How to Transplant Succulents

Succulents are known for their ability to hold water. Adapted to life in dry climates, succulents collect water in their leaves and roots for later use. This modification causes most succulent plants to adopt a fat, fleshy form that many consider their defining feature. Sturdy and drought resistant, succulent plants flourish under a wide variety of conditions. To thrive, succulents require only small amounts of water and plentiful sunlight. Not sensitive or difficult to handle, succulents can be transplanted at any time. However, to reduce the shock on the plant's system, it's best to move them in the early spring, prior to the summer growth spurt.

Garden spade

Compost or well-rotten manure

Water

Organic mulch

Prepare the transplant site prior to moving the plant. This allows you to move the plant quickly and helps to prevent dehydration from exposure to the air. Choose a warm, sunny location and dig a hole approximately 12 inches deep and 24 inches wide. Add compost or well-rotted manure to the soil, mixing in one shovelful of organic material for every two shovelfuls of dirt. Toss the soil lightly with your hands until the two are thoroughly blended.

Loosen the soil surrounding the succulent, with a garden spade. Dig in a large circle around the base of the plant to ensure the roots are included in the transfer. Roots will grow approximately three times wider than the plant itself. Succulents have shallow but broad root systems. This enables them to absorb moisture from very small rain showers and morning dew.

Insert the shovel beneath the plant. Lean on the shovel's handle to gently lift the succulent and the surrounding soil from the original site.

Transfer the plant and soil to the prepared site. Place the succulent in the new site, ensuring it's planted at approximately the same depth at which it was previously growing. Add soil to the bottom of the planting site, if necessary, to position the plant at the proper height. Fill the remaining space in the hole with excavated soil, pressing gently with your hands to compress the dirt, helping to hold the transplant in place.

Water the transplant, thoroughly saturating the soil at the planting site. Check the soil every day for 14 days, adding water as needed to keep the soil moist. Thereafter, reduce the watering schedule, only adding water during periods of extremely hot weather or natural drought.

Spread a 3-inch layer of organic mulch around the base of the plant. Choose shredded bark, pine straw or other natural mulching materials. Not only will they help keep the soil moist, they will degrade over time, enriching the surrounding soil. Replace the mulch each spring.