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As the days get longer
and the spring temperatures warm up, not only do the outdoor plants begin to
grow, but so do the indoor plants…which means this is a great time to repot
root bound houseplants.
First, let’s take a look
to see if the plants are indeed root bound. Water the plants the day before
inspection…this helps hold the root ball together.
Lay your plants on their
sides and slide them out of their pots. Look at the roots. Hopefully
you’ll see nice, white or light beige colored roots which are a good sign.
Dark soft smelly roots indicate over watering, and that’s not a good thing.
If there are masses of
roots spiraling around the outside of the root ball, or all you see are
roots and no soil, then it’s time for repotting. As a general rule, never
increase the pot size more than 2 inches at a time.
Using a soil-less
potting mix, add soil to the bottom of the new pot, so the plant will sit at
the same level as it was in the old pot. Lightly firm that soil to prevent
settling.
Slightly loosen the
circling root mass, and place it in the pot. Backfill around the root ball,
lightly firming the soil as you fill, again to help compensate for
settling.
Once you’re finished
filling the pot, tap it on the sides a few times for final settling of the
soil, and then water thoroughly. Over the next few weeks, be sure to not
over water, as the soil won’t dry out quite as fast in that new larger pot.
If your plants need a
little feeding, you can add Osmocote to the soil-less mix before you back
fill for a slow 3-4 month feeding. Or just use Miracle Gro as needed when
you water the plants. |
