Echinopsis WAY overdue for repotting. Advice for a noob?

[NoHallOfFame]

So, I have this Echinopsis eyriesii (or possibly a hybrid? Still don't have 100% ID, but I digress) that is YEARS overdue for re-potting, except now that it's mid September and getting a bit rainy I'm worrying about things being dry enough, and replanting during the growing season and all this stuff I'm finally learning so that I can actually take care of it properly.

Here's a pic of how sad and crowded it is.

More photos here https://goo.gl/photos/e5kaw6dBiuzriECP6
Yeah, it's been seriously neglected (it's technically my parents plant, though I should have stepped up to the plate to take care of it long ago ).
Honestly, I'm not gonna cry too much if this one ends up dying (if I really want to start over, I can ask my grandpa for a new one) but I do want to give it a CHANCE. It's hung on this long, so it deserves one.

So, re-pot it now? (It should just be cloudy sometimes most of next week, with rain a couple days and I can make sure it's under cover or inside. Highs in the early to mid 80s.)
Leave it alone and wait for next year?
Take a third option?

[iann]

Doesn't look so sad, but it is going to make a new pot of its own if you don't do the business soon

Does it live outside? Perhaps wait for spring if it is going to be getting rained on for the next six months.

[NoHallOfFame]

Nah, it's not gonna live outside this winter. It does actually snow some here in Kansas!
ETA: Yeah, it's probably not as sad as it could get. Still makes me feel really bad for letting it get to this point, poor thing is probably starving on top of being dehydrated.

[greenknight]

While the weather is still warm, I would give it a good soaking - submerge the pot in a bucket of water, the only way you'll get it thoroughly soaked the way that pot is cracked. When bubbles stop rising, take it out of the water and let it drain. Wait about a week for it to take up water, so it's well hydrated and the potting mix is no longer soggy, then re-pot it - but don't water it after potting it. Normally, you would wait about two weeks for the roots to heal before you resume watering, but you'll be into the dormant season by then so wait until spring to water it again.

[NoHallOfFame]

While the weather is still warm, I would give it a good soaking - submerge the pot in a bucket of water, the only way you'll get it thoroughly soaked the way that pot is cracked. When bubbles stop rising, take it out of the water and let it drain. Wait about a week for it to take up water, so it's well hydrated and the potting mix is no longer soggy, then re-pot it - but don't water it after potting it. Normally, you would wait about two weeks for the roots to heal before you resume watering, but you'll be into the dormant season by then so wait until spring to water it again.

I think it got a pretty good soaking from recent rain, actually. I peeled back some of the pot to look at the soil and it was quite wet, but that was still near the top, so I might give it a soak tomorrow.
Not watering it again (once re-potted) until spring makes absolute sense and is what I expected.

[greenknight]

If the rain lasted long enough, it might have gotten soaked clear through. The problem is that when the water can run out through cracks in the side of the pot it's possible that none made it to the bottom. You'll have to be the judge. These like a bit more water than most desert cacti, and being so root bound it's not likely to stay very wet for long when the plant is growing - but you still don't want to get too carried away with the watering.

[NoHallOfFame]

I am a HORRIBLE procrastinator, but I did get it soaking today, finally. Had to wrestle with the garden hose out front (the ivy has grown over it, it's trapped!), and also scraped up my hand when I knocked it into the cactus (and I doubt that will be the last time). Can't wait until I have it into a new pot, not only will it be more comfortable, it will be easier to handle!

At this point things will be easier to keep on track, I hope.

If anyone's still listening, I have one more question:
Some of the pups are pretty much trapped between and underneath their siblings (nearly hidden), because of the crowding. What should I do?

[cactushobbyman]

Take it out of the pot, cover the root ball, and let it be. Your pups will reshape. When you transplant you'll lose some pups and then you'll have more to transplant. If you gave it a good soaking, you will not need to water until spring. Plenty of time to find a pot. When you cover the root ball have extra material and cover the plant to protect it from the elements. If had the same plant split a clay pot and I just duct taped the pot until I was ready.

[greenknight]

The pups will spread out once they have space to do so, no need to worry about it. You could take some out if you want to propagate it, it's easier to do that while you have it out of the pot - as cactushobbyman says, it's likely to happen accidentally.

Yes, you could leave it unpotted for for quite a long time without hurting it, but if you'd rather just get it done then go ahead and pot it.