Give your pot plant room to bloom
Repotting houseplants can be daunting, but Scott Bromwich writes that it is easy to do and essential for plant health.
Repotting houseplants can sound challenging, but it really is easy to do and is also an opportunity to change out or update containers to suit your new decor or home colour palette.
Who doesn’t love a reason to go shopping for something new for the home? If you are unsure if your houseplant is ready for repotting, here are some signs to look out for:
■ Roots are growing out of the bottom of the container.
■ Roots are appearing at the top of the pot.
■ Plant dries out quickly and is requiring frequent watering.
■ Growth has slowed down.
■ Leaves are yellowing from lack of nutrients.
When to repot
In general, houseplants need to be repotted every 12-18 months, coming into the growing season in spring/early summer when there is plenty of new root growth. It will also vary based on the growth rate of your houseplant. For instance, slow growers like the snake plant (Sansevieria) or fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrate), may grow happily in the same container for years but will still relish having the soil replenished with good-quality houseplant mix. Another tip is that if you have just bought a new plant from the garden centre, repot it as soon as you can. Often they are not grown inmixes that provide enough nutrients over a long period.
Size matters
There are so many different pots and planters to suit your style. Choose a container that’s big enough for the plant to grow into, but not too large, as this can cause issues with overwatering. A good rule of thumb is to repot into a container that is one to two sizes larger than the existing pot.
Goodmixes
Poor drainage kills a fair percentage of houseplants. These days, good-quality, modern indoor potting mixes take away the worry because they are designed to provide good drainage, have moisture-retaining qualities, and include a blend of slow-release nutrients to help houseplants thrive. Keep in mind that when potting up a new plant, always read the plant label carefully, and follow any specific instructions.
How to repot
Before you get started, there are a few things you will need:
■ New container
■ Good-quality indoor/houseplant mix
■ Gloves
■ Water
A step-by-step guide
1 Ensure the plant is thoroughly watered or soak it for a few minutes in a bucket of water before potting or repotting as this helps with any transplant shock.
2 Put your gloves on and partially fill a clean, free-draining container with Daltons Premium Houseplantmix.
3 Hold the plant gently, supporting it at the base of the stem, then turn it over and carefully remove it from its existing container (you may need to press around the container beforehand to loosen up the plant from the container).
4 Gently loosen the root ball (bundle of roots) if they are compacted, and trim damaged ones.
5 Place the plant in the container. Adjust the pottingmix under the plant until it is at the desired height.
6 Fill the rest of the container to approximately 2cm from the top, gently tapping to ensure the mix distributes throughout the roots.
7 Water the plant and allow to drain. You may need to top up the soil if the level drops.
8 Leave in a shaded spot for two to three days to allow it to settle beforemoving the plant to its permanent home.
Scott Bromwich is a gardening expert at Daltons.