As the days lengthen and houseplants wake from their winter rest, they start putting on new growth again. It is the natural moment to give the ones that need it a fresh pot, before the busy growing season is fully under way.
Does it actually need it?
Not every plant wants moving every year, and some flower better slightly potbound. The signs that it is time are clear enough once you know them.
- Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
- Water running straight through without soaking in.
- The plant drying out within a day of watering.
Choose the right pot
Resist the urge to move a plant into a huge pot, which leaves a mass of wet compost the roots cannot reach, and they rot. Go up just one size, a couple of centimetres wider, and make sure it has a drainage hole.
The repotting itself
Water the plant an hour before, so the rootball holds together. Ease it out, tease a few circling roots free, and settle it into fresh compost at the same depth as before, firming gently and leaving a gap at the top for watering.
Afterwards
Water it in and keep it out of harsh direct sun for a week while it settles. Hold off feeding for a month or so, since fresh compost already holds nutrients, then begin a regular feed as growth picks up through spring.