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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Experts agree that fall is one of the best times for transplanting, but spring is also considered good. Each season has advantages that the other lacks. Many claim that fall is the best time to transplant trees and shrubs. Fall transplants can benefit from the months of cooler, moister weather ahead.
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.
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.
Water Well. 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 the plant's roots have taken up all of the space and begun growing through the bottom of the pot, it's time for a new home, according to Richard Pham, manager of Little Shop of Soil in Bushwick, Brooklyn. “Repotting is a stressful time for a plant, so try not to do it too often. Let the plant speak to you.
Transplant shock is water stress and making sure the newly planted roots can take up enough water from the first moment is essential. Lastly, be careful to repot in a temperate weather period. Don't do it when it's hot and dry or very cold for a longer period.
Botanists explained that the roots are delicate and touching them can break the smaller ones. While this is still considered true, the current view is that you can do more damage if you don't wash the soil from the tree roots before you plant.
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.
Recently potted or repotted plants will not benefit from fertilizer. Their fresh potting mix is packed with nutrients they have yet to use! To avoid potentially damaging recently repotted plants, wait 2–3 months after freshly repotting before fertilizing actively growing plants during the growing season.
Plants and trees can experience transplant shock for two weeks to five years. It is more likely that the plant will die if the transplant shock persists for a long time.
In general, it's best to choose a new pot that is 1”-2” larger than the current pot. If you would like to repot your rootbound plant back into the same pot (or one that is the same size) and you don't want it to grow much larger, you can root prune your plant.