When repotting a succulent, is it okay for the bottom of the root ball to be touching the bottom of the pot without any soil between the two?

I'm thinking if it's worth me repotting some of my succulents that are in narrow deep pots into wider shallower pots.

The thing is though is that if I put them into a wider shallower pot, the bottom of the rootballs will be touching the bottom of the pot, which means the roots can grow outwards into the new soil, but not downwards.

In the this photo you can see the size of the wider shallower pot that I'm thinking of transferring the plants to.

Is it worth it, or shall I just leave them in the narrow deep pots?

That pot is probably too small (shallow) for your jade plant. I don't recognize the other plant, but I'm guessing it could be fine there.

I like your bonsai pot.

You can first add a layer of soil at the bottom, then raise the plant and slightly expose the roots, like how some people treat their bonsai plants. Just a suggestion.

The problem with roots sitting on the bottom of pots is most of the water pools there before going down the little drain hole. Pots have built in perched water tables. That's a bad thing

Charlinex said:I like your bonsai pot.

You can first add a layer of soil at the bottom, then raise the plant and slightly expose the roots, like how some people treat their bonsai plants. Just a suggestion.

I am working on a Jade bonsai. Really easy to get a windswept look without pruning or wires. I think with a Jade it would be hard to get a root affect with them since there roots are really fine. Getting them to look like there growing on a hill would be easy but that would make them hard to water. One thing with this one. I am working on getting the ariel roots to grow from a high branch to the ground.

RPK82 said:When repotting a succulent, is it okay for the bottom of the root ball to be touching the bottom of the pot without any soil between the two?

I'm thinking if it's worth me repotting some of my succulents that are in narrow deep pots into wider shallower pots.

The thing is though is that if I put them into a wider shallower pot, the bottom of the rootballs will be touching the bottom of the pot, which means the roots can grow outwards into the new soil, but not downwards.

In the this photo you can see the size of the wider shallower pot that I'm thinking of transferring the plants to.

Is it worth it, or shall I just leave them in the narrow deep pots?

You could make it work if you really wanted to. Jades are forgiving to root tampering. May sound crazy but what I would do is cut the bottom of the root ball off to make it fit to the hight you want. The root ball will eventually grow into the pot.

i thought aerial roots growing on Jades was a cry for more moisture (gasp, gasp, I need water! gasp...)

DaisyI said:
i thought aerial roots growing on Jades was a cry for more moisture (gasp, gasp, I need water! gasp...)

I don't think that's what it means. I hope, mine sprout them all the time

DaisyI said:
i thought aerial roots growing on Jades was a cry for more moisture (gasp, gasp, I need water! gasp...)

This is how I am getting aerial roots to grow to ground. I am giving it a year or so then cutting off the PVC to expose the top.

When I encounter this problem I sometimes dig my fingers into the center of the root ball at the bottom and spread the roots. This does break some roots but it leaves most of the original roots still attached. I feel this is better than cutting off the bottom.
Of course since the roots were damaged the re-potted plant should not be watered for a few days.
In the case of the Jade plant you want to pot up I would use a larger deeper pot. Jade bushes are forgiving and do not have trouble with moist media.
Your new bonsai pot will be perfect of other succulents.

Just to let you guys know, the plants in the narrow deep pots were recently put into them, so the root ball doesn't go all the way to the bottom.

I've put a red line in this picture to indicate where the bottom of the rootball is in those narrow deep pots.

So they will fit into the shallower pot, it's just that the rootball will probably touch the bottom.

That is a nice shallow pot, and will not hesitate to use it. I would not worry with either succulent being grown there. Jades are more forgiving with root disturbance, so you can spread the roots wide when you repot. Just don't water right away, and wait. It will just consume whatever moisture stored in its trunk and leaves. It also depends on your growing environment. If they are always to be grown indoors, their growth speed may be much slower too, since light levels are much weaker indoors especially if it is not by a south facing window.

I just put a mesh on the holes with any container I use.

I grow several jades in different containers, some in similar bonsai pot. No issues with it, as long as the media is very well draining. I do grow my Crassulas outdoors year round, so they do grow faster here.