Question
I was given a lovely "burro's tail".  Its tails are about 2 ft. long.  It loses a lot of leaves whenever touched so I put it outside to hang from a tree this summer. I live in upstate NY, not sure what zone, by Poughkeepsie NY. It snows quite a bit and can get very cold but the summer are hot and recently pretty wet. I brought it in recently as the weather is getting cold.  It is very tight in the pot and should be replanted.  I do not want to kill it.  I would like to wait instead of reppotting and plant it outside is this possible in this area???  If not I would like to repot it but it is sooooo fragile I dont know if any leaves will be left.  Which would be better? Planting outside in the spring or repotting it? (It is so full in the pot the water just runs through it!)  Thank you so much! Amanda

Answer
Hello Amanda

'Burro's tail' (Sedum morganianum) is, in fact,  a succulent and is grown as a house plant when grown outside of Mexico!  I'm not an expert on houseplants, but I do have a few of my own, so I'll have to draw on my personal experience!

First - as you have cold winters I wouldn't advise that you plant your Burro' tail outside.

Second - it certainly sounds like it needs repotting!  I'm afraid you'll have to 'bite the bullet' on this one and be very, very gentle with the plant.  

Here's a good way of repotting without having to handle the plant too much:  

Have to hand - 1 new, bigger pot, 1 pot the same size as the pot the plant is in now, one plant pot saucer or lipped tray, potting compost.

Put an inch or two of compost in the bottom of the new pot.  Place the 'same size' pot inside the new pot to make sure that the tops of the two are at the same level.  Take out, or put in more compost until this achieved.

Once you are satisfied that the two tops are level and leaving the 'same size' pot inside the new pot, start filling the space between the two pots with compost, working it down and firming with your fingers as you go.  Do this until the compost is about 1/2" to 3/4" from the top of the new pot.

Place into a large plant pot saucer or lipped tray.

Very gently ease the 'same size' pot out of the new, compost filled pot - you'll see a space that is exactly the size as the Burro's tail rootball.  

Again very gently, ease the Burro's tail out of it present pot (you will lose some leaves, but don't worry, it will recover).  Tease out a few of the congested roots to encourage them to 'get out' into the new compost and place the plant into its new pot.  Give the pot a little shake to settle the compost and water it in.

Hope this is understandable!  It sounds fiddly, but it really does work!

Next year you can put your Burro's tail outside again, provided that it is warm, but if it rains a lot, take it inside - succulents don't need a lot of water, and it is better to let them almost dry out before watering liberally by putting water into a plant pot saucer and standing the plant in it for an hour or two. (Once a month should be enough).