Repotting - when, why & how?

MASTERING THE WHEN, WHY & HOW OF REPOTTING YOUR HOUSEPLANTS

So, your houseplant is throwing a pity party and looking sadder than a wilting sunflower? Perhaps it's time to upgrade its digs with a fancy new pot! Who knows, maybe a change of scenery is all it needs to start thriving again!

WHEN

As a general rule houseplants are usually fine in their original nursery pot for 12-18 months because the soil will be relatively new and full of nutrition. 

There’s a simple way to check if the pot is the problem. Just tap the nursery pot firmly on the bottom and give the sides a gentle squeeze. The pot should separate from the soil and roots. If it separates easily, then the pot is not the issue and you might need to think about watering habits or the light available for the plant (we’ll cover these in a future post!). However, if it doesn’t separate easily, and there’s a mass of roots working their way all around the compost, then it does need a larger pot. 

WHY

The first and most obvious reason to repot your houseplants is to give them more room to grow! Remember, in their natural environment, they grow in the ground and, although they are competing with nature, they can always find a way to extend their roots and thrive. In a pot, this growth is limited. 

The second reason to repot your houseplants is to increase the nutrients available to them. Whilst it’s important to add feed during the April - August growing season, your plants will eventually want a new pot with new compost to invigorate them. At TROPICA, we will repot your plants into a sustainable coconut husk pot that is 3-4 cm wider and deeper than the original, and top it up with fresh compost full of nutrients. 

An emergency repot

Occasionally, we see plants that have been excessively over-watered. In this case, immediate action needs to be taken to prevent root rot. Root rot is when the roots have literally been drowned and deprived of oxygen. Rotten roots will look brown or black and feel mushy.If your plant has been subjected to overwatering, remove it from the pot and take off as much of the soaking compost as possible. Then, replant it in a dry mix and don’t water it for 3-4 weeks. 

HOW

So, now that you know why and when to repot your houseplants, let’s think about how. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the interior horticulture industry, including us at TROPICA, are moving away from plastic nursery pots and using sustainable coconut husk pots. The great benefit to planting in these is that when you need to repot, you can simply place the whole thing in the larger coconut husk pot and the roots will grow through the old pot! 

When repotting, try to create a 2cm drainage layer at the bottom of the pot. This can be grit, sand, clay pellets (lecca) or crushed shells. Next, add fresh compost on top of your drainage layer. There should be about 3-5 cm below the plant and 2-3 cm around it. Keep an eye out for our upcoming blog on ensuring you have the best compost for your plant type. Now, remove your plant from its old pot, and make a space for it in the new pot by pushing the compost to the side. Gently firm it all down, but don’t compact the soil too much as the roots need to breathe! Top up the new pot with a bit more fresh compost, and job done! 

If you are in any doubt about what your plant needs, TROPICA offers health checks in our shop or at your home. So, get in touch with us at info@tropica.uk and we’ll be more than happy to help.