I've noticed that almost every houseplant I buy arrives with this heavy, mossy soil, whereas I've heard that a chunky, airy mix is much better for their health. Is it the norm for everyone to repot their plants as soon as they buy them? I'm curious if there's a strategy behind this or if it's a sneaky way to boost sales by making plants more likely to struggle. If I should switch out the soil, when's the best time to do it—should I wait a couple of weeks after bringing them home?
3 Answers
If the soil looks super peaty when you first get it, give it a couple of weeks to acclimate before you repot, just to reduce stress. But if it seems decent already, you can wait until it really needs repotting. So far, my method has worked well for me!
It's not that heavy soil will definitely kill your plants; it's just that airy soil suits indoor conditions better since evaporation is low. I have several plants that I haven't repotted yet, and they're doing just fine! So don't stress if you can't repot right away.
I personally change the soil as soon as I bring a plant home, and I've never had any problems doing it right away. Others prefer to wait a bit, but I'd rather know exactly what mix I'm starting with.
Exactly! That way you can track how long it takes until the next repotting.
Same here! I got a new plant a few weeks ago and haven't changed the soil yet either. I'm being careful with watering until I get around to it to avoid root rot.