One of the most important parts of looking after indoor plants is knowing how to identify when your plant is struggling. It might be yellowing leaves, brown tips, wilting or even unexpected leaf fall. While many of these issues are usually due to environmental factors such as too much sun, not enough water or root rot, some symptoms are actually a sign that your plant needs to be re-potted.
How can you tell if your plant needs to be re-potted?
There are a few ways you can tell if you plant needs to be re-potted.
- Some new leaves are small and have deficiencies
- A mass of foliage looks unbalanced
- The roots are starting to circle around the pot
- Root are protruding from holes in pot
- The soil quality has decreased and no longer dries out completely, or holds water.
- Matted roots on the soil surface
- Water is not absorbing
- It’s been years since a plant was re-potted
How to re-pot your plant
Here is a basic guide to re-potting a healthy plant.
- Give your plant a good drink a day or two before re-potting.
- Purchase a high-quality potting mix suitable for your type of plant.
- Purchase a pot slightly larger than the pot your plant is currently in, and partially fill it one-third full with the new soil.
- Turn your plant upside down, with the stem/body or the plant between thumb and forefinger.
- Try tapping the pot lightly to loosen the soil and plant from its pot.
- Once loose, pull the plant and roots free, gently.
- Gently remove old excess soil from plant and root system.
- Trim any unhealthy or rotted roots.
- Make a well in the soil of the new pot and place your plant into it, getting the roots close to the bottom of the pot.
- Add new soil, packing it in tightly around the plant to reduce air pockets in the soil.
- Once the plant is well supported, give it a water and return to its usual home.
You might also like:
Our top 7 picks from Target’s new homewares collection
Creating the ultimate garden nook
How to declutter your garden in 5 easy steps
This story originally appeared on Better Homes & Gardens.
Want to see how it’s done? Watch Graham re-pot an orchid in the video below.
