5 Steps for Repotting your Indoor Plants

One of the most commonly asked questions that we get at In-House Greens is, “How do I repot my houseplant?”

So we decided to put together a little tutorial with pictures to help you pot-up your container plants.

We’ll cover everything you need to know, starting with how to tell when its time to pot-up and tips on choosing the right soil and the right container. After that, we’ll take you step-by-step through the repotting process with easy to follow instructions and lots of photos.

Let’s get started!

When to Repot?

A couple things to look for when deciding if your plant is rootbound.

Are there roots coming out of the holes in the bottom of the grow pot?
Are there visible roots starting to come out of the surface of the soil?
How long has the plant been in the container?

The root systems for houseplants vary, but most houseplants should be potted-up once every year or so, depending on the type of plant. Regardless of the species, most container plants will love some fresh, nutrient-rich soil and a little more breathing room. Plants tend to stay rather small in containers compared to how they grow in the wild. To keep your container plants happy and healthy, it’s best to pot-up once a year.

Choosing the Right Soil and Container

When choosing soil you’ll have to know the name of your plant. Whether you use a basic organic compost soil, a volcanic nutrient-rich soil, a more acidic-based soil, or a more sand-based drainable soil – this will depend on the type of houseplant. Do your research.

Choosing the right container is a little easier. Always use a container that has holes in the bottom to offer proper drainage and to avoid things like overwatering and root-rot. When repotting you’ll want to go up 1 or 2 container sizes.

“Regardless of the species, most container plants will love some fresh, nutrient-rich soil and a little more breathing room.”

When preparing to repot, be sure to water your plant! Watering your plant first will help the plant slide out of its container easier.

For this guide, We used a regular, enriched organic soil to pot-up a 6″ Aglaonema into an 8″ growpot.

Carefully lay the plant on its side and apply pressure to the outside of the pot to release the soil from the edges.

Step 1 – Carefully lay the plant on its side and apply pressure to the outside of the pot to release the soil from the edges. If you’re working with a ceramic pot loosen the edges with a tool and carefully pull the plant out by the base, where it’s sturdiest.

Gently pull apart the root casing.

Step 2 – Gently pull apart the root casing. You’ll want to break up some of the roots to let the plant know it will have some extra room to spread out in its new container.

Add some soil to the bottom of your new container before placing the plant in.

Step 3 – Add some soil to the bottom of your new container before placing the plant in. This will give the plant new soil room on all sides to spread out.

Position the plant in the center of the new container and add soil.

Step 4 – Position the plant in the center of the new container and add soil to all sides and top, making sure the plant is stable and centered in its new container.