Settling in a new houseplant
Watch for roots circling tightly inside the pot, growing through the drainage holes, or growing out of the top or bottom of the container. Each of these is a sign it is time to repot. The soil may also dry out unusually fast, or water may run straight through the pot because roots have crowded out the soil. A solid mass of roots around the rootball, frequent watering, or wilting soon after you water are further signs it is time to repot. Fast-growing plants often need a new pot every year, while slow growers may go two to three years between repottings. Repot only while the plant is actively growing, in spring or summer. Skip it if the plant is ailing, dormant, or just beginning to flower.
When to do it
Spring is the best time to repot, since that is when most houseplants naturally start their active growing season. Summer works too, as long as the plant is still actively growing. Fall is your last good chance to repot before growth slows down for winter. Hold off on repotting a plant that is ailing, dormant, or just starting to flower. Repotting can happen at any time of year. Most houseplants get repotted either right after you buy them or once they have outgrown their current pot. How often you repot depends on how fast the plant grows. Fast growers may need a new pot each year, and slow growers can often wait two to three years.
What you need
Pick a new pot that is just 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) larger across than the current one. Some sources widen that range slightly, allowing up to a 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) increase. Either way, the idea is the same: choose a pot just one size up, not several. A pot that is only slightly bigger keeps the plant looking balanced, while a much larger one can look out of proportion. Make sure the container has drainage holes, since they let excess water drain out of the pot. If you are reusing an old pot, wash it well and sanitize it with a mix of one part bleach to nine parts water. Choose a soilless potting mix made for potted plants rather than garden soil, since garden soil can bring disease and pest problems indoors. Moisten the potting mix before you use it, so it absorbs water evenly once the plant is in its new pot. Water the plant in its old pot first and let it rest for about an hour before you start.
Step by step
- Step 1
Start this checklist by looking the plant over for a few signs
Roots that circle tightly around the inside of the pot are one sign a plant has outgrown it. Roots that push through the drainage holes, or poke out of the bottom or top of the container, are signs too. A pot that dries out much faster than it used to is another sign. So is one where water rushes straight through, because there is more root than soil inside. A rootball that has become one tight, solid mass is a further sign. The same is true of a plant that needs frequent watering and still wilts soon after you water it.
- Step 2
Check that the timing works before you go any further
A plant is ready for this while it is actively growing, not while it is ailing, dormant, or just coming into flower. Spring suits most houseplants best, since that is when they naturally start their active season, with summer as a second choice. Fall still works, since that is your last window before growth slows down for winter.
- Step 3
Go up only one pot size
That means about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) wider, or at most 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm). A pot only slightly bigger keeps the plant looking balanced. A much larger pot can throw off its proportions. A pot that is much too big can also raise the risk of root rot in the plant. Extra soil sitting in an oversized pot can hold more water than the roots need.
- Step 4
Turn the pot upside down and knock its lip against a solid surface; this loosens the plant so it slides free
Once it is out, gently tease apart any roots that are densely matted or circling the rootball. If the roots are packed too tightly to loosen by hand, score the rootball with a knife to open them up. While you are at it, look over the roots and cut away any that are dead or rotten.
- Step 5
Place a small piece of broken clay pot over the drainage hole so soil does not wash out
Do not add a layer of clay pieces or rocks below the soil, since that actually slows water moving through the pot.
- Step 6
Set the rootball in the new pot so its top sits slightly below the pot's lip, by about an inch (2.5 cm)
Keep the top of the rootball within about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the container's top edge. Do not pile fresh soil above the level the plant was growing at before.
- Step 7
Fill in around the rootball with your fingers, pressing the soil gently into place
Do not pack it down firmly, since packing restricts how water and air move through the mix. Never pack the mix down while it is wet.
- Step 8
Water the newly potted plant well, letting the excess drain out of the bottom of the pot
Repeat this a few times, especially if the mix contains peat, so the whole rootball ends up evenly wet.
- Step 9
Some plants are already in a pot too large to size up again
For these, remove the top 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) of old soil and replace it with fresh mix every other year. Hold off on feeding a newly repotted plant until its root growth is well established.
Mistakes to avoid
Avoid jumping straight to a pot that is much bigger than the one your plant is in now. Too large a container raises the risk of root rot. Extra soil in an oversized pot can hold too much water, which can cause the same kind of root problems. Skip the layer of gravel or broken pottery often added at the bottom of a pot. It actually slows water moving through the mix rather than helping it drain. A single broken piece of clay pot set over the drainage hole is enough to keep soil from washing out. Do not pile extra soil on top of the rootball, or bury it below the level it was growing at before. Keep the top of the rootball within about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the new pot's rim. Press new soil into place gently with your fingers rather than packing it down firmly. Firm packing blocks water and air from moving through the mix. Never pack wet potting media. Hold off on feeding a newly repotted plant, since fertilizer should wait until its root growth is well established.
How this page was made
- Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. AI is never the source of a fact.