repotting plants things:
- don’t fill up the pot the whole way, leave about an inch of rim so you can actually water
- but don’t plant way too deep either, this could lead to air flow issues which can lead to rot
- don’t use really big pots for small plants. it makes it very hard to know when to water.
- only go up an inch or so in diameter every time you repot. if you get a new plant and find it has almost no roots you can sometimes even go down a size. I’ve found many common houseplants like Philodendrons especially like this.
- remove plants from plastic pots by gently squeezing, not always by pulling on the plant
- remove plants from terracotta or ceramic/glazed pots by being gentleeee and maybe by running a knife or other utensil around the diameter of the pot if it’s really stuck and also by praying
- loosen the roots by squeezing or gently untangling the root ball
- it’s ok if you break some roots i promise
- sometimes you’ll want to remove as much of the old soil as you can, other times just remove enough to leave some loose roots
- throw small amount dirt in bottom of pot first, then place plant in. the base of the plant should ideally be level with where you want it when fully planted. if not, lift up and add more dirt and repeat
- some plants you can plant deeper than they originally were, others you can’t
- add dirt around the plant, packing gently. don’t pack it super duper tight but don’t just toss it in there loosely either
- add one handful at a time. rotating the pot is easiest
- rotate and gently pack, rotate and gently pack until dirt level is where you want it
- water your plant in when finished. water deeply until the water runs out of the bottom. this is important to prevent air pockets (roots can’t grow in air). with succulents you may want to wait a few days to water in to prevent rot but most times they’ll be ok.
- if you did have air pockets, your dirt might settle a bit. add some more and water again.
- ta da, repotting