Yes, you can repot your indoor plants over the winter months. There are probably better times of the year to be doing it, but if you can't wait until early Spring and your plant desperately needs a larger pot, go for it.
You absolutely can repot houseplants in the winter if that is the best time for you to do so. Most houseplants don't care that much. The reason that the usual advice is to repot in the spring is that this is the time of year when plants come out of dormancy and start actively growing again.
However, if you've had your plant for less than a year, more than likely, you do not need to repot it yet. Some plants can go 18 months and others even longer before they need a new pot. Repotting too often can stress out the plant, leading to browning at the leaf tips, wilting, and shed leaves.
In winter, most garden plants enter their rest period. They require little water, and reduce their metabolic processes to a minimum. This is then the ideal time to repot them into a larger pot, so that they obtain sufficient nutrients again and grow well in the new year.
The growing season, early spring through late summer, is usually the best time to repot your plants. Because your plants are actively growing during this time, they'll get the most out of additional space and fresh nutrients!
In general, the best time to repot your houseplant is during the spring and summer when the plant is in active growth. Fall is also a good time for transplanting, but try to do it at least three to four weeks before you bring the plant indoors for the winter.
Winter is a great time to repot houseplants. Plants like to be potted up into larger pots as they grow. Larger containers allow for more soil to nourish the root systems. Plants that have grown in pots for years can become root bound, which can lead to a plants' demise.
Repotting Plants: How to Do It
Make sure the plant is well watered 2-4 days in advance. You don't want to repot when it's sopping wet but being too dry will cause stress. Take the plant out of the pot. If the rootball is a bit tight, gently massage the roots to loosen them up.
During the warm months is the best time to make the transition since the plants are actively growing. You can also wait until fall, but don't wait too long—the colder weather will stifle the growth of your houseplants and weaken their transplant success.
Plants can get stressed, just like us. Whether it happens overnight after being repotted in your cute new pot or over the course of several days after their environment drastically changes, they are great at communicating their stress with us.
However, repotting can be a somewhat traumatic experience for plants, and some are more sensitive to this disruption than others. The journey from the garden center to your home is quite an adjustment for your plants, and they should be given a little time to rest before repotting.
Pot Size Is Linked to Growth
Potting up (moving a plant to a larger pot) tends to encourage it to grow faster and become larger. It's the sort of thing you do to a younger plant, sometimes more than once a year.
Most houseplants are tropicals and prefer temperatures between 65-75°F during the day and about 10 degrees cooler at night. For many plants, temperatures below 50°F can cause problems. Adjust thermostats to cater to your comfort, but remember your plants need some consideration.
Spring and summer are the best months to repot a pothos. Avoid repotting during the fall and winter as pothos go dormant in these months and are more likely to go into shock after repotting.
Water thoroughly after repotting to help the soil settle around your plant's roots. Plenty of moisture will also help your plant recover from the move better. If you have a saucer under the pot, make sure to empty it, so your plant doesn't get too soggy.
Loosening the root ball when repotting is only essential when the plant has become completely root bound. In cases where they are not completely rootbound, you may be able to plant directly into the next pot. If the roots are not wrapped tightly around each other, there is no need to cut and disturb them.
There could be several reasons for a plant dying after replanting, including: shock from transplantation, incorrect planting depth, not enough water or too much water, pest or disease problems, or improper lighting conditions.
You should repot houseplants into fresh, peat-free compost every two to three years. Spring, the start of the growing season, is the best time to settle houseplants into a new pot (repot).
But, since in the winter many houseplants go somewhat dormant and stop growing as actively, it's best to wait until spring and summer to repot your houseplants. Make sure your new pot has drainage holes.
In general, you can repot young plants one or twice a year and older plants once every year or two. The best time to go about it is in late winter or early spring, so your plant has time to get acquainted with its new home before summer fuels a growth spurt.
Give Them Room to Grow
As your plant continues to grow, it may eventually get too big for its container. You can tell if a plant is ready for repotting by looking at the roots. If the roots begin to poke through drainage holes or push up through the soil, it's likely time for a new pot.
If you don't repot when plants need it, you run the very real risk of plants becoming pot bound - they outgrow their existing pots. Their roots may completely fill pots, displacing the potting mix and depriving them of water and nutrients. Pot bound plants will struggle to survive.