denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 8753
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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04-20-12 12:43 PM - Post#148258
Spring is a great time to repot houseplants, especially if they have been in the same soil for more than a year. You'll need containers of various sizes, potting soil, trowel or other small container to scoop the soil, paper coffee filters and baskets or other decorative containers.
Remove the houseplant from its original container and gently remove any brown roots and excess potting soil. Use another container that is about one inch larger than the original pot. I use two or three of the paper coffee filters at the bottom of the container to prevent the soil from washing out of the bottom. It allows water to flow through - just holds the soil in place.
Put some fresh potting mix in the container on top of the filters. Place the plant in the container so the crown of the plant - where the plant meets the roots - is about an inch lower than the top edge of the pot. Fill around the roots with potting mix to within an inch of the top and water it in. You might need to add a little more soil if it settles after watering.
Another trick I use when repotting my houseplants is to use the cheap black nursery containers. I use a decorative basket with a plastic liner and pot up the plant in the nursery pot. Then place it in the basket or other cache pot (should be just a little taller and wider than the container). Then I use a decorative moss to cover the soil and container. This makes it easy to give the plant a new look by just changing the basket or other cache pot.
Fertilize your houseplants if there isn't a slow release fertilizer already in the mix - every two weeks. Dilute it with water and use only half the amount of fertilizer called for on the package. Remember, you already gave the plant some new potting mix.
Water your plant as needed depending on what kind of plant it is. Succulent type of plants need less moisture than spathophyllum for example. The best way to check if your plant needs water is to stick your finger into the soil up to your first knuckle. If it feels moist, wait a couple days. If it is dry, water it.
Place your houseplant where it receives the appropriate sunlight for that type of plant. If you have a flowering plant, it will need to be in a sunny window. If the leaves tend to burn easily, give it only filtered light or low light.
Here is a helpful site with more information on Houseplants.
Allen Garden Club
www.allengardenclub.org
"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." - Mother Teresa |
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