Repotting House Plants - Why?
People seem to love the the idea of potting or stepping up their plants. Some
people are even downsize their plants. I guess it is just the idea of repotting
that makes people think things are going to grow like crazy.
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Let me give you a word of advice, and if you follow it your plants usually
do well.
GROW GOOD ROOTS and the foliage will follow.
Many people think that plants are going to do better just by repotting them.
In the process of maintaining your plants indoors, most of them like to be on
a schedule. Introducing a new pot, new soil, and disturbing the root system
may cause the plant to "react". This reaction could be in the form
of dropping leaves, drooping or wilting leaves, brown tips, or the plant might
just grow nuts.
Most of the plants used indoors will be able to grow for a long period
of time in the containers they are purchased in.
Probably the best time to repot a plant is as soon as you get it. When you've
purchased plants from your local nursery or garden center it is quite possible
and very likely that the plants have traveled hundreds or even thousands of
miles. The plant will be going through a recovery period and an acclimation
period. Why let the plant re-acclimate twice?
Let me take you through a brief trip of the plant as it makes its way to your
home. Stay with me on this...
- An order is received at the nursery and it is pulled from the growing area and placed on trailers or conveyers.
- Plants are groomed and then placed in a sleeve or box.
- Plants are then reloaded onto trailers waiting for the trucker to pick them up.
- The shipment is loaded onto trucks.
- The trucking company usually strips the truck of all plants and then reloads it by their drop off points.
- Trucker delivers to the nursery or garden center.
- Plants are unboxed or unsleeved.
- Garden Center then puts the plants out for sale.
- You purchase the plant, load it up, and transport it home.
I said all of that to make a point.
You can look up in a 10th grade botany book, or you can look at the
roots of most tropicals, and find tiny root hairs. The root hairs
are the things that make the plant flourish. The tiny hairs help absorb
the nutrients and moisture for the plant.
Think about this for a moment.
If someone dropped you on your head from 2 feet in the air, would it
hurt? Now look at what happens to the root hairs from being in transit.
They can become damaged, pulled off, and dried out. The root hairs need
to be regrown.
Now let's look at the soil for a moment. The plant is growing indoors fine.
It is on a regular schedule of once a week or every other week watering.
Unless the plant needs watering more than once a week, generally there
is no need to repot.
It is decided that the plant must be repotted. It is planted into another
pot, watered really well, with no roots to get rid of the water. Now
it is time for you to figure out a new schedule for watering.
In the nursery this isn't a problem, because the plant is working hard with
plenty of light to produce food and grow into its new shoes. Indoors the plant's
metabolism is greatly reduced and will not be growing actively as much.
Don't (replant or step up) your plant just because it may look better. If you
plan on stepping up your plant into a new container, follow these guidelines:
- Does the plant really need it?
- Make sure the plant has a good root system.
- Move up to the next size pot, 6" to 8", 8"-10", 10-12"
and so on.
- Use a good, well-drained soil for tropicals. (ask your garden center)
And remember when you're shopping for plants make sure that they have a good
root system, BECAUSE, IF YOU GROW GOOD ROOTS the foliage will follow.
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