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.
Immediately after you put your transplants into their final spots in your garden, water them heavily in order to: Make sure their roots are making contact with the soil they were just transplanted into, and. Be sure that both the roots and the soil are nice and moist to encourage the roots to grow into the new soil.
The main advantage of bottom watering is that it lessens the risk of overwatering. After all, the soil can only absorb so much. And with this method, you can't flood your pot with more water than the soil can absorb, which is easy to do with top watering (especially if your pot and/or soil don't drain well!).
Can you over water by bottom watering? Yes, if the plant is sitting in water too long, you can still overwater your plant through bottom watering. However, bottom watering is a more controlled method of watering your plants.
There are some other benefits of bottom watering plants, too. One being that it's great for plants that develop root rot quickly. Harli says that by not top-watering, the roots aren't sitting in an excess of water—aka the prime reason plants develop root rot and die.
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.
Remove about one-third or more of the old potting mix surrounding the plant's roots. As it grew, your plant removed some or all of the nutrients in the current mix, so you'll want to give it fresh potting mix or soil. Pour a layer of fresh potting soil into the empty planter and pack it down, removing any air pockets.
Repotting or transplant shock is a state of stress some plants experience after they're moved from one pot to another. It can manifest in a number of different ways, but there are a few key signs.
If the plant itself makes up more than ⅔ of the height, it's time to repot. Not all plants grow taller; some grow fuller or longer (think trailing varieties). The same rule applies, though: Consider repotting whenever the plant seems to outgrow its home, Greene says.
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.
A common reason is that the potting mix has dried out and isn't absorbing the water. Most commercial potting mixes contain peat, which holds water well once it has been moistened, but -- as everyone who works with sphagnum peat outdoors knows -- is difficult to wet the first time.
The last step in a successful transplant process is patience! Some trees take two or more years to get rid of all their stress symptoms. Occasionally, it can even take up to 5 years for trees to fully recover. In most cases, it takes a year or so for trees to shake off transplant shock.
Keep the plants well-watered. Protect them from strong winds. Plant on a cloudy day or in the evening if possible so plants can recover out of strong sun. Provide a little nutrient solution to the roots, especially one that is high in phosphorus.
After re-potting or potting up, plants tend to enter a period of shock. Don't worry – it's normal! Plants may appear wilted and thirsty, but take care to refrain from watering until about a week after re-potting to ensure that any roots damaged during re-potting have healed.
Transplant shock can be caused by incorrect planting. Frequently, plants being repotted don't have very big root systems. Damaging or disturbing these less developed root systems too much during repotting can definitely cause transplant shock.
Morganthaler recommends repotting the plant in a larger container or pot at this time. And be warned: You likely won't see a change for the better right away. Depending on the plant, it could take a few weeks or longer till the plant is in a better state of health.
The 'best of the worst' is simply that plants stop growing for a while after repotting. But done right, they will quickly bounce back and grow better than before. Symptoms of transplant stress from repotting include yellowing leaves, leaf drop, wilting even when watered, no new growth or root damage.
Allow for Good Soil Drainage
For container plants, potting soil should be used and pots must have drainage holes. Any saucers below houseplants should be emptied regularly and plants need to be potted in appropriately sized, not oversized, containers to avoid an excess of moisture in the soil.
The downside of bottom watering plants
In terms of plant health, there aren't a lot of drawbacks to watering plants from the bottom. However, one consideration would be that continual bottom watering could lead to a build up of minerals and excess salts in the growing medium, especially if you're using tap water.
Bottom watering is generally beneficial for a wide range of plants, but it's important to consider the specific needs of your plant. Some plants, like succulents, may be more susceptible to root rot if overwatered from the bottom.
These plants are prime candidates for bottom watering: Plants with hairy or fuzzy leaves, such as African violets, or plants that don't like getting their leaves wet, such as snake plants, Philodendron verrucosum, and P. micans.