Potting Plants
Once you’ve brought a new plant home (congrats on the new friend), it’s time to start to think about potting your plant. Make your plant feel at home-by giving it a place to live! Although the plant can last for a while in the plastic planter it comes in, it is best to plant it into something more permanent within a few weeks. This will help to keep your specimen happy, growing to its fullest potential, and provide it with fresh nutrients! The two main things to consider in potting is the planter size and the type of soil, which will both depend on the particular type of plant.
Soil Type
It can be helpful to do a little research to see the needs of that specific plant – which might be well-draining soil or clay-rich soil as some examples. As a general guide:
Foliage Plants → Organic Potting Soil
Succulents & Cacti → Cacti/Succulent Soil Mix
Airplants → Don’t Need Soil!
Choosing a Pot
For the pot itself, it is often best to choose a planter with a diameter that is 2 to 4 inches wider than the current one. Slower growers and smaller plants will allow 1-2 inches wider, while for faster growers it is good to lean towards a bit larger. Planters can come either with or without drainage holes. There are perks to both types. Cache pots, or those without drainage holes, reduce the mess and hassle of draining water. On the other hand, pots with drainage are good for first-time plant parents and those prone to overwatering. Seeing when water begins to run out at the bottom will help to get a gauge on how much water is a healthy dose.
Getting Your Hands Dirty!
Once you have found the right soil and pot match, it is almost time to get your hands dirty! To try to loosen the soil, especially for very rootbound plants, watering the day before replanting can be helpful. If potting with a cache planter, make sure to first place an even layer of river stone, pumice or lava rock before adding any soil. This ensures that your plant does not sit in any excess water. Add a layer of soil to the bottom of the pot with drainage holes. To remove the plant from its current container, hold onto the base of the plant, turn it sideways, and tap the base of the container to try to get the root ball to come out. If it is especially stubborn you can very gently pull on the base of the plant, or if all else fails cut or break the container open. Give the roots a gentle massage and dust off some of the surrounding dirt; this helps encourage the roots to grow outward into the fresh soil. Place in the pot and fill with soil up to about 2 inches from the rim of the pot. Pack the soil just enough to make sure the plant is secure in its new home. Once potting is done be sure to give a thorough watering. The final step is to step back and admire the new arrangement!
Repotting
Plants need repotting once they begin to outgrow their current container. Tell-tale signs of this can often be that the soil is drying out unusually fast, roots are peaking out from drainage holes, or growth has significantly slowed. For most plants, this will mean 18-24 months between pottings. However, particularly slow growers can stay happy in the same pot for several years. Spring months, before the active growing season for most plants, is the optimal time of year for this repotting.