Gadenin日本語Get the appPlant and repot in spring or fall
String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus, now often listed as Curio rowleyanus) grows mainly in the mild weather of spring and fall and slows right down in summer heat and winter cold. Root disturbance is only safe when the plant is actively growing and can replace what it loses, so do all planting and repotting in those two windows.
Most plants need a new pot every one to two years. The signs are roots poking from the drainage hole, water running straight through a pot packed with roots, or a crown that has thinned out to bare stems while the strands keep getting longer.
| Season | Good time to repot? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring, once nights stay above 50F (10C) | Yes | New growth starts and roots recover fast |
| High summer heat | No | Growth stalls and disturbed roots rot in warm, damp mix |
| Fall, as the heat breaks | Yes | A second growth flush lets roots settle before winter |
| Winter cold | No | The plant is barely growing and cannot regrow roots |
Choose a shallow pot with a drainage hole
The roots of string of pearls are thin and stay near the surface. In a deep pot, the compost below the root zone stays wet for days after every watering, and that stagnant layer is where rot begins. Choose a pot that is wider than it is deep, and when repotting go up only one size.
- Go wide and shallow A bulb pan, a shallow nursery pot or a hanging basket with a drainage hole all work. Aim for a depth of 3 to 5 inches (8 to 12 cm) for a typical houseplant-sized specimen.
- Consider terracotta Unglazed clay loses moisture through its walls, so the compost dries faster. It is the safest choice for anyone who tends to water too often.
- Empty decorative cachepots If the nursery pot sits inside a decorative outer pot without a hole, tip out any water that collects after watering. Roots standing in water rot within days.
Use a fast-draining succulent mix
In the wild this plant creeps over rocky, sandy ground in southwestern Africa, rooting where its stems touch the soil. It wants a gritty mix that drains in seconds and dries out evenly. A bagged cactus and succulent mix is fine on its own; ordinary potting soil needs a generous amount of grit added.
| Mix | Recipe | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bagged cactus and succulent mix | Use as is | Beginners |
| Custom gritty mix | Half succulent mix, half pumice or perlite | Indoor plants and low-light rooms |
| General potting soil | Three parts soil to two parts pumice or perlite | Using up what you already have |
Indoors and in still air the mix dries more slowly, so lean toward more grit. A mix that is still damp a week after watering is too rich for this plant.
How to plant
Gather the strands loosely in one hand while you work so the beads are not crushed or snapped off. Plant into dry mix and wait a few days before the first watering, which gives any torn roots time to seal over.
- Prepare the pot Cover the drainage hole with mesh and fill the pot about halfway with dry mix. A layer of gravel at the bottom is not needed and can actually keep the mix above it wetter.
- Loosen the root ball Slide the plant out of its old pot and gently tease the bottom and sides of the root ball. Snip off any roots or stems that are black and mushy.
- Keep the crown high Set the plant so its crown sits just below the rim and fill around it. Burying the crown deeply keeps it damp and invites stem rot.
- Wait, then water Keep the newly potted plant in bright shade and water thoroughly after three or four days. Move it back to its usual bright spot about a week later.
Coil strands back onto the soil for a fuller pot
Every point where a strand touches the soil can grow roots. Lay a few long strands back across the top of the pot instead of letting them all hang, and they will root in place and fill out a thin crown. This is the easiest way to rescue a plant that has become all strands and no top.
- Pick healthy strands Choose long strands with plump, evenly green beads. Shriveled or widely spaced beads root more slowly.
- Pin them down Curl the strand back over the pot without kinking it and lay the beaded section on the surface. Hold it in place with a bent paper clip or floral pin.
- Let them root In the growing season roots form within a few weeks and the strand grips the soil. Remove the pins once it no longer lifts when you tug lightly.
Aftercare and feeding
A freshly potted plant takes a week or two to settle. Keep it out of direct sun until the beads look full again. Feeding needs are light: a diluted liquid fertilizer during spring and fall growth, or a pinch of slow-release granules mixed into the new compost, is plenty.
- Rest it in bright shade Newly disturbed roots cannot take up much water, so strong sun dehydrates the beads. Give it bright, indirect light until it perks up.
- Feed lightly in growth Use a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength or weaker every two to three weeks in spring and fall. Skip feeding entirely in summer heat and winter cold.
- Avoid overfeeding Too much fertilizer stretches the strands, spaces out the beads and makes soft growth that rots more easily. Firm, well-colored beads mean the plant has enough.