Repotting guide

When & how to repot Ruby Necklace (Othonna capensis)

Also called Ruby Necklace, String of Rubies, Little Pickles, Trailing Othonna, Cape Aster.

More about ruby necklace

About Ruby Necklace

Othonna capensis · also called Ruby Necklace, String of Rubies · houseplant

Ruby Necklace (Othonna capensis, syn. Crassothonna capensis) is a trailing South African succulent with bean-shaped leaves on purple stems that flush ruby-red in bright light, plus tiny yellow daisy flowers. Give it bright light, gritty fast-draining soil and sparing water. It is not ASPCA-listed; treat as mildly toxic and verify with a vet.

Mature size: Trailing stems reach about 30-60 cm (1-2 ft) long, cascading well over the edge of a hanging pot; the plant itself stays low, only a few centimetres tall, and spreads as a creeping mat.

Watch for — Mushy, translucent stems / root rot: The most common problem, caused by overwatering or soil that holds moisture. Let the mix dry out fully between waterings, use a gritty fast-draining medium and a pot with drainage holes, and cut back hard on water in winter.

How to tell ruby necklace needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For ruby necklace, 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 ruby necklace

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Ruby Necklace's growth habit — fast-growing, low and creeping trailing succulent. slender purple stems carry small, elongated bean- or pickle-shaped blue-green leaves that turn ruby-red to magenta under sun, drought or cool stress. in its growing season it pushes out small, bright-yellow daisy-like flowers on thin stalks, which often open in sun and close in the evening. — sets the pace. Ruby Necklace (Othonna capensis, syn. Crassothonna capensis) is a trailing South African succulent with bean-shaped leaves on purple stems that flush ruby-red in bright light, plus tiny yellow daisy flowers. Give it bright light, gritty fast-draining soil and sparing water. It is not ASPCA-listed; treat as mildly toxic and verify with a vet.

What size pot to step ruby necklace up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Ruby Necklace 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 ruby necklace

Spring or summer, while ruby necklace 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 ruby necklace

Repot dry. Do not water ruby necklace 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 with heavy 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 ruby necklace 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 ruby necklace 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 ruby necklace

Ruby Necklace wants free-draining cactus and succulent mix with heavy mineral grit. Use a gritty, sharply draining medium: roughly 1 part succulent or cactus soil to 1 part mineral grit such as pumice, perlite or coarse sand (around 50-70 percent grit). This keeps moisture from lingering around the fine roots. Always pot into a container with drainage holes; terracotta helps wick excess moisture and guards against rot. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting ruby necklace — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot ruby necklace?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for ruby necklace. Repot ruby necklace every 2–3 years into a snug pot of free-draining cactus and succulent mix with heavy 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 ruby necklace need?

When is the best time of year to repot ruby necklace?

Should you water ruby necklace after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot ruby necklace 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 ruby necklace after repotting?

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