How to Care for Overgrown Succulents

An overgrown succulent houseplant is difficult to maintain and is prone to more problems. As the plant outgrows its container, it may not receive adequate hydration and aeration. Pruning -- the act of drastically trimming the plant -- is necessary to regain control over the plant and maintain its health. Pruning eliminates older stems on the plant by cutting them back to the node. Although pruning causes the plant to appear thinner at first, it encourages growth by sending a signal to the plant to repair the trimmed areas.

Rubbing alcohol
Cleaning cloth
Pruning shears
Planting pot
Soil
Watering can

Instructions

- 1
  Dip your pruning shears in rubbing alcohol to disinfect the blades. Unsterilized blades can cause an infection when used to prune the plant's stems. Wipe the shears' blades with a cleaning cloth to remove remaining alcohol.
- 2
  Hold the top of the succulent stem, and clip off one-third of the stem with a clean cut to its first bud. A clean cut allows the plant's stem to create a callus, which hardens at the top of the cut and promotes new growth.
- 3
  Prune your succulent plant stems evenly during the spring, when the plant is actively growing and can easily recover from new cuts.
- 4
  Hold the plant upside down, and tap the plant's container to carefully remove the plant from its current pot. Carefully pry matted roots from the soil to provide better movement.
- 5
  Place 1 inch of new soil at the bottom of the new pot, and insert the succulent into the new pot.
- 6
  Pat soil gently around the top of the plant. Do not pack the soil tightly, as the plant's roots need room to move around in the new planter pot.
- 7
  Water the soil with lukewarm water until the water flows out of the bottom of the pot.

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