Repotting guide

When & how to repot String of Tears (Curio herreanus)

Also called String of tears, String of beads, String of watermelons, String of raindrops, Gooseberry plant.

More about string of tears

About String of Tears

Curio herreanus · also called String of tears, String of beads · houseplant

String of tears (Curio herreanus, formerly Senecio herreianus) is a Namibian trailing succulent prized for cascading stems of plump, tear-shaped beads with faint purple stripes. Give it bright indirect light, a gritty cactus mix, and infrequent soak-and-dry watering. Treat it as mildly toxic to pets; the ASPCA flags its close relative, string of pearls.

Mature size: Trailing stems commonly reach 30-60 cm (about 1-2 ft) indoors and can grow longer over time; individual beads stay under 1 cm. Spreads readily but stays low rather than tall.

Watch for — Root and stem rot: The most common and lethal issue, caused by overwatering or poorly draining soil. Stems and beads turn soft, mushy, yellow, or translucent. Cut away healthy strands to propagate and start over in a grittier mix.

How to tell string of tears needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For string of tears, watch for these signs:

Roots growing out of the drainage holes, or the rootball lifting the plant proud of the rim.
Soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides and no longer holds water.
The pot is unstable because the plant has grown top-heavy.
Old, compacted, broken-down mix that stays wet too long — for a succulent that is a rot risk, so refresh it even if the pot size is fine.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot string of tears

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. String of Tears's growth habit — fast-growing, trailing and ground-creeping evergreen succulent with slender stems lined by plump, oval to tear-shaped beads, often marked with translucent leaf "windows" and faint purple stripes. looks best spilling from a hanging pot or a high shelf. — sets the pace. String of tears (Curio herreanus, formerly Senecio herreianus) is a Namibian trailing succulent prized for cascading stems of plump, tear-shaped beads with faint purple stripes. Give it bright indirect light, a gritty cactus mix, and infrequent soak-and-dry watering. Treat it as mildly toxic to pets; the ASPCA flags its close relative, string of pearls.

What size pot to step string of tears up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. String of Tears stores water and rots in a large pot of slow-drying soil. A tight terracotta pot that dries fast is far safer than a generous plastic one. Never up-pot a succulent by several sizes.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot string of tears

Spring or summer, while string of tears is in active growth and warm, is best — roots recover fastest then, and the plant is not sitting in cool damp soil. Avoid repotting a succulent in winter dormancy.

Step-by-step: repotting string of tears

Repot dry. Do not water string of tears for several days first. Working with dry roots and dry mix dramatically lowers the rot risk for a succulent.
Pick a snug, fast-draining pot. Choose terracotta one size up at most, with a drainage hole. Have gritty free-draining cactus and succulent mix amended with plenty of mineral grit. ready.
Tip it out and clean the roots. Slide the plant out, crumble off the old soil, and trim any black, mushy or dead roots with clean snips.
Pot into dry mix. Set string of tears at its original depth in dry gritty mix, firming gently. Do not bury the stem deeper than it was.
Wait a week before watering. Leave it completely dry and out of harsh sun for about 7 days so any damaged roots callus. Only then water lightly.

Aftercare

Keep string of tears completely dry and out of fierce sun for about a week so any nicked roots callus before they meet moisture; watering a freshly repotted succulent is the classic way to rot it. Then resume the normal lean, dry rhythm. Do not fertilise for about 3 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for string of tears

String of Tears wants free-draining cactus and succulent mix amended with plenty of mineral grit.. Blend a cactus/succulent compost with 50-70% coarse grit such as pumice, perlite, or sharp sand so water rushes through fast. Always use a pot with drainage holes; this shallow-rooted succulent rots quickly in dense, moisture-retentive soil that stays wet. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting string of tears — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot string of tears?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for string of tears. Repot string of tears every 2–3 years into a snug pot of free-draining cactus and succulent mix amended with plenty of mineral grit., ideally in spring or summer. Let it sit in dry soil and do not water for about a week afterwards so any nicked roots can callus. Over-potting and watering straight away is what rots succulents.

What size pot does string of tears need?

When is the best time of year to repot string of tears?

Should you water string of tears after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot string of tears into dry mix and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots callus over. Watering a freshly repotted succulent is the single most common way to rot one.

Should you fertilise string of tears after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 3 weeks after repotting string of tears. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.