Okay, so today’s mission was “give the sand dragon his last meal.” Sounds epic, right? It’s actually a gardening thing. I’ve got this succulent, a Haworthia, that’s nicknamed “sand dragon” because, well, it kind of looks like one if you squint really hard and use your imagination.
It’s been looking pretty sad lately, all droopy and pale. So I figured it was time for a major intervention, a “last meal” so to speak, before it totally gave up on me.
Repotting Time!
First thing, I grabbed a new pot. The old one was way too small, the poor dragon was practically bursting out of it. I picked a terracotta pot, a bit bigger, with a good drainage hole. Gotta have good drainage for succulents, or they get root rot, and nobody wants that.
Next, the soil. I dumped out the old soil. It was all compacted and looked pretty lifeless. I mixed up a fresh batch of succulent mix. It needs to be fast-draining, so it has sand, perlite, and some regular potting mix. Don’t want to use the wrong soil!
Now for the delicate part. I carefully pulled the “sand dragon” out of its old pot. The roots were all tangled up. I gently teased them apart, trying not to break too many. It’s like untangling a really delicate necklace, but with dirt.
- The old pot was too small.
- I used a terracotta pot with a drainage hole.
- the correct fast draining soil makes all the difference.
I placed a bit of the new soil mix at the bottom of the new pot, then positioned the “dragon” in the center. I carefully filled the rest of the pot with soil, making sure the roots were covered, but not burying the plant too deep.
Finally, I gave it a good watering. Not too much, just enough to settle the soil. You want to see water come out of the drainage hole, that way you know it’s gone all the way through.
Fingers Crossed
And that’s it! The “sand dragon” has had its “last meal” and is now in its new home. Hopefully, it’ll perk up in a few days and start looking like a majestic dragon again, instead of a sad, wilted lettuce. I’ll keep an eye on it and see how it does. It’s all about patience with these things.
I took before and after picture so I can check it’s growing process after I gave him his last meal.
