Moving a plant to a new pot (repotting) is sometimes difficult because things can go awry. Plants can be damaged when you move them wrongly from an old pot or if you don't know how to move the plant properly and the plant dies. Transferring plants to new pots can actually be done easily if you know how to prepare new pots, remove plants from old pots, and prepare plants to be placed in new pots.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Setting Up a New Pot
Step 1. Use a slightly larger pot
If you want to move the plant to a new pot, choose a pot that is 3 to 5 cm larger and 3 to 5 cm deeper than the pot you are currently using.
If you use a pot that exceeds this size, the roots will grow to fill the pot before the plant begins to grow. In other words, plant growth will focus on the bottom (roots) first before finally growing the top
Step 2. Choose a pot that has drainage holes
When choosing a new pot, make sure it has drainage holes so that excess water can drain out. Even if you have chosen the right size pot, don't let water pool at the bottom of the pot because this can cause the roots of the plant to rot.
Step 3. Clean and remove germs from the pot
Cleaning old pots of germs (if you want to reuse them) is an important step because old pots can contain mineral deposits or other debris that can inhibit plant growth. For example, mineral salts can dry out plants and inhibit their growth. Several other types of feces can also be used as hiding places by disease-causing organisms.
- To clean the germs in the pot, soak the pot in a solution made of 9 parts water and 1 part bleach for at least 10 minutes. Then place the pot in a solution made of water and detergent, then rinse.
- Remove mineral deposits and dirt from the steel pot using a pan scrubber or wire brush. If you are using a plastic pot, just use the foam to wash the dishes. You can also scrape the dirt off with a knife.
- After cleaning, rinse the pot with water and soak until ready to use.
Step 4. Soak the new pot
If you are using a terracotta (baked clay) pot to replace an old one, be sure to soak the pot in water for a few hours before using it. Terracotta pot is a porous material so it can absorb water easily. Do not let the water intake for plants is absorbed by the pot.
Step 5. Cover the pot's drainage holes
The pot you use should have drainage holes, but don't let the soil drain out of the hole. Cover the drainage holes with something water can still pass through, such as paper towels or a coffee filter.
Place a porous material such as a coffee filter or paper towel over the drainage holes to allow water to drain out of the pot and not inundate the plant. This porous material will slow down the process so the water can actually seep into the soil and help the plant
Step 6. Put a few centimeters of soil into the new pot
The soil at the bottom of the pot is needed by the plant to grow roots.
Don't overfill the soil in the pot before you put the plant in it. In addition to requiring a medium to grow, the roots must also be planted in a deep enough place so that the roots do not only grow at the top of the pot
Part 2 of 3: Preparing the Crops
Step 1. Water the plant
You can easily remove the plant from the old pot if the rootball is wet. Water the plant a few hours before you change the pot. This helps the plant to maintain health even if some parts of the roots are cut off when the plant is transferred to a new pot.
The root ball is the part of the plant that grows to fill the pot. The root ball is a mixture of roots and soil, and often follows the shape of the pot once removed
Step 2. Remove the plant from the old pot
Place your hand on the pot, then place your thumb and forefinger around the stem of the plant. Next, turn the pot sideways and gently shake the plant until it is released from the pot.
- If you can't get the plant out after a few tries, use a knife to cut off the edges of the soil, and try again.
- Don't worry if you break some roots by accident. You will have to trim the root ball later.
Step 3. Trim the root ball
To make the plant fit into the new pot, remove some of the old root ball so the fresh roots can blend into the soil in the new pot. Trim any roots hanging below the root ball and make 3 or 4 slits in the bottom of the root ball about a third of the way through the root ball.
- If the root ball is black or smelly, the plant may have had a fungal attack. You may not be able to save this plant or transfer it to a new pot.
- You can also trim the thick roots on the sides of the root ball.
Step 4. Fix the remaining tangled roots
After trimming the root ball and revealing healthy roots, fix any remaining tangled roots. This gives the roots a chance to blend into the soil in the new pot. This can encourage the roots to grow outwards instead of around the root ball.
Part 3 of 3: Moving Plants to New Pots
Step 1. Put the soil into the pot
First, add soil to the pot so the plant can stand upright. The top of the plant's root ball should not be less than 3 cm below the top edge of the pot so that the water doesn't overflow when you water it. You can measure it if you want to be sure.
Step 2. Put the plant in a new pot
When you place it in a new pot, position the plant in the center by looking at it from above. Do not let the plant closer to one side of the pot. Also make sure that the plant is standing upright. When looking at the plant from the side, turn the pot and make sure it doesn't tilt to one side.
Step 3. Put the planting medium into the pot
Once you've put the plant in the new pot, add soil around the root ball. Don't add too much soil. The position of the soil should be about 3 cm below the top edge of the pot.
You can "compact" or "fill" the planting medium when adding new soil. "To fill" means to pour soil on, around, and over the root ball. To "compact" means to pour the soil into the pot, then press it down. You may have to "compact" the planting medium if the plant is heavy to keep the plant upright and straight
Step 4. Water your plants
Once the plant is in a new pot and you have added soil to the pot, water the plant. This can help the plant's roots to absorb the nutrients in the soil and to ensure that the plant fits into the new pot.
- You may need to add soil to fill in some of the voids after you've watered a new plant and the soil is sinking to the bottom.
- After changing the pot, do not place the plant in an area that is exposed to sunlight and is very humid. You also should not directly give him fertilizer.
Tips
- If you continue to use the same pot, clean the pot using a solution of soap and hot water to get rid of any bacteria before you follow the steps described above.
- Young plants that are growing should be replaced with soil once a year for optimal growth and health. Older plants should be replaced every two years or so.
- An indicator that the plant should be soiled is when the roots have emerged above the soil surface or are emerging from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. If no roots appear, but your plant doesn't seem to be growing, it's likely that the roots have filled the space in the pot (root bound). This means the plant must be moved to a new pot to give the roots more room to grow.
