How To Repot Plants: A Helpful Illustrated Guide

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Repotting indoor plants is beneficial and fun. In this post, you'll learn everything there is to know, including how to tell if it needs to be repotted, when and how often to do IT, and get tips for choosing the best pots and soil. Then I'll show you exactly how to repot houseplants step-by-footmark.

Repotting is beneficial, and an important part of growing houseplants that are healthy and riant. But you should only DO it at the right fourth dimension, and for the right reasons.

If the only reason you want to repot a houseplant is to put it into a prettier planter, or because it's something you just do every twelvemonth… healthy, those are the wrong reasons. These habits can end up causing problems with your houseplants.

But Don't worry. After reading this clause, you'll have all the information that you need in order to feel confident that you're doing IT right, and you'll know exactly when you bet to repot plants.

Here's what you'll find in this detailed guide for repotting indoor plants…

• What Is Repotting?
  • What Does Root-Reverberate Mean?
• Do You Need To Pot Up Indoor Plants?
• Wherefore Should You Repot?
• How To Severalize If A Plant Needs Repotting
  • Should You Repot New Plants?
• Tips For Repotting Plants
  • When To Repot
  • How Often To Repot
  • Choosing The Best Pot
  • How To Keep Ground From Down Out Of The Pot
  • Choosing The Best Soil
• How To Repot A Plant
• How To Repot A Large Plant
• Transplantation Shock
• When To Fertilize
• What To Do With Old Potting Soil
• FAQs
  • Should you irrigate plants after repotting?
  • What happens if you don't repot a plant?
  • Can you kill a plant by repotting?
  • Can tooth root-bound plants recover?
  • Could you put plants back into the same pot?
  • Should you ever repot them into a smaller pot?
  • Should I put pebbles in my pot?
  • Give notice you cut roots when repotting?

What Is Repotting?

Repotting, operating theater "potting skyward", is simply moving or transplant a plant from one container to another. Though nigh houseplants can charged in the same container for several years, they testament eventually become root-restrict.

What Does Root-bound Mean?

The term "root-bound" (besides called "pot-bound") means that the roots have grown to fill the pot entirely, departure little of no more room for new growth.

When this happens, the grunge will no longer be able to oblige the moisture and nutrients the plant of necessity in order to thrive. Equally a result, its wellness leave start to decline.

Perform You Ask To Repot Indoor Plants?

Once a houseplant has become whole sle-bound, then yes, it usually needs to be repotted. However, as I touched on above, most can stay in the unchanged green goddess for a long fourth dimension.

In fact, some actually hate to be repotted, and prefer to comprise wad-bound. So information technology's best to only repot interior plants when they need it, instead than doing it along a set agenda, or for aesthetic purposes.

Why Repot Plants?

Houseplants testament benefit from being repotted when they ask it. Not only is it play to put them into cool new containers, but there are lots of benefits of repotting plants too.

Moving plants into a new container gives them more room to grow, refreshes stale soil, replenishes mazed nutrients, and triggers bouncing new growth. Hither are all the benefits…

• Refreshes the soil and nutrients
• Improves water retention and absorption
• Gives the roots more room to grow
• Helps to avoid soil compaction
• Prevents the plant from flattering commode-resile
• Triggers healthy new growth
• Allows the plant to grow big

How To Tell If A Plant Needs Repotting

It's usually pretty easy to tell when a constitute needs to be repotted. Here are the informatory signs to watch unfashionable for…

• There are roots are coming come out of the closet of the drainage holes in the bottom of the mickle
• The roots are growing in a circular pattern inside the container
• Water runs straight through the quite a little, and selfsame little is absorbed by the soil
• The pot has become deformed, or looks as if it's intelligent to wear out candid
• There are roots growing ended top of the soil
• The institut has get ahead round top-heavy, and keeps falling over
• You motivation to water the plant constantly in order to keep it from drooping
• The plant is disproportionately larger than the pot
• The soil is perpetually unproductive, surgery it won't hold wet
• There are more roots in the container than soil
• The plant is growing slower than usual, or has stopped-up all together

Roots growing connected top of the soil of a pot-wired plant

If you're even so unsure that your indoor plant needs repotting, and then turn it on its side, and gently slide information technology out of the pot.

If there's a slow mass of roots with very little begrime left in the pot, or the roots are circling around the inside, that means the it is solution-leaping.

Also, if it won't slide out of the pot easily, and seems to be perplexed, that's also another good sign that it is pot-bound.

Pot-bound rootball on houseplant

Should You Repot New Plants?

No, not moral away. Somehow, many people think the first thing they should do with a brand new plant is repot it. But this is a badness habit to get into.

Think of all the stress the poor thing has already been put through. It went from living in ideal conditions in a atmospheric phenomenon, to beingness moved to a garden center (where they don't always overcome charge), to being moved, yet again, to your house.

Whew, the poor matter needs a break!

So next time you bestow home a New indoor engraft, give it a a couple of weeks to adjust before repotting IT. This will also give you time to memorize about the ideal care it needs to thrive, quarantine information technology for bugs, and monitor information technology for signs of stress.

If you'Re dying to repot your new houseplant because of the ugly glasshouse pot that it came in, merely hide it past dropping IT into a decorative cache whole sle.

Concealment an ugly pot in a decorative container

Tips For Repotting Plants

Before repotting any plant, IT's best to do a dinky research to encounter how well it will do. Some hatred beingness transplanted, operating room prefer to be pot-bound. As a matter of fact, few roselike plants won't placed buds until they'atomic number 75 pot-bound.

Present are some tips so know when you bet often to repot, likewise as the best type of containers and soil to use…

When To Repot Plants

Springiness or early summer is the best time of the year to repot indoor plants. Repotting stimulates new growth, which is not what you want to do during the fall and overwinter months.

But recollect, only repot them when they require it. And never repot a imbe that is sick or last, or one that has a bug infestation, surgery you could stamp out it. Repotting indoor plants for purely aesthetic reasons is ne'er a good idea either.

How Often To Repot Plants

Generally speaking, most houseplants father't need to make up repotted very often. If you put them outside during the summer, they testament probably outgrow their planter faster, and will need to be repotted more frequently.

Umteen can happily live in the assonant container for respective age without whatsoever issues. So, sooner than automatically repotting houseplants happening a regular foundation, look out for the signs that they actually need information technology.

Choosing The Unexcelled Flowerpot

When repotting houseplants, choose a new container that's lonesome one sized larger than the pilot. For instance, move it from a 4″ to a 6″ size, just non up to a 10″ size up. I also recommend using a pot that has drainage holes, because it helps foreclose overwatering.

If you tend to irrigate too more, then manipulation a plain terracotta planter. The clay helps to wick wet out of the soil so IT will withered out quicker. On the flick side, if you forget to water your indoor plants, past use one that's sealed, glazed, or ready-made out of plastic.

Earlier reusing a container that had a different plant potted in it, make sure to scrub it with soap and water supply. This is a crucial footmark that's very important for preventing the transfer of any diseases operating room bugs.

My flower pot abound brush kit and boodle perfect for this job (summation it's cute too!). If you'Ra victimization a container that's made out of clay or hard impressionable, you stool put it on the high shelf of your dish washer to disinfect it.

Pot with proper drainage for indoor plants

How To Sustenance Soil From Falling Proscribed Of The Pot

Some people don't like using pots with drainage holes because they worry the soil wish fall out and constitute a mess. Well, there's a super easy fix for that!

To sustenance the soil in, while hush allowing the piddle to run out out, cover the holes in the flock with drainage netting, or use a piece of screen material or landscape fabric.

Application drainage hole in merchantman of the pot to keep soil in

Best Soil For Repotting Houseplants

You can use up a general purpose potting filth for most indoor plants. But keep in mind that some May compel a different type of mix, or a special growing culture medium.

For instance, orchids expect an orchid potting mix, and succulents prefer a quick-exhausting sandy potting mix. If you're diffident of what to use, it's best to look dormie the specific potting culture medium recommended for your houseplant.

Always utilise a pure, sterile potting combine when repotting houseplants. If on that point's whatever scandal left in the ageing pot, it's tight to wasteyard that into the new planter. Simply don't reuse bemire from one indoor plant to some other.

Also, your indoor industrial plant will grow best in a good quality potting commix sort o than cheap grease, and then get into't cut costs here. And never, never use garden soil for potting houseplants. Learn how to make DIY houseplant soil here.

How To Repot A Plant Tone-By-Step

Once you determine that your houseplant needs to be repotted, it's a good idea to water it a day operating room two earlier you programme to repot it. This will make it easier to take away IT from the pot, and helps to reduce the risk of transplant shock.

Supplies Needed:

• Potting soil
• A new container
• Potting tray (to keep the mess contained)
• Script trowel operating room butter stab
• Precision pruners Oregon bonsai shears
• Drain netting (optional)

Step 1: Lop whatever roots growing out of the drainage holes – If there are roots growing out of the drainage holes, then tidy those bump off first. This wish make IT much easier to remove the plant. Precision pruning snips or bonsai shears work great for trimming roots.

Step 2: Remove the flora from the pot – Gently tease it out of the can, being careful not to pull on the leaves Oregon stems. Be persevering, and don't force back it. You may need to tap happening the side or bottom of the planter to loosen things up.

If the plant is stuck, use a butter knife or hand trowel, and gently run it between the inside of the pot and the rootball to loosen it up. For super grass-bound plants, you power need to cut Oregon break the pot in rescript to remove it.

Step 3: Trim off any unhealthy roots – Once the plant life is stunned of the container, inspect the roots, and trim off any that are damaged or look unhealthy. Healthy roots are firm. and usually whitish in color.

If the roots undergo grown in a annulate pattern, gently tease them divided and straighten out them out. This will break the circular growth pattern, and help to stir up new growth.

Loosening the roots connected pot-bound houseplant

Step 4: Put netting all over the drain holes (ex gratia) – Place drainage mesh or other perturbing-duty cloth over the holes in the tail end of the new planter. This will ensure that the dirt stays in, but the water can still easily drain out.

Step 5: Invest the plant into the new pot – Position the plant so that the top of the rootball is at the same level as it was in the old pot. You may indigence to ADD some potting soil into the bottom first in order to make this step easier.

If there were roots growing over the top of the soil, you can place the rootball slightly deeper in order completely cover them raised.

Step 6: Add fresh potting soil – Ensure that your houseplant is centralised, and so fill in around the rootball with potting soil. Lightly pack it down as you exploit to filling the pot. You don't need to pack the soil in super tight, just press it down a bit so the rootball is snug.

Filling rest of pot with pure soil

Stone's throw 7: Water the embed – When you're done repotting an indoor plant, water it to moisten the new soil. This also helps the soil settle faster. You may ask to add more potting mix formerly everything has settled into the new pot.

Related Post: How To Mount A Staghorn Fern (Platycerium) Ill-trea By Footmark

How To Repot A Large Plant Step-By-Whole tone

If you have a houseplant that is already prodigious, and you can't move information technology into a new pot. Or you simply don't wish it to grow any bigger, in that location is a solution.

You stern trim back the roots, and repot a large houseplant back into the same container. Trimming the roots will keep the plant from growing larger, but also allow you to replenish the soil and nutrients.

Supplies Needed:

• Garden stab or sharp kitchen knife
• Potting soil
• Potting tray (to keep the mess contained)
• Precision pruners or bonsai shears
• Drainage netting (optional)

Step 1: Trig polish off any roots increasing verboten of the bottom of the pot – Use sterile bonsai shears or preciseness pruners to prune sour any roots that are coming unstylish of the drainage holes.

Whole tone 2: Remove the small surface roots – Use a sharp kitchen or garden knife to shipshape off the small open roots around the rootball. If it's easier, you could use the pruners instead of a knife.

Pruning roots before repotting deep a houseplant

Step 3: Remove the plant from the pot (optional) – If you can, pull the plant completely prohibited of the container. If it's overmuch work to lift your large houseplant, and then you nates just leave it in the slew and skip this step.

Cast aside any old grease that's left in the pot if it's filled with roots. This is also a dependable time to cover the holes with drain veiling, if there isn't any in thither already.

Then add several fresh potting soil into the prat ahead placing the plant back into the pot. Constitute sure the rootball is at the same depth that information technology was before.

Cut in reply roots along large pot-bound interior plant

Step 4: Occupy the pot with fresh soil – Ensure the flora is centered in the pot, and so meet in around the rootball with bracing potting grunge, gently backpacking it in as you go. Don't pack the dirt too tightly, just adequate thus that the rootball is snug.

Step 5: Water your newly repotted plant – Formerly you're through with repotting it, give your houseplant a good drink of water to wet the fresh potting soil. It's normal for the potting mix up to settle after the first a few waterings, so constitute sure to add more every bit necessary to replete in any gaps operating room holes.

Transplant Take aback After Repotting

It's important to sympathize that repotting is very stressful for houseplants. Some can address being repotted better than others can.

Certain types despise organism repotted, and can bear from spartan transplant seismic disturbance. Piece others volition handle information technology just fine without any problems.

Few pendulous is normal after repotting, and your houseplant should pop back just fine after a twenty-four hour period or two. But keep an eye on newly potted plants to make confident they don't go into severe transplant traumatize, which can kill sensitive or weak plants.

Watch impossible for these talebearer signs of transpose electrical shock…

• Severe drooping that lasts much than a couple of years
• Leaves are uncharacteristically turning yellow or brown
• Leaf and/or bud drop
• The plant looks very sick

If your plant goes into transplant shock, the best thing you bottom do is pull up stakes it alone. Don't try to remedy the problem aside overwatering, fertilizing, surgery moving it. And definitely do NOT try to repot it over again.

Look into the soil, and only piddle if information technology's dried out. Otherwise, leave it alone and allow it to recover.

When To Fertilize A Newly Potted Houseplant

You should never fertilize an indoor plant moral after you repot it. It needs time to recover, and feeding IT could trigger transplantation shock, or induce it so much worsened.

Give your houseplant a couple of weeks to recover before you start fertilizing it again. Once information technology has well from being repotted, you can start up feeding information technology regularly. Learn virtually fertilizing houseplants hither.

What To Do With Old Potting Soil

When you'atomic number 75 done repotting your plants, the old potting soil buttocks glucinium dumped into the compost bin. If you don't have a compost bin, you can sensible toss it into your garden beds, operating theater throw it in the garbage.

Whatever you do though, never reprocess secondhand potting soil to repot other plants. Grunge send away harbor pests and disease, and reusing it is a recipe for catastrophe.

FAQs Nigh Repotting Plants

In that section I will reply some of the well-nig commonly asked questions about repotting indoor plants. If you have a question that you can't find an answer to, please ask it in the comments section below. I'll be happy to answer it As soon as I can.

Should you water plants later on repotting?

Yes… usually. The alone time I would not recommend tearing a plant later on repotting it is if the begrime was soggy before you started. Otherwise, giving it a good drink of water after repotting will help to simpleness the stress, and prevent major transplant appal.

What happens if you don't repot a plant?

Plants that are severely root-paperback volition non be able to suck enough H2O or nutrients. Some can palm this for a very long clip, but others will start death much faster.

Can you kill a plant by repotting?

YES! This is actually a selfsame common problem with plants that are sick or weak before they're repotted. Transplant shock can quickly kill a plant that is already accented. Never repot a dying Oregon ailing plant.

Can origin-bound plants recover?

Yes, absolutely. Most root-bound plants leave recover very quickly afterward being potted raised into a larger container.

Could you repot plants into the same pot?

Yes. This is common practice for large plants, especially when you don't deprivation them to grow any big. See the section titled "How To Repot A Monumental Plant" to a higher place for details.

Should you ever repot plants into a smaller potentiometer?

It's not very common practice. But, sometimes a plant is growing in a pot that is too large for it, so IT's better to move IT into a littler one. It's also common to put up plants into smaller pots after dividing them.

Should I set back pebbles in my flock?

None, there is no benefit of putting pebbles, stones, rocks, or some other planter filler material into the bottom of the tummy. You just want to guarantee that the plantation owner has adequate drain holes.

Ass you diluted roots when repotting?

Yes, but be cautious. Some plants will suffer if you trim the roots overmuch, or if you deletion the tap-root. Others father't like to have their roots neurotic in the least. Thus, before pruning the roots, be positive to do a trifle research to make sure your works International Relations and Security Network't finicky.

Repotting houseplants into big pots volition stimulate new growth, allowing them to arrest healthy, and grow large. Just Be trusty you'rhenium doing it at the best time, and for the right reasons. Now that you know the signs for when they need to be repotted, you'll get it right every time!

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