Need to repot your houseplants? 

It's as easy as 1, 2 3! 

No really, repotting your houseplants doesn't have to be complicated. 

Here are my 3 must do's when repotting your houseplants.

1. Choose a pot with drainage holes, at least one size larger than the current Pot.

Your houseplants should always be potted into a pot with drainage holes so that water can escape. Most houseplants don't tolerate sitting in water for long periods so drainage is important. If you're using a pot without drainage holes, use it as a cover pot to house a nursery pot. 

When repotting, increasing the pot size gradually is recommended. Only increase the pot size by a few centimeters at a time. Potting up a plant to a significantly larger sized pot can be detrimental because the surrounding potting mix will hold onto moisture for longer until the roots move into it which can lead to rot. This also means the plant will concentrate more on growing its roots than its foliage. 

2. Use a good quality premium potting mix.

 When I first started collecting houseplants I would often buy the cheapest potting mix I could find. I thought all potting mix was the same and it didn't matter about the quality. But as I spent more and more money on houseplants, I realised the benefit of investing in good quality potting mix. I had less trouble with pests and gnats and my plants grew better. 

Now I make my own potting mix for my houseplants and it's just 2 simple ingredients. 

Premium potting mix and perlite. Perlite is a volcanic mineral that is used as a soil additive to increase drainage and aeration in the potting mix. I adjust the ratio of perlite to potting mix depending on what I'm planting, but generally it's a 60/40 split. 

3. Water the plant straight away.

This is the most important step in my opinion. If you only do one of my 3 must do's when repotting your houseplants make sure it is this one! 

You want to water your plant straight away after repotting because this settles the mix and helps the roots settle into their new home. You can even use seaweed based soil conditioners in your water to help stimulate root growth and prevent stress from transplant shock. 

Always allow the plant to drain thoroughly before placing it back into it's home. 

Are you ready to learn more? 

Join my mini-course - How to get started with houseplants 

It's 5 self paced lessons that will arm you with the knowledge you need to be successful with plants.