Healthy roots are the foundations for growing houseplants successfully. So always look after your plant by looking after its roots. This guide, which is all about repotting houseplants, will help you to learn the skills to be able to do this correctly. So let's get started and dig in!
Most houseplants need repotting from time to time and our guide tells you everything you need to know
Houseplants normally grow in two different ways. The first is the part of the plant that sits above the soil, the leaves, flowers and everything else that makes a houseplant a houseplant. The second type of growth happens beneath the soil with the roots and for the most part are hidden from view.
Many houseplants do well in the same container and growing medium for many years. But eventually, the roots will have spread out as far as they can and will then grow in on themselves until completely filling the space available. When this happens the plant is "pot bound", or "root bound" and a repot might be needed.
Why are plant roots so important?- The roots support all that green growth above the soil and sometimes you'll need to repot your houseplant into a bigger pot with more space for those roots to grow into.
The usual reason for repotting is to upsize the current pot or container the plant is currently in and fill the remaining space with fresh nutrient containing growing material.
The main positive of repotting your houseplant is that you'll likely get more visible growth above the soil, for example, a bigger and healthier looking plant. Another advantage means you'll have to water it less because if a plant has completely filled its pot with roots there is then less space for water to be retained.
With those benefits, it's not surprising one of the most frequently asked questions we're asked from concerned plant parents is "when should I repot my houseplant?". Our list below will answer this.
Spider Plant with root bound roots - Photo by Keith Williamson
It's not possible to provide fixed rules which suit and apply to all houseplants, therefore we'd recommend taking a look at our plant profiles where we can be more specific about their needs. But there are some generally agreed rules about when not to repot which we can personally vouch for -
Hi, I'm Tom!
If you're like me and enjoy the challenge of growing houseplants and getting them to thrive, then Ourhouseplants can help. This website shares my knowledge and years of growing plants and provides (hopefully) helpful advice on properly caring for your indoor plant friends.
Almost all books and websites will advise you to only repot houseplants during Spring which is typically when new green growth is starting up. The idea is that the new growth works in both directions and the roots will quickly grow into the new space at this time of year and will, therefore, establish faster in its new home.
The majority of houseplants don't mind when you do it
However, when you've had some experience with houseplants as we have, you'll find that ultimately the majority of houseplants don't mind when you do it because it's more about how you do it.
So if you buy a plant in Winter and you think it's in desperate need of a new pot, don't be afraid to do it then if you feel it's needed. Just make sure you avoid overwatering and if you're repotting it outside keep exposure to the cold to a minimum.
Check out my article "Can I repot my plants in Winter?" for more guidance if you're thinking of doing it during the colder months.
With so many containers out there to pick from, you're bound to find one that suits your style. Here are a few pointers to consider when making your choice.
Grow your houseplants in a plastic planter with holes at the bottom, then put this into a container with no holes.
A plant in too large a container can become "lost" and will be at higher risk of being overwatered. It's better to use a smaller container and when the roots have filled this, move it up to the next size up.
Houseplants look fantastic, but a nice container or pot can really enhance not only the plant itself but the room it's in. Choose pots and containers that you like and suit your space but stick to the rules above.
A nice container or pot can really make the plant stand out - Photo by Thanhpho2112
If you need some pot inspiration then check out our Pinterest. Or if you want some more commonly found or traditional looking containers then you can browse the Amazon links below which might give you some ideas.
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What growing medium you choose to grow your plants in is important and surprisingly varied. Many plants will grow really well in lots of different growing mediums from the traditional soil based composts to the less common hydroponics.
For beginners, we'd suggest keeping it simple and using a pre-packaged mix from a store that's labeled for "houseplants".
These houseplant types of mixes can be used for most houseplants, except Air Plants, most Orchids, Pitcher Plants and Venus Flytraps. Those plants have very special needs and trying to use a houseplant compost won't go down well.
If you're looking to repot an Air Plant, a Slipper, Cambria or Moth Orchid, Pitcher Plant or Venus Flytrap be sure to use the links to read up on their repotting requirements.
For anyone experienced with houseplants, or those who want to learn more, check out our full guide on the different growing mediums.
Photo by Rubyand Lion
We've covered all the basics for you above and now it's time to look at a real life repotting attempt with full instructions to guide you through.
First things first, find your space. It can be messy work so it's normally best to do it outside, but if you've restricted outside space then, of course, you can do it inside. Just make sure you cover your work area with newspaper or something similar to protect the floor and to help with the clean up afterward.
Gather everything you need such as the new pot and fresh compost.
Taking the houseplant out of the existing pot might sound easy. But if you're repotting because the roots have filled the pot then it's likely the plant might not come out without a fight.
This is due to the old pot being completely full of roots and it might be ever so slightly distorted as a result. The roots may also be coming out of the bottom like in the picture below and just one or two of these roots can really hold everything firmly in place.
Just one or two roots can stop the whole plant coming out of its pot.
Either of these issues can create a frustrating challenge. But gentle hands and patience are needed here, so no yanking the plant out by the base of the stem, because this is simply setting yourself up for problems. The kind of problem which involves ripping the plant in two!
Try the following ideas to release a stubborn plant from its container.
Hopefully, by this point, the houseplant is free from its old home! This is a great time to check the roots for damage and the general health of the plant, any mushy roots which are black, dead or dying should be cut away.
If you're repotting because your plant is sick, and you can now see that the root health isn't good, this is a warning that you need to adjust how you're caring for the plant generally.
Some people at this point will also recommend cutting or pulling off healthy roots to encourage new growth. We don't recommend this at all.
Some people will recommend cutting off healthy roots to encourage new growth. We don't recommend this at all
You'll just be forcing the plant to grow all these roots back which is a complete waste of energy that would be better spent fueling new leaf growth or flowers.
We think this idea evolved from how gardeners "tease out" roots before planting outdoors. It's not needed for houseplants growing in pots. Just remove the dead or damaged roots only.
Teasing out, means you are gently pulling on the compacted roots to loosen and free them from the tight bundle. Tightly restricted roots can end up growing around in circles and not out into the new compost and space of the new container. So, by all means, give teasing out a go if your plant's roots are all tightly wound up, just remember not to be too aggressive.
There are several good ways to actually get the plant into its new home. We're going to take you through two of the most popular.
Use the old container as a guide and backfill around it. Once removed it leaves a perfect size hole for your plant.
Whichever you choose, make sure when you've finished the plant is still sitting at a similar "soil level" or depth as it was in its old home.
The first way of doing it uses the old pot as a "guide" as shown in the photo here. Placing the old pot into the new container (with some fresh compost at the bottom already) visually measure its distance from the top, bottom and sides.
When you're happy you just "plant the pot" by filling all around the sides between the new and old pot with fresh compost, then pull the old pot up and out. This leaves an imprint that your plant can now just be slotted into for a perfect fit. Just a little more soil is then needed to firm it into position before giving it a good watering.
Strelitzia in a bigger planter.
This method is very easy and ensures a very precise result. But it might not be practical if the new pot you've selected isn't of a similar shape to the first, is only a tiny bit bigger or if the root ball has lost the shape created by the old container when you've been freeing the plant.
The second and more frequently used approach is just to use the plant itself as the measuring guide. Put the plant in the pot and hold it at the right height and position with one hand and then use your other hand to fill the space with compost.
This way of doing it is more fiddly as you need to get it just right, but if you go wrong or you're not happy with the result you can just keep doing it until you are. When you're satisfied, gently firm the soil around the plant a little to keep it in place and finally give it a good watering so everything settles into place.
That's it, repot complete. Good Job!
Over the last 20 years, Tom has successfully owned hundreds of houseplants and is always happy to share knowledge and lend his horticulture skills to those in need. He is the leading content writer for the Ourhouseplants Team.
