Of course there are some plants, such as orchids and snake plant, that don't mind cramped quarters, but even they need a new home as their roots become tangled. In general, the best time to repot your houseplant is during the spring and summer when the plant is in active 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.
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!
Spring is the best time for repotting since it's the time of year that your indoor plants finish their dormant period and start to grow again! By repotting your houseplants in the spring, you give them a sufficient amount of time to grow their roots into the new soil.
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.
Potting up can be done all year-round, causes minimal disruption for roots, and has faster recovery. Repotting involves the removal of old potting mix, and is best done before or after the growing season (early Spring and late Autumn are ideal).
The short answer is yes. 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.
The best time to repot a plant is in the spring so that actively growing roots will have enough time to grow into newly added potting mix. There are several signs that houseplants can exhibit when they are pot-bound. First check the frequency you are watering the houseplant.
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.
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.
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.
Don't Repot Too Quickly!
Transplanting too soon will likely damage your plant's fragile roots; and if broken roots do not kill the plant, the stress placed on the roots may inhibit foliar growth.
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.
Transplant shock is a term that refers to a number of stresses occurring in recently transplanted trees and shrubs. It involves failure of the plant to root well, consequently the plant becomes poorly established in the landscape.
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).
Moisten the soil. You should definitely water your plant a little now, but do not give it a full watering. It's best to wait at least a day since you just watered it before you repotted it. Place back in its previous environment.
After repotting your houseplant, avoid exposing it to direct sun for a day or two to several weeks until the roots take hold. Sunlight is healthy for plants like potted hydrangeas that thrive on it, but too much sun after repotting could harm the weakened plant as it adjusts to the new soil.
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.
Maybe the pot is too small for it. Perhaps the soil needs to be changed. There might be a pest or disease problem. Plants need water; If they don't have enough water, they can't take up nutrients from their soil, which means they'll wilt and become sick.
Loosening (also known as teasing or tickling) the roots before planting enables the roots to spread out and grow in all directions where they will branch out and form a good foundation for the plant. The roots also need to spread in the pot to absorb proper nutrients from the soil.
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. You want your plant to acclimate to its new container while it's still on summer vacation. Gently remove the plant from the pot and check its roots.
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.
Mid-August to mid-October is an ideal time of year to plant new trees, though, that time frame can be stretched into November and December. To be 100% sure, measure soil temperature early in the morning for a few, consecutive days. If your soil is consistently 50° F or higher, you're good to plant.