I'm trying to repot some of my houseplants, but I've had some trouble. I recently moved two big plants into new pots since they were root bound, but after doing so, one of them had its leaves turn yellow and eventually died. The one that survived is still looking droopy and sad, even though it has a few green leaves. I think I broke up the root balls too much when I repotted; could that be why they struggled? I really don't want my other plants to die too, so how should I properly repot them without causing stress?
3 Answers
I used to be terrified of repotting because I'd always end up killing my plants! But I learned a few key things:
1. Use the right soil; the store stuff isn't always great for your plants.
2. Don’t go too big with the pot size or else you'll struggle with overwatering since the plant can't drink up all that space.
3. I found that watering right after repotting helps too! Since implementing these tips, I've successfully repotted several plants without any casualties!
When repotting, I usually avoid messing with the roots unless there's root rot or the plant's in bad soil. Just take the plant out and place it in the new pot without breaking up the root ball. Some plants really don’t like that!
You might want to reconsider breaking the root ball apart; that can stress some plants out. Just remove the plant gently, and if you need to clean the roots, do it lightly with water. Also, use a pot that has good drainage and don't pack the soil too tight. Giving your plants a little SuperThrive or similar can help them bounce back after repotting. Make sure to use proper soil for your specific plants, as some need more drainage than others.