Repotting Myths Busted

Gardeners make repotting extra difficult than it must be and within the course of, they’ve created all types of myths in regards to the course of. It’s time to simplify repotting and bust the myths round it.

Fantasy #1: Don’t Repot in Winter or When Crops are Dormant

Many imagine that our tropical houseplants go dormant in winter however that’s one other delusion. Their progress might decelerate however most don’t go dormant.

The assumption is that dormant crops can’t deal with the shock of being transplanted. Firstly, when transplanting is finished accurately it doesn’t shock the plant very a lot. Secondly, the stress is way much less when a plant is rising slowly i.e. dormant. In case you repot when the plant is rising nicely you’ll do extra root harm and stress it extra.

It’s best to repot crops when they’re rising extra slowly however most will just do high quality at any time of 12 months.

Fantasy #2: Don’t Use a Massive Pot

On-line gardening recommendation is sort of unanimous. You need to “pot on” utilizing a pot that’s one dimension bigger, or one to 2 inches wider.

The North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook has this to say, “Selecting bigger containers is helpful, as they don’t dry out as shortly and require much less frequent watering. ”

Wow! That’s the actual reverse of widespread gardening recommendation.

Take into consideration crops in nature. They’re virtually at all times rising within the equal of a humongous pot. The reality is that crops develop nicely in any pot that has sufficient room for its roots. You’ll be able to transfer them to a big pot.

Nonetheless, a bigger pot incorporates extra soil and subsequently stays wetter. In case you are the kind of gardener that overwaters, then a small pot is likely to be higher for you – however the plant doesn’t care offered it will get watered accurately. Bigger pots additionally take up extra space and value extra to fill.

One other associated delusion is that crops develop quicker in an enormous pot – that can be not true. Crops are genetically programed to develop at a sure price. Higher gentle, enough water and temperature, and extra fertilizer can velocity up this course of a bit, nevertheless it’s principally pushed by genetics. The plant doesn’t even know they’re in a pot so why would it not have an effect on the rising course of?

Fantasy #3: Used Potting Soil Must be Discarded

Potting soil doesn’t get previous and it doesn’t should be changed except there’s a particular downside with it.

Changing it due to a pest hardly ever works. The identical pest from one other plant shortly finds the brand new soil. Some individuals substitute it as a result of it grows mushrooms, however they’re an indication of wholesome soil, not previous soil. You might be additionally unlikely to do away with a illness by altering the potting media.

Rising with arduous water may end up in a buildup of white salt crust on the floor of the soil. In that case, scrap off the highest inch, discard it, and reuse the remainder of the soil.

Epiphytic crops, comparable to orchids, must be repotted with contemporary media. They naturally develop in air and their roots rot simply when the media breaks down. For extra on repotting orchids, see this video hyperlink.

With a couple of exceptions, there isn’t any good purpose for changing used potting soil and it may be used for a few years.

Fantasy #4: Don’t Fertilize After Repotting

I’ve by no means understood the rationale behind this suggestion, besides that some potting soil incorporates fertilizer so that you don’t have so as to add extra.

Crops want fertilizer proper after being planted. In case you use new media and it incorporates fertilizer you do not want so as to add extra. However how lengthy does this fertilizer final? When do you have to begin fertilizing? You don’t have any concept except you check the EC worth. For that purpose, I normally begin fertilizing straight away.

In case you are reusing potting media, begin fertilizing straight away.

Fantasy #5: Add Drainage within the Backside of the Pot

Stones and damaged pot chards have been positioned within the backside of pots for a very long time. Opposite to well-liked perception, they don’t enhance drainage. They do nonetheless cut back the quantity of soil accessible for root progress, which isn’t good for crops.

For an in-depth dialogue of this subject, see my weblog put up, Does Gravel in Pots and Containers Enhance Drainage?, or my video, Understanding the Perched Water Desk.

Fantasy #6 : Mist Your Plant After Repotting

Repotting can do some root harm which implies crops have a tough time getting sufficient water. Some individuals recommend misting the plant for a couple of days to extend the humidity across the leaves.

Misting doesn’t improve the humidity across the plant for greater than a few minutes, so it’s not value doing. In case you did a variety of root harm, put the entire plant in a plastic bag or another form of container. The moisture from the soil will improve the humidity within the bag.

That is hardly ever required. Most crops will just do high quality even when a couple of roots are reduce off. Simply maintain it well-watered and out of direct daylight.

As an apart, pebble trays don’t improve the humidity across the leaves both.

Fantasy #7: Seen Roots Imply You Have to Repot Urgently

This may increasingly or might not point out a root certain plant. Tip the plant out and take a look on the roots. If there are a variety of circulating roots it is likely to be time for a bigger pot. A single lengthy root popping out of the underside shouldn’t be a purpose to repot. You’ll be able to simply reduce the basis off if it bothers you.

On orchids it’s fairly widespread to see roots exterior of the pot.

Fantasy #8: Crops Ought to At all times be Repotted right into a Greater Pot

Which may be true in some instances however not all. It will depend on the plant and your objectives for it.

You’ll be able to maintain a plant in the identical dimension pot for 50 years. A smaller pot will restrict plant progress and it’s possible you’ll have to take away extra roots and leaves if you report, however you don’t at all times want a much bigger pot. My spouse’s Anthurium has been in the identical pot for about 30 years. When it will get too tall, I reduce the underside part off (together with a lot of the roots), and pot it up. It’s now decrease within the pot and it begins rising over again.

I by no means pot orchids in something greater than a 6″ pot. They don’t want it and I don’t have area for big pots. My largest streptocarpus are in 4″ Dixie cups and none get a much bigger pot. That dimension pot can provide me 50 flowers at one time. Once they now not match the pot, they get divided and a part of the plant will get repotted in the identical previous pot.

In case you are attempting to develop bigger crops, they are going to profit from bigger pots.

Fantasy #9: Don’t Take away Current Roots

That is typically a good suggestion, however there’s nothing flawed with eradicating some roots. Roots regrow in a short time and eradicating some gained’t considerably hurt the plant.

If the plant may be very root-bound, it would truly be good for the plant to take away some as a result of a root-bound plant turns into very arduous to water. All of the water runs down the skin of the basis ball and the middle of of it stays fully dry. Such a plant will profit from some root pruning because it lets you water the soil correctly.

Fantasy #10: Repotting Ought to Be Completed Each Yr

That may be a rule that’s virtually by no means proper. As an alternative of following it, study to know your crops and allow them to let you know after they should be repotted. Supplied the plant is rising nicely and the roots will not be fully root-bound, it doesn’t should be repotted.

Orchids are a particular case. Their media breaks down in about 2 years, so it’s a good rule to repot each two years.

Most potting media lasts for a few years and doesn’t should be changed yearly.

Fantasy #11: Sick Crops Must be Repotted

This can be a difficult one. On the whole, a sick plant gained’t profit from being repotted. The additional stress is barely going to emphasize the plant extra and if a plant is doing poorly, new soil and root disturbance shouldn’t be going to assist.

Nonetheless, if the plant is sick due to the basis situations or the soil that’s within the pot, then repotting will assist the plant. For instance, previous potting media could also be staying too moist in your watering practices, and repotting in contemporary media might assist that downside.

A plant that was potted within the flawed media in your rising situations would possibly do poorly in your palms. A change of media to at least one that extra intently matches your watering habits and your environmental situations will assist the plant get well.

For instance, you can develop orchids in sphagnum moss and plenty of bought crops are rising in it. However it’s troublesome to get the watering good and subsequently many new gardeners and even skilled growers like myself do a lot better with a distinct media. I repot new crops in sphagnum as quickly as I get them to place them right into a drier combine which extra intently matches my watering habits.

Fantasy #12: Newly Bought Crops Must be Repotted Proper Away

Usually that may be a unhealthy concept and serves no goal however there are a couple of conditions the place it’s a good suggestion to do that as quickly as you deliver a brand new plant residence.

Why is it a nasty concept? Shifting a plant from one location to a different is tense for the plant. Temperature, gentle, humidity, kind of water, and kind of fertilizer are all out of the blue completely different. The plant does probably not want one other stressor. Let the plant settle in for a few months after which determine if it must be repotted.

Most bought crops are in pretty new potting media and it doesn’t need to be modified.

There are additionally conditions the place it’s a good suggestion to repot straight away or quickly after the plant settles in. If the potting media may be very completely different from that of your different crops you usually tend to both over water or below water the brand new plant. Repotting into soil that you’re accustomed to may be good for the plant.

For instance, I’ve bought backyard crops that had been in a shredded wooden materials and my outside potted crops are in a clay/compost combine. I’d prefer to water all of them on the identical time so I normally repot the brand new plant right into a soil I do know.

I recommend you don’t repot except you may have an excellent purpose for doing so.

Fantasy #13: Potting Soil Must be Sterilized

Potting soil isn’t sterile even proper after you sterilize it. As quickly as it’s uncovered to air, your palms, or crops it’s contaminated with microbes.

There may be one purpose for heating soil. Some individuals declare they discover fungus gnats in bagged potting media – I’m not positive how true that’s, but when the bag has a gap in it or it was beforehand opened, it’s potential. Heating such soil will kill fungus gnat eggs and larvae.