Houseplants require occasional repotting to keep them healthy. In addition to know when to repot, you must know how to repot to be successful. Late winter/early spring is a great time to repot houseplants since they are getting ready to begin their spring growth spurt.
The majority of houseplants like to be a little crowded in their pots. Increasing the pot size when it is not needed can do more harm than necessary. Signs that a plant need to be repotted include:
- Plants that are pale or have stopped growing
- Heavy plants that keep falling over
- Roots that poke out of the soil or the holes in the bottom of the pot
When it is time to repot a plant, one should use plastic or clay pots and a soil mix. One can mix the soil with clay pebbles, pine bark, moss and perlite, as I mentioned in my third blog entry. First, the clay pots should be soak for a few hours in water, otherwise the clay would immediately extract the water from the soil. The pot should not be bigger than 1-2 diameter than the current pot.
Firstly, one should water the plant to help the root ball and soil slide more easily out of the pot. To gently pull the pot away, the plant should be put on its side. The roots shall not be damaged. If something is rotten or mouldy, it should be cut off. If the roots are tightly coiled, one should use the fingers to loosen them gently. The new pot has to be a little bit bigger than the current but. The top of the root-ball has to be at least ½ inches below the rum of the pot. After that I like to sit the plant in the sink or the bathtub and give it a good drink, making sure the soil gets evenly moist while the excess water is draining away. This is a good time to remove the dust from the foliage and potting soil.
After repotting, you should hold off fertilizer, because the soil is already prefertilized and it may burn the sensitive roots. If you have any questions about repotting, feel free to ask me.
Lovely greetings,
Pauline
Planthoarding 