Hi guys, When do you know you need to repot your plants? Also whats the best way to do it? Someone told me once that I should put rocks in the bottom of the pot to help with draining is this true? And if so would gravel for a fish tank work? I have some extra I could use if so. So many questions thank you all for your help. Amanda
I dont use anything in the bottom of mine. I just make sure the holes arent clogged with potting soil.
Rocks do help for drainage, especially if it's a houseplant... I have a fat handful of little river rocks or gravel in the bottom of my indoor plants. You may consider stirring in a bit of perlite or at least peat moss with your soil also, if it is a plant that needs good drainage. When you repot them, it helps to water them well with water that has a little B-1 added to it as it reduces transplant shock for the roots. Hope that helps!
How do you know when your plants need repotting....I look at mine. if they are looking tired, lost that sheen, maybe the leaves are yellowing slightly or flowering has completely stopped, then I tap them out of the pot. If the roots completely fill the space, then I repot. I put crocks in the bottom of the pots to aid drainage as most houseplants would quickly die if they were left sitting in stale waterlogged compost. I use broken clay pots, stones from the garden, fishtank gravel if the holes are very small or even broken up polystyrene. If the plants pots are already big and you don't really want to put the plant into a bigger pot, what you can do is carefully remove the top couple of inches of compost and redress it with fresh compost and give the plant a good feed. This will refresh it and give it a boost.
I repot when one of two things happen.... 1. Root come out of the bottom or can be seen stucking out around the plant. 2. When the plant becames bigger then the pot itself.
Thanks you guys for all your help. I repotted a vine that I have that I don't what its called and a minirose. I have three more to do one is a bamboo that is suspose to bring good luck, the other is called pothos "Marble queen" (scindapsus aureus)its very pretty with green and white leaves and the last one says its name is "Juanita" (Dracaena) its also very pretty with dark green leaves that have pink veins through them. I may do my afican violets to I have not decided for sure about them yet because some one told me once that if they are in to big of a pot they will not bloom only grow leaves. Thanks again for all your help, Amanda
