Plants are an inseparable part of our lives. We use them in multiple forms, including medicines, soaps, furniture, skin care products, hygiene goods, and textiles, and consume them in food.
Even though we live in a highly industrialized society, it does not decrease our dependence on plants in everyday life. Consequently, realizing the importance of plants in every small to significant purpose in life, everyone must take care of them.
It is vital to understand the reliance on plants for food purposes. Our life depends on plant-based food items like bread, cereals, coffee, tea, sugar, soya, fruits and vegetables, herbs, and spices. At the same time, plants are involved in making a range of personal care items like clothes, shampoo, soaps, scents, cosmetics, and much more.
Organic plant-based products have become popular since the human population is rising with a need for a healthy and natural lifestyle. Also, keeping flowers and growing vegetables at home creates a pleasant environment with the benefit of fresh veggies to cook.
For this purpose, people prefer to grow some plants in their backyards or kitchen gardens. But, can a plant be repotted without causing any damage to it?
Well, a plant can be repotted without killing it if a person follows some significant steps with care. Following the appropriate procedure can improve their quality and lifespan. This article will explain the steps to repot a plant, signs that your plant needs a repot, its advantages, and more.
A Guide On How To Repot a Plant?
The following steps will enable you to repot a Plant without harming it.
Step 1: Gather and organize all the gardening and potting tools. Keep the scissors, newspapers to prevent mess, water sprinkler, pots, trowel, plants, and pruners ready at a side. Before starting any work, gathering all the requirements is essential to avoid any last-minute hassle.
Step 2: Prepare the new pot by adding moist soil, potting mix, organic fertilizers (optional), and water. It should be moist but don’t make it saggy. Mix it well and keep some space at the top for the plant to fit perfectly.
Step 3: Remove the Plant from the existing pot carefully. Don’t cut or pull it. Turn the pot gently, sideways. Use a trowel or tap at the bottom till the plant comes out by itself while holding its stem with soft hands. Don’t use force.
Step 4: Loose roots by gently removing the dead ends of the plants using a scissor and pruner. If the plant has big, thick roots at the basil, then unbind them with gentle hands. Also, you can cut the extra long roots. Make sure you don’t cut the main roots of the plants and remove one-third of the old plant mix before placing it in a new pot.
Step 5: Add the Plant to the new pot and add some extra pot mix or soil on the sides of the plant so that the plant gets fixed adapting the new pot. But don’t add an extra amount of mix that will leave no space for air to pass. Ensure to avoid piling mix on the top so that water or pot mix doesn’t spill out.
And bravo! You are done repotting your plant into a new pot without killing it.
Best Time to Repot a Plant
It’s unavoidable that your houseplants will grow beyond their containers or pot. Even in some cases, you might feel the need to replace the pot or keep them in a new pot for various reasons.
Since small houseplants are delicate, they must be handled carefully to avoid killing them during the repotting process. Choosing the right time to repot a Plant can be beneficial in protecting the plant.
Spring is the best time to repot. The season ensures the good growth of a plant. This time of the year has long days with a brighter light for better growth and quality of plants. It is the ideal time for the best fresh start of the Plant in New soil. But, if you want to repot in winter, do it at the warm time of the day and be gentle and careful. Don’t add extra water.
Signs That You Need To Repot A Plant
Everything needs a new upgrade, and so does your plant. So, let us tell you the signs that indicate your plant needs a new pot. It will keep the pot happy and increase its life term.
- Roots growing out from the drainage hole: If the roots of the plants outgrow the drainage hole below the pot, you need a bigger pot for your plant.
- Plant outgrowing the pot: If the Plant is pushed upwards and outgrows the top of the pot, it means that your plants need a big pot to grow.
- Yellowing of leaves: Although it can signify various other issues, your plant may need a fresh pot mix to grow.
- Excessive Falling of leaves: Falling of leaves is a common thing. But, excessive falling of leaves can have multiple reasons. However, you can plant it in a new and slightly big pot with fresh soil and see if it works.
The Ideal Techniques to Care For a Plant After Repotting it
A plant is a living thing; just like any other thing, it needs proper care for healthy growth and a long lifespan. Some good ways to take care of a newly repot plant are:
- Ensure that the plant gets sufficient light: The Plant needs some time to adapt to the fresh soil after repotting. So, ensure the plant is kept under good sunlight for better growth. But, avoid sharp, direct sunlight that could burn the plant.
- Choose the right pot: Before you repot a Plant, be sure to choose the right size and kind of pot. Otherwise, the growth of plants will be hampered.
- Timely cut the dead stuff: Ensure that you timely cut the dead stiff like yellow or dry leaves, dead roots, or worn-out flowers from the plant to enhance its health and growth. Timely trim helps to preserve its quality.
- Don’t give excessive water: The most common mistake after repotting a plant is overwatering it. Every plant has distinct water needs, and excessive water can damage or drown the plant. Also, plants need less water in winter. On the other hand, they need more water in summer to prevent dryness.
- The plant is sagging or losing color: There are various reasons for sagging, one of which is a lack of nutrients in its soil. So, repotting a plant will help the plant gain nutrients in the new soil.
Advantages of Repotting a Plant
Just like people, plants need nutrients to grow. At the same time, the soil is the prime source of nutrients for a plant. So, it’s natural that after some time, the soil would get rid of its nutrients, and you will need to repot a Plant in fresh soil where it can regain its nutrients.
If not for nutrients, occasionally changing a plant’s pot can improve its health and quality. Also, it’s natural for a Plant to grow upwards and outgrow its pot. In that case, you will need a larger pot to let it thrive. Consequently, it helps them to breathe properly. If a Plant does not get enough space to grow, it affects the growth aspect of the plant.
Also, when you repot a plant, it allows you to get rid of the dead and unhealthy roots to enhance the growth of healthy roots.
How Long Does a Plant Need to Recover From Repotting?
Sometimes, plants can get a little shock after repotting. So, they take some time to recover from the shock. Small plants take less time to recover, like a few weeks. The large plants and trees can take a few months, and some can even take years to recover from the problems caused by transparent shock.
For wilting, you can take good care of plants to make them recover, and sometimes the plant has no residual signs of damage.
If the plant is dying, there may be damage to its roots, overwatering underwatering, pests, diseases, etc. Even lack of sunlight and poor pot mix or soil can damage it.
You can take good care of stressed plants by:
- Add some dry soil
- Provide Sufficient Shade From the Heat
- Cut Damaged leaves and roots
- Add needed fertilizer for plants
- Add a limited amount of water.
Conclusion
Houseplants are a common addition to growing basic veggies, flowers, or preferred plants at home. So, to take good care of your home, it is vital to repot it and keep it in fresh soil for better health and growth of a Plant. This article gives you the precise steps to repot a Plant without Killing it easily.
Ta-da, Happy Gardening!