{"id":14465,"date":"2021-03-10T15:41:10","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T23:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalgarden.co\/?p=14465"},"modified":"2023-11-08T15:29:53","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T23:29:53","slug":"how-to-repot-plants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalgarden.co\/knowledge\/how-to-repot-plants\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Repot Plants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Repotting a plant is a momentous occasion. If you’ve grown it from seed, it validates your ability and effort; if you bring it home pre-potted, it’s a statement of care. For experienced gardeners, repotting a long-loved houseplant can evoke memories. Repotting is a skill that you may not get to practice often, and the price of making a mistake may be plant you adore. So let’s begin learning how to repot plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most common reason for repotting a plant is because the plant has outgrown its current one. But there are other reasons to repot as well. You may be taking a plant out of its container to remove compacted dirt that is interfering with water absorption. If you have a hard water supply, or if you use liquid fertilizer, your pots may develop an unsightly mineral buildup that you want to scrub away. Or you want to replace nutrient-exhausted soil with soil that is fresh, fertilizer-rich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brand new plants often need repotting most of all! Nurseries use small pots to minimize costs and make transportation easier. But that means your new plant’s roots may have been circling inside that container for weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you take your plant from its old home, water it thoroughly. While your plant gets a final soak before its big move, prepare your new pot. Don’t skip this step, as a well-hydrated plant is much better prepared to resist the stress of being transplanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new pot should be an inch or two (~5cm) larger than the current one. Can you go larger? Sure, but a larger pot may dwarf your plant. You want eyes drawn to the blossoms, not an expanse of dirt! You are also increasing the risk of root rot, as water will collect in the excess soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are reusing a pot, clean it first to avoid transferring fungi, salt deposits<\/a>, or soil-borne bacteria. It should go without saying that any cleanser <\/a>you use should be non-toxic. If you are in the right climate, a day drying in the sun’s ultraviolet radiation light can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n