Time To Repot Houseplants For Spring Growth
January and February is the perfect time to repot those houseplants if you live in the northern hemisphere. There’s not much you can do outside with your garden, and it’s a little soon to start new seedlings.
Plus there’s only so much time you can browse over garden catalogs without picking out waaayyy to much for next summers garden (and your budget).
It’s a wonderful time to devote some attention to your potted plants. They’re adding cheer to your dreary winter days, so it’s only fair to give them some cheer and devotion in return beyond their weekly watering.
My houseplants don’t tend to be the traditional potted plants. I have several geraniums, both traditional and the scented variety, a couple cactuses from my wedding almost 17 years ago, two Aloe Vera plants, and a couple real houseplants people have given me through the years. I also have several plants I brought in last fall, including a potted rosemary plant that’s my current favorite.
Here are a few houseplant repotting tips:
- Pick a container that’s one size larger than the pot the plant’s currently growing in.
- Pick a good potting soil, ask your local gardening center which potting soil is their favorite.
- When you pull the plant carefully from it’s old pot loosen the roots a little with your fingers, or cut the through the bottom roots with a knife if it’s really tight to help loosen the roots.
- Put a little soil in the bottom of the new pot before you set the plant in. A good guideline is to put enough soil in the bottom of the new pot to make the top of the soil around the plant about 1/2″ below the rim of the pot.
- Fill in with potting soil around the edges of the plant, and water it in thoroughly.
- After the soil’s had a couple days to settle, fill in any low spots with a little extra potting soil.
- Don’t fertilize your plant until the days start getting longer for spring.
Have fun pampering those potted plants! For more houseplant tips and tricks check out our houseplant category or our section on container gardens.
Image (c) L Gerlach