trimmings to start new plants! Also, letting the plant dry out a bit before repotting helps; when they're thirsty, the leaves cling less tightly. And if you can, use a plastic pot inside a decorative one to simplify the process!