Time for fresh soil and valuable nutrients. Should you repot your houseplants every two years at the latest? You can read how and why in this article. We also provide you with helpful step-by-step instructions so that the care measure can be completed in no time.
When and how should you repot houseplants?
Houseplants should ideally be repotted in spring to provide optimal growing conditions. To do this, choose a pot with 20% more volume, add a drainage layer, carefully insert the plant and fill it with fresh substrate. Remove harmful roots and then water.
Reasons to repot a houseplant
- a larger pot stimulates growth
- the earth can store more water
- new substrate provides new nutrients
- the root ball has more space to spread
- aesthetic reasons (no squat growth)
Tip
Regular repotting not only benefits your houseplant, but also saves you a few care measures. For example, you have to water the plant less due to its better water storage capacity or you can stop adding fertilizer for a while due to the higher nutrient supply.
The right time
The best time to repot a houseplant is spring. The plant is now in the growth phase and immediately uses the optimized conditions to form new roots.
Then it’s better not to repot it
Flowering houseplants should be allowed to bloom first. During this time the plant puts all its energy into flowering. Repotting now would result in shock. Sometimes it is unavoidable to repot a plant in winter. You should plant newly purchased specimens in a larger container immediately after purchase. You must be particularly careful during the rest phase. If you damage the roots, your houseplant will not recover as well as it would at another time of year.
When should you repot?
Like the upper part of the plant, the volume of the root ball is constantly increasing. If there is no more space in the pot, the roots will suffocate. The first sign of a lack of space is aerial roots growing out of the soil. A sickly appearance (e.g. yellow, dry leaves) also indicates the urgency of changing the container. The timing at which you repot your houseplant depends on the individual growth rate.
Repotting houseplants - instructions
- The new pot should have about 20% more volume than the old one
- Install a drainage layer made of granules (€24.00 on Amazon) or expanded clay in the new planter
- Dig up the plant carefully
- Place them in the middle of the new pot
- Fill the remaining space to the edge with soil
- The substrate should not end with the edge of the pot, but should end 1 to 2 cm below it
- This is important to prevent overflow when watering
- To prevent your plants from drying out in a sunny location, you can cover the soil with mulch
- Water the substrate according to the plant's needs
Tip
When repotting, check the root ball for moldy or dry roots and remove them generously. Repotting always offers a good opportunity to propagate the plant through division.