How to Plant Sedum

Co-authored by Lauren Kurtz and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: June 3, 2019 References

Sedum plants are perennial succulents that vary in height and appearance. From tall flowering plants to creeping ground cover, sedum can fit into any garden or landscape to add visual interest. Either by planting new seeds, planting cuttings from other plants, or transplanting seedlings, you can easily add new sedum plants to your yard.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Creating a Planting Location

1
Find an area with 6 hours of direct sunlight. Avoid planting sedum next to large bushy plants or trees that may block the sun.^{[1]
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- Some types of sedum, such as sedum ellacombianum, do require some protection from the sun or else they will completely dry out.^{[2]
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- Smaller types of sedum can be grown indoors in a pot without being transplanted outdoors. Avoid creeping sedums that are low to the ground.
2
Use a location with well-drained soil with a pH level of 6 or 6.5. It doesn’t matter if the soil is rocky or sandy as long as water can drain through it easily. Test the soil by digging a 12 in by 12 in (30 cm by 30 cm) hole and filling it with water. If it drains in 10 minutes, the soil is well-drained.^{[3]
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- Soil pH can be tested with a kit found at most gardening stores or online. If needed, you can adjust the pH of your soil by applying powdered limestone, or lime, if the soil is too acidic. You can also add aluminum sulfate if your soil is too basic.
- If your soil is not well-drained, you can add manure and compost to improve the water drainage.^{[4]
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3
Water sedum once per week. Since sedum is a succulent plant, much of the water is held in the stem and leaves and it does not require a lot of groundwater. Overwatered sedum will cause the leaves to rot.^{[5]
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- If the soil next to the sedum is dry to the touch, you should water.
- Sedum can stand up to harsh heat and droughts by using the water in its leaves.
4
Plant seeds in the early spring or transplant sedum in the fall. If you are planting seeds, this will allow optimal growing and bloom time throughout their active seasons. Seedlings can be transplanted to a garden as late as fall.^{[6]
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- You can plant cuttings from other sedum plants at any point during the growing season.
- Avoid planting sedum on overly hot summer days.
- Most sedums can survive the frosts of winter unprotected when left outside.^{[7]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Planting Sedum Seeds

1
Plant the seeds 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Start the sedum inside your home with a medium-sized pot or planting tray filled with a firm soil. Firm soil can be crushed between your thumb and index finger with noticeable resistance.^{[8]
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Research source} Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil, but not so much that water and warmth cannot reach them.
- Use a pot that has drainage holes out the bottom so it does not retain too much water.
- The seeds for sedum are very tiny and may be hard to see against the soil. Use a piece of toilet paper to line the row you are planting so you can see the spacing between seeds. Cover the paper with soil and water as normal.^{[9]
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2
Mist the soil until it feels damp. Do not oversaturate the soil with water, but spray just enough to keep the soil moist. Cover the pot with plastic wrap to maintain humidity. Once or twice a day, remove the plastic wrap so the seeds can get air.^{[10]
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3
Keep the pot between 65 °F (18 °C) and 72 °F (22 °C), misting regularly. The pot does not need to be in direct sunlight, but it should stay at the consistent temperature to help promote growth. Continue using a spray bottle to keep the soil slightly moist.^{[11]
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4
Move the pot to a sunny window after the seeds germinate. After 2 to 4 weeks, the seeds should have sprouted and can be moved onto a windowsill. At this time, you may also remove the plastic wrap. Continue growing the seeds in one pot until they are large enough to handle, at which point you can transplant them to their own pots.^{[12]
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- Start by exposing the seedlings to light amounts of sun, and increase the amount of sun they receive over time.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Propagating Sedum from Cuttings

1
Cut sections with 3 or more leaves into 3 to 4-in (7.6 to 10 cm) pieces. Using pruning shears, cut off well-grown pieces at the stem. Remove 2 of the leaves that are near the bottom to expose their nodes, the places where the leaves connected to the stem.^{[13]
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2
Push the stems into moist soil. Bury the exposed nodes. These areas, along with where you cut the stem, are where new roots will develop. Use small pots indoors filled with well-draining potting soil. Be sure all of the nodes are completely covered in the soil.^{[14]
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- Leave the top leaves above the soil so the sedum can still get sunlight.^{[15]
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3
Mist the cuttings with water. Mist the soil every day to prevent the plants from drying out. Keep the sedums in an area out of direct sunlight for 3 weeks as roots begin to form from your cuttings.^{[16]
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Research source} Keep the temperature between 50 °F (10 °C) and 60 °F (16 °C).^{[17]
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- Check for roots by gently tugging on the stem. If there is some resistance, new roots have grown.
4
Transplant the cuttings after 6 to 8 weeks. After this time, your new sedum plants should have enough roots to support themselves in a garden or other, larger pots. Tip the pot so they come out with the dirt.^{[18]
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- Using your hands, you can break apart some of the looser dirt to replant your sedum easier.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Transplanting Potted Sedum

1
Space the sedum between 6 in (0.15 m) and 2 ft (0.6 m) apart. You’ll want to allow some growing room depending on the size of the plant. Smaller sedum plants can be planted closer together, while larger plants should be more spread out.^{[19]
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- Creeping sedums that are low-growing, like Dragon’s Blood, grow 4 inches (10 cm) tall and can be used to fill in ground space in your garden.^{[20]
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- Upright sedums like Autumn Joy grow 2 feet (0.61 m) tall, have large flowers, and should be planted near other perennials.^{[21]
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- To entirely cover an area with creeping sedum, you can plant them closer together as long as they are not touching.
2
Dig a hole twice the diameter of the sedum pot. This gives you room to place the potted sedum in the center of the hole. Remove the sedum from its container by gently pulling the base of the stem and tipping the pot, so the plant and dirt slide out together.^{[22]
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- The depth of the hole should be the same depth as the pot you are transferring the sedum from.
3
Place the sedum so the bulb is level with the soil. Fill in the remaining soil around the bulb, packing it in firmly. Water the sedum thoroughly as soon as you are finished with the soil.^{[23]
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- Add mulch, such as wood chips or gravel, around the sedum plant. This will reduce weeds while keeping the right temperature and moisture levels in the soil.
- You do not need to add fertilizer or other compost to the soil.