The daily weather report has been showing a constant march of winter storms arriving all too often for many. With the weather too harsh for even the hardiest home gardener to venture out to do winter pruning or think about tilling the garden plot, there is still an urge to get green thumbs dirty. As if that’s not enough, it’s too early to start most vegetable and flower seeds indoors for later transplanting.
If you are a home gardener who’s suffering from “no-dirt-under-the-fingernails syndrome,” it’s a perfect time to evaluate your houseplant collection and see if any have outgrown their real estate. In their native habitat, tropical houseplants’ roots are unrestricted in their search for nutrients and water. In your pots, however, plants are your captives and may not be happy with the limited space they’ve grown into (or are trying to grow out of).
Before you gather together your trowel, potting soil and possibly a larger pot, remember that not all plants will need, or even benefit from, re-potting.
Some plants will, however, benefit from being replanted in fresh soil in the same container (re-potting), while others need more root-growing space and need to be placed into a larger pot filled with fresh soil (potting on or potting up).
There are some signs that should prompt you to take action.
Roots that are normally in the soil now appear through the base of the pot, or are even visible on the soil surface. This is a good indicator that there is no longer room for the roots in the pot.
If your plant is drying out before you think it should, this may be an indication that there are too many roots and too little growing media. When this happens, it’s probably time to take action.
When the growth rate has slowed noticeably and there is no apparent reason, the plant needs attention. This is especially true when you haven’t re-potted recently.
If the plant is overcrowded by offsets or small plantlets, you should consider re-potting. You could also take advantage and separate the offsets into their own pots.
If there is a severe attack of pests or disease that is damaging to the roots, it is time to take re-potting action. Be sure that you wash the roots with water, or an appropriate pesticide, before replanting them in new soil.
While there are no firm rules on when to re-pot, winter or early spring makes the most sense. The plants are in a rest period at that time and the re-potting process will be of less stress to the plant. As the plant begins its growth cycle later with more light and warmth, the adjustment to the new pot/soil will be easiest.
Re-potting plants is not difficult. The plant should be watered before you begin the process and your new soil should also be moistened, but not soggy. As you are re-potting or potting on, try to match the same type of soil that the plant is used to.
Now you must make the determination: is it to be a re-pot or a pot on?
As you gently remove the plant from its original container, observe the roots. If the roots seem healthy, with few showing and soil breaking up easily, then probably the plant simply needs re-potting in the same, or same size, container.
To re-pot these plants, you should refresh the soil. Remove the root ball from the pot and gently wash away some of the old soil from the roots. Place a piece of broken crockery or a piece of coffee filter over the drain hole. Return the plant to the same container and fill around the roots with a new soil mix. Consider adding a slow release fertilizer to this new soil. Some potting soils already have these nutrients added. Firm the soil around the roots to remove any air pockets and try to have the soil level about an inch below the rim of the pot. After potting, give the mixture a good watering which should be adequate for about 10 days. This will encourage the roots to seek moisture in the new soil. Be sure the plant pot has good drainage and is not standing in water in a saucer.
If, after you examine the root ball in the initial inspection, you see a heavy, solid root mass and very little soil in the original root ball, potting on is probably your best choice.
To pot on, you will need a larger pot. While it is a temptation to skip a few steps and move the plant into a much larger pot, you should only use a pot that is slightly larger (no more than an inch or two larger in diameter) than the original pot. Soil in pots that are too big tends to stay excessively moist for too long and can lead to root rot.
Remove the plant to be potted on and tease out a few of the old roots. Place broken crockery or a coffee filter over the drain hole. Stand the plant in the new larger pot, adding new potting mix underneath, if necessary, and fill around the sides. As with re-potting, you may wish to consider adding a slow release fertilizer if not already present in your mix. Gently firm the soil with your fingertips to remove any air pockets. As you fill the new pot with soil, be sure to leave enough room at the top to allow for watering. Firm the soil around the roots to remove any air pockets and try to have the soil level about an inch below the rim of the pot. After potting, give the mixture a good watering which should be adequate for about 10 days. Watering will settle the soil. Add more potting mix, if necessary.
If your houseplants appear to be just fine, do not feel you have to re-pot or pot up. Many of our houseplants perform much better if being somewhat pot-bound. If the pot is too confining, or the soil is spent, your plants will appreciate being rejuvenated through re-potting or potting on.
Feel free to direct your gardening questions to me via the Springville Journal.
Leo Lubke is a Master Gardener and a member of the Garden Writers Association.
————————————————————
Seasonal Garden Tip: If you’ve purchased a houseplant to add to your collection, check to see if the container has drainage holes. If not, re-pot the plant into a container with holes. If you want to keep the new plant in its original non-draining pot, carefully remove the plant and poke or drill holes in the bottom (Note: This may require a special drill bit designed for ceramics, glass, etc.). Houseplants must have good drainage to avoid root rot.
