How to Repot a Plant: A Simple How-To Guide

How to repot a plant:

1. Gently remove your plant from the pot
2. Slowly massage the root ball
3. Remove old potting mix
4. Add your plant and new potting mix
5. Water well

Do you know when or how to repot your plants? If you’re a new plant parent or have a brown thumb, you may have difficulty with this plant parenting task. Luckily, we have a few tips to make it a success.

Whether you want to use those new, aesthetically-pleasing pots you just bought, want to transfer your newly bought plants from their plastic planters, or give them some extra TLC, we’ve got you covered — here is our simple guide on how to repot a plant.

What is Repotting?

First things first, even if it is called “repotting,” you don’t necessarily have to switch to a new planter every time you repot your plant. Instead, what always happens is you change up the potting mix — giving your plant fresh nutrients to grow well.

If you do want to change the pot, try to keep the size difference no more than 2 inches larger in diameter for tabletop plants, and 4 inches larger in diameter for bigger plants. If your plant is quite small, you can go as little as 1 inch larger in diameter. This is enough space for them to grow out a bit before the next repotting.

The size difference is important to consider as an oversized planter will mean too much soil, and too much water for your plant — spelling disaster for your plant babies.

When is it Time to Repot my Plant?

It’s recommended that you repot your plants every 12-18 months, but it really depends on how fast they grow. Some slow-growing plants could hypothetically stay happy in their current planters for years, with the occasional soil change.

It’s best to treat each plant on a case-by-case basis. Here are a few signs that it’s time to repot them:

• Its roots are growing out of their pot’s drainage holes.
• Its roots are pushing the plant up and out of its soil.
• Your plant seems top-heavy and falls over easily.
• Your plant seems to dry out its soil quicker than usual.
• Your plant seems to grow slower than usual.
• Your plant seems to take up more than three times the pot space.
• There is noticeable mineral build-up on the pot.

What Tools Do I Need for Repotting?

• You’ll want a few tools to make repotting easier:
• A small shovel
• Fresh potting mix
• A new pot (optional)
• Lava rocks, or similar material (if the pot you’re planning on using has no drainage holes)
• A tarp or some old newspaper to cover your floor

Gently Remove Your Plant from the Pot

Prepare your tarp or newspaper cover, and place your pot on top. Turn the pot sideways, holding your plant by the stem or leaves. Gently tap the bottom of the pot with your shovel or hand to loosen the soil. You can also try sliding your shovel between the soil and the inner sides of the pot to slowly slide the plant out.

Some plants can become firmly attached to their pots, so it may take some time to remove them — but always be gentle with your plant to prevent cutting or breaking off parts. As it comes out, gently grasp around the base of your plant to keep it steady as you slide the pot off.

Slowly Massage the Root Ball

The roots of your plant are likely entangled or tightly packed into the mass of soil. You want to free these roots, so they can better absorb nutrients and water. Start by gently rubbing and pushing against the roots at the bottom of the clump, and they will start to loosen up. Keep going until all the roots are fairly free of dirt. You may lose a few roots, but that’s okay as long as you don’t aggressively tear or break any off.

If your plant is root bound – wherein the roots are coiled tightly around the base of your plant — then this is more difficult to fix. Slowly and gently uncoil the roots the best you can, and trim off a few of the thinner, threadlike roots.

Remove Old Potting Mix

Throw away about ⅓ of the old potting mix that’s in the pot or on your floor cover. This soil was fairly drained of any nutrients it had as your plant grew, so it may no longer have what your plant needs to grow well.

Add Your Plant and New Potting Mix

Depending on the type of pot you’re using, there are two ways to go about this step:

Pot with Drainage Holes:

Add the remaining potting mix back into the planter. Mix in some fresh potting soil until about the bottom third of the pot is filled with soil. Hold your plant by the base of its stem, and place it about ¼ to ½ of an inch above the soil’s surface. Now add more of your fresh potting soil around the plant as you hold it midair. Fill with new potting mix until the plant is sitting comfortably packed in the pot.

Tap the sides and bottom of the pot to help the soil settle firmly — but not tightly — into place. Make sure that there are no empty spaces in the pot to prevent water pools.

Pot with No Drainage Holes:

Before adding any soil to your pot, layer the bottom with lava rocks or similar materials (such as pebbles, rocks, gravel, coconut husks). This will give some space for extra water to pool in, without rotting your plant’s roots.

Afterward, follow the same instructions above regarding adding your plant, and the old and new potting soil to your pot.

You could also simply use this new pot as decor, and place your potted plant inside to cover the plastic or terracotta pot with drainage holes that your plant currently uses.

Water Well

Newly repotted plants have just gone through a lot of stress, and have likely spent some time without water or nutrients while you were preparing their new home. So, make sure to water your plants well — we also have a guide on how to water your plants, if you need some tips. Check if your plant is draining water properly, and make adjustments with the soil if you feel it is not as packed as it should be.

Key Takeaway

With our guide on how to repot your plant, this plant parenting chore can be quite easy! Following these steps and tips will help you set up your plants in their new home, or refresh their pot for another year of healthy growth.

Want to add more plants to your collection? Shop with Unbeleafable PH today! We offer all kinds of plants — from Calatheas to Philodendrons — that can be great additions to your home. Plus, we sell all the tools and materials you need to care for and repot your plants.