How To Repot A Houseplant In 4 Easy Steps, According To A Plant Expert

So you’ve bought a ton of plants for your jungalow home, but don’t really know the first thing about taking care of them. Sure, caring for houseplants is easy when you buy the hardy, hard-to-kill varieties, but there’s a bit more to plant care than just watering them every now and then. Did you know that plants need to be repotted now and then? But don’t take it from us, hear it from the horse’s mouth itself. In this case, it’s plant expert Denise Law, who’s the founder of Tumbleweed Plants.

easy way repot plant indoor gardening — Photo: 123RF

Why is repotting plants important?

Basically, repotting a plant from a smaller to a bigger pot allows it larger growing space. Another reason Denise shares with us, is that repotting essentially replaces pool soil with new potting mix that supplies the proper nutrients for the plant to continue flourishing healthily. It also improves the look of the houseplant, which is certainly key to keeping your balcony or plant area beautiful and alive!

What are the telltale signs that your beloved plant needs a new home ASAP?

According to Denise, there are four key signs:

• The plant’s roots are coming through the drainage hole and crawling out of the pot’s edge.
• You see more roots than soil when you slip the plant out from its pot.
• Water runs immediately out of the bottom without soaking into the soil.
• The top, heavy leaves seem to keep falling over.

Don’t worry, repotting a plant is really a lot easier than you think. Watch our video below for a simple step-by-step guide to repotting a houseplant:

You can also scroll through the gallery to see the steps:

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/gallery/style/home-ideas/easy-indoor-gardening-tips-how-to-repot-houseplant/

How To Repot A Houseplant In 4 Easy Steps, According To A Plant Expert

Step 1 of repotting: Create a good drainage system

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Placing a mesh disc at the bottom of your new pot traps soil from falling out while allowing water to drain through. Adding leca or clay pebbles is essential to help excess water drain away, as well as help dry the plant’s roots properly in-between waterings. Too much water at the roots can cause your plant to rot. You can get leca or clay pebbles from almost any plant or gardening store.

Step 2 of repotting: Squeeze the pot

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Unless your current pot is made of a hard, unflexible material, of course. Squeezing the pot helps to loosen the soil so the plant is easier to remove.

Step 3 of repotting: Overturn and remove

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Instead of grabbing your plant by the stems and pulling it out, an easier and gentler way is to turn the pot over and gently guide the plant out. You’ll probably see a “root ball”, which is the overgrown roots that have wound themselves around the soil so tightly they’re basically a solid mass. “Your plant’s roots should be growing the correct way, which is downwards, so make sure you loosen the roots,” Denise says. She recommends doing this with your fingers.

Step 4 of repotting: Place plant in new pot and add soil.

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Finally, hold your plant in the new pot and begin scooping soil into it, keeping your plant in the centre. Use a spade or transplanting trowel to poke the soil as you go, to make sure any gaps between the roots are filled. Of course, don’t make it too compact. Stop adding soil once the top layer is about an inch from the top of the pot.

There you have it!

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How To Repot A Houseplant In 4 Easy Steps, According To A Plant Expert

Why is repotting plants important?

What are the telltale signs that your beloved plant needs a new home ASAP?

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