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| Houseplant
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Compost and
Potting |
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There are special composts available for houseplants and
they are specially formulated for their needs. Choose a well known brand
and you won't go far wrong.
The main occasion when you need compost like this is
when the houseplant need re-potting in a larger pot. It's important to
get re-potting correct because it's the environment the roots will be in
for the next few years.
This article guides you through the re-potting process
in plain language. |
When To Repot Your Houseplant
Most houseplants benefit from being repotted every couple of years but
different types and different growing conditions can affect this greatly.
Another consideration is available space! If you repot a houseplant it
will grow bigger so if you have no spare space don't repot it.
A houseplant will benefit from repotting if the roots are forcing
their way through the bottom of their pot. Another way to check is to
take them out of their pot (tricky if the plant is big) and examine the
root ball. If almost none of the soil is visible and you are looking at a mass of
roots then it's probably time to re-pot.
One word of advice, if a houseplant is unhealthy don't repot it in the
hope it will recover. Repotting an unhealthy plant may shock it and end
any hopes of recovery
How to Repot Your Houseplant
The best time to repot a houseplant is in early to mid Spring, March or
April are normally the best months.
| 1. |
Prepare the new pot. Select a clean pot one or two sizes bigger
than the existing one. Put 2cm (¾ inch) layer of coarse
gravel or broken crocks in the base of the new pot and cover with a
piece of paper or moss. The gravel will help water to drain away
and the paper will stop soil from coming out of the pot when you
water. |
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| 2. |
Remove the plant from it's existing pot. A tricky and
potentially damaging operation so be careful. The way to do it is
to turn the plant upside down with your hands holding in the soil
and surrounding them stem. Tap the pot with your other hand until
the the pot comes away from the roots. You may need a friend's help
to support the plant and prevent damage if the plant is
particularly big. |
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| 3. |
Have a good look at the roots and cut away any that are damaged
or diseased. Use a sharp knife for this. |
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| 4. |
Remove the top 1cm (½ inch) of compost. Carefully separate the
roots at the bottom of the rootball trying to damage as few roots
as possible. remove any grits or stones and tease away any of the
old compost. |
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| 5. |
Place the plant into the new pot (with the grit at the bottom
as in step 1 above). If it goes too far into the pot, remove the
plant, sprinkle 1cm (½ inch) of compost into the base and place the
plant on top. |
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| 6. |
Start to fill round the sides of the root ball with fresh
compost. Gently firm the compost down the dies with your finger or
a round stick. Continue doing this until the sides are filled. It
often helps to tap the pot on the floor to ensure the compost goes
as far down as possible. Sprinkle compost over the top to the level
of the old compost. |
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| 7. |
Firm down the top and water well. Don't feed for another couple
of weeks because the new compost will contain nutrients. |
Copyright 2000-08 David Marks. All rights reserved.
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