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.
All of our growing conditions are different, but for many of us, Winter is typically a bad time to repot because: Less light will reduce plant growth (unless you're using a grow light) Cooler temperatures reduce plant growth.
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!
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.
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.
If you leave the soil in your containers and moisture gets in the soil, the soil can freeze and expand, damaging your pots. Even resin (plastic) pots can get freeze damage and crack open. I learned this the hard way when one of my resin flowerpots cracked down the side, like a man splitting his pants. Oops.
One way or another, when a warm spell during winter is forecast to be followed by a cold snap, make sure to protect not only the pot and the roots but also the top of the plant. Cover plants with plastic film, burlap, blankets or other cloth material at night.
For most tropical houseplants, if the soil is dry and due for its next watering, go ahead and water it thoroughly and let it drain completely before you begin to repot. If the soil is already wet, you can skip this step.
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.
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.
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.
The best time of year to repot your plants is just before the new growing season. So either late winter or early spring is ideal. This will allow your plant to soak up all the nutrients from the new soil and spread out in their bigger pots just in time to look fabulous for summer.
Choose The Right Containers
Terra-cotta and ceramic pots absorb moisture, which expands as it freezes and cracks the container. Metal, concrete and wood containers typically handle freezes well, as do fiberglass and resin pots. Some plastic pots also survive winter fine, but may become brittle over time.
Planters made from modern substances, like fibreglass, fiberstone, and non-porous plastic composites can safely remain outside over winter. Fiberstone planters are made from a mix of limestone and fibreglass, which forms a material that looks like stone but weighs a fraction of the natural material.
It's generally fine to reuse potting soil if whatever you were growing in it was healthy.
Light freeze - 29° to 32° Fahrenheit will kill tender plants. Moderate freeze - 25° to 28° Fahrenheit is widely destructive to most vegetation. Severe or hard freeze - 25° Fahrenheit and colder causes heavy damage to most plants.
The time of year
There is less light in Winter and the temperature is cooler. This means the plant slows down because photosynthesis is less effective. Providing the room isn't excessively hot, you may reduce watering to just once every two weeks or once a month for some plants over the Winter months.
1. In order to overwinter a perennial or shrub in a container outside, it needs to be two zones hardier than the zone you live in. 2. Perennials and shrubs that are in your zone or one colder can be overwintered in an unheated garage, buried in the ground, or transplanted.
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.