Why is potting your plants needed?

The secret of brightening up your space with a lush green display starts with the right knowledge of basic plant care. Repotting is one of the gardening essentials that refreshes your plants by providing them a new and fertile medium to grow. Repotting plants can seem to be a tiresome task for many people. But with just a few simple tips and tricks, repotting your plants is very easy.

If you want to play with your home decor or boost the health of your plants, repotting is the key thing to do. But keep in mind repotting does not mean you should change a plant’s container but rather you should change the soil medium. A fresh and fertile soil ensures the supply of plenty of new nutrients to your plants. The supply of essential nutrients helps to boost the growth and development of your plants.

Through this post, we will make you look at the key things you should know before repotting your plants.

What are the benefits of putting your plants in new pots?

Understanding the benefits of repotting will help you determine if it is the best option for your plants.

The most common reason for repotting is that you want to give your plants more room to grow. Houseplants eventually start outgrowing their containers and become root-bound in no time. If the plants don’t find enough space for root growth, they may become stunted, weak, and ultimately die. If the plants start outgrowing the containers it is better to transfer them into larger pots with more space for their growth. Large-sized pots will provide plenty of space for the roots to spread and procure minerals and nutrients from the soil.

Repotting the plants into a new soil medium allows you to replace the old potting soil with a fresh and fertile medium with a boost of essential nutrients. These nutrients will ultimately promote better health and growth of the plants.

If the soil medium is infested with insect pests or diseases replacing the soil medium will help you get rid of the old infested soil. You can also trim off the damaged or infected roots before repotting to avoid the spread of the disease.

When plants become heavily crowded, it is better to divide them and grow all new plants. During repotting you can divide offshoots and pups and grow them. These plant divisions will ultimately turn into self-sufficient plants.

In addition to the health benefits of the plants, repotting is also necessary to improve the overall display of your home gardens. Repotting allows you to get rid of the outdated or boring containers in which you were previously growing your plants. You can choose some pretty new containers to fit into your home decoration and spruce up your space. You can also choose to put a plant in a hanging basket that will create a great display in your home. Moreover, you can also get rid of the damaged pots.

What is the best time of year to repot my plants?

Knowing the correct time to repot your plants is essential to ensure their healthy growth and development. There are several cases when you must repot your plants. Let’s just break into the details.

Generally, it is recommended to repot your plants every 12 to 18 months. It’s ok if you do not want to change the container you just need soil replenishment for growing your plants.

It is best to repot your plants in the spring season. The long daylight hours of spring are like fuel for houseplants. The increased temperature and light are so favorable for plant growth that they will spread their roots and grow luxuriantly. Take the best advantage of the spring season because it is the right time to repot your houseplants.

You might not want to repot a plant after buying it from the local market or nursery and let it stay in the container it came in. But it is recommended to repot your plants after you buy them. However, you should give a few days or a week to let it acclimatize to your home environment before transferring it into an entirely new pot containing fresh soil medium.

You may like to put your houseplants into entirely new pretty looking containers that match well with your home decoration.

Another reason you should repot your plant is that they are outgrowing the containers. If a plant starts growing too large and becomes too big for the container to hold you must repot. In other words, you can say that it is time to repot when a plant becomes root bound and takes up all the space, and starts growing through the bottom of the container.

Repot when the soil medium has poor drainage. A poorly draining soil medium can lead to water buildup in the soil that causes root rot and decay. It is better to replace a poorly draining soil with a fresh and well-draining soil medium.

How to repot your plants

Thinking about how to repot your houseplants? You must know the basic tips and guide to repot your plants without any damage. Let’s begin with the process.

1. Remove the plant from the current planter – Turn the planter sideways and gently hold the stem of the plant. Tap the bottom of the current planter until the plant slides out of the container. Don’t rush as you may damage the root system of the plants with negligence. Always make sure the plant is watered 2 to 4 days before planting because you should not repot when the plant is soaked in water however being too dry can also bring stress to the plant. Watering your plant 2 to 4 days earlier will also make it feasible for you to get your plant out of its container and make sure that the plant is hydrated well to reduce the risk of shock.
2. Loosen the roots of the plant – Gently loosen the root balls of the plants with your hands. Shake off the excess soil adhering to the roots and take care not to damage the tender roots. You can trim excessively long threadlike roots however, make sure you leave the thicker roots at the base. If your plant has become root-bound and growing in a tightly packed or compact manner unbind the roots first as best as you can.
3. Remove the old potting soil from the plant pot – The plants have already removed the nutrients from the old potting soil and you would definitely like to give your plants a fresh potting mix. Remove the old potting mix surrounding the plant.
4. Fill the containers with fresh potting soil – Use a well-draining pot and add a layer of the fresh potting medium to it. Remove any air pockets from the soil medium. If your container doesn’t have a drainage hole place a few rocks or gravel at the bottom of the container before adding the potting medium. The purpose of adding rocks or gravel is to create crevices to let the extra water pool away from the plant roots. The water build-up around the roots can cause root decay or rotting.
5. Transfer the plant to the new soil medium – Transfer the plant that you removed from the old potting medium into the new planter and put the soil around the plant until it is properly settled. Give your plants enough space to breathe, avoid loading too much of the potting soil into the container because it can suffocate the roots.
6. Give your new potted plants enough water – Even out the soil on the top and give your plants plenty of water but avoid overwatering. After repotting the plants will go into a temporary period of shock. Do not worry it’s completely normal. The plants may appear wilted or dry, but you must avoid watering for a week to make sure that the damaged roots have recovered. Place the plants at a cool and shady location. Let your plants acclimatize to their new potting environment. Sit back relax and enjoy.

How often should I repot my plants?

How often you should repot your plants depends on the type of species and the conditions in which a certain plant is growing. Some plant species like to grow tight in their containers like orchids, snake plants, succulents, etc hence they do not need repotting very often.

Succulents don’t have an extensive root system; therefore, they don’t need repotting. If your plant is not growing too much and remains small in size, then it won’t need to be repotted frequently. Avoid frequent repotting because too much or frequent repotting can be stressful for the plants.

In the case of shrubs, trees, and perennials, it generally depends on the type of plant and the size of the container in which they are growing. If the plant roots are too crowded and don’t have enough space to spread, it will ultimately start exhibiting the signs of stress.