Repotting the yucca palm - what to look out for (palm lily)

Repotting the Yucca Palm - Here's how to do it

When and how often the yucca palm should be repotted

Basically, the yucca should be repotted every two to three years, although it does not always need a new pot. Very large specimens can also be cut back and then put back in their old pail with fresh substrate - provided, of course, its size is still sufficient. Always choose the pot so that it is not only wide but also high - the Yucca needs a planter that offers stability, otherwise it threatens to tip over quickly from a certain height. Otherwise, choose spring for this measure, when the yucca wakes up from its hibernation and begins to sprout again.

How to tell when the yucca should be repotted

It is high time to repot the yucca if one or more of the following criteria apply:

The roots are already growing out of the pot (e.g. out of the planting holes).
The existing substrate has already shrunk seriously or has been displaced by the roots.
When the substrate is so firm that the irrigation water cannot seep through immediately.
The yucca is already very unstable and can no longer stand freely.
The pot already looks much too small for the plant on the outside.
The plant (mostly from below) gets yellow leaves.

Yucca palm feels particularly comfortable in loose substrate

Yucca palms are desert plants and cannot tolerate excessive moisture or waterlogging. The roots are quite sensitive: they should not be pruned or otherwise damaged during repotting. The plant also doesn't like it when the sensitive roots are merely kinked. You can usually recognize root damage when the plant suddenly lets the leaves droop after repotting. However, hanging leaves can also be the result of excess moisture, so make sure you have a loose, well-drained substrate and good drainage. For example, a mixture of standard soil / potted plant soil, some sand and perlite (€ 32.90 at Amazon *) or expanded clay has proven itself. (€ 17.50 at Amazon *)

How to repot your yucca palm - step-by-step instructions

This is how you can repot your yucca:

Take the plant out of the old plant pot.
If it is very tight, run a sharp knife along the edge of the pot
and then knock on the pot. This loosens the earth.
Remove the old substrate and check the roots.
Only rotten and badly damaged roots should be removed.
The yucca usually does not like a basic root cut.
Now put the plant in a new pot with fresh substrate.
Tap around the pot so that the soil is well distributed
and no air holes remain.
Press the substrate well
and water the yucca.
Place the plant in as bright and protected a place as possible.
The yucca feels most comfortable directly in front of a south-facing window or outdoors.