With time, even the best succulent container gardens start to look overgrown and bedraggled. Taking a few minutes to spruce up the plants can get your container looking fresh and new again.

1. You'll want to start by removing all of the old growth from the pot. Save anything that you want to re-use.
   • Cut the tips off succulents that grow on long, thick stems like tender sedum and graptosedum. Strip off the bottom leaves, leaving a few inches of bare stem.

   

   • Echeveria, sempervivum and other rosette succulents should be removed with their root ball. If the echeveria has grown up on a tall stalk of dead growth it may be necessary to cut off the head.
   • Mat forming succulents, like sedums, that are nice enough to re-use should be removed with their roots.
2. Next, empty your planter and re-fill with fresh soil.

   

3. Then, re-plant the succulents. Begin with the largest, central plant and work outward. (Note: Ideally you should allow fresh cuttings to sit out in the air for a few days so that the cut plant tissue can callus over. This will help prevent microbes from entering the plant tissue. This is the best, and recommended way to go. However, letting the cuttings heal in dry soil allows you to plant immediately and generally works okay.) If there a bare patches in your new container, you might consider adding a top dressing like pebbles.

   

4. Finally, water your new succulent container garden lightly for the first couple weeks. This will give the cuttings time to heal and send out roots. Then water regularly like you would for any succulent container.

Remember, when you are refreshing a leggy succulent garden it is also the perfect time to introduce any new plants that you would like to use.