Repotting is one of those plant-care tasks people either avoid (and their plant suffers) or do wrong (and their plant suffers) — but it’s straightforward once you know the when, how and aftercare. The plant-shelf guide: the basics, how to repot and how not to kill your plant.

The Repotting-Basics Case

Why and when to repot: the plants-outgrow-their-pots (the plants outgrowing pots and needing repotting from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-outgrowing; the they-outgrow), the the-signs-it’s-time (the signs (roots out the bottom, rootbound) from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-signs; the when-to-repot), the the-fresh-soil-and-space (the repotting giving fresh-soil-and-room from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-benefit; the fresh-soil-and-space), the the-timing (the repotting in the growing-season from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-timing; the growing-season), and the reframe (the repotting as a needed, sign-driven, growing-season task giving plants fresh-soil-and-space).

The How-to-Repot Method

How to repot a houseplant: the the-choose-the-right-pot (the a-pot 1-2 sizes larger with drainage from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-pot; the slightly-bigger), the the-right-soil (the appropriate potting-mix from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-soil; the good-mix), the the-gently-remove-the-plant (the gently removing the plant from the old-pot — the the-removal; the ease-it-out), the the-loosen-the-roots (the gently loosening rootbound roots — the the-roots; the loosen-them), the the-fresh-soil-in-the-new-pot (the fresh soil in the new-pot from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-soil; the fresh-soil), the the-position-and-fill (the positioning the plant and filling-around from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-positioning; the fill-around), the the-water-after (the watering after repotting from the stop-overwatering-houseplants chapter — the the-water; the water-in), and the the-dont-bury-too-deep (the not-planting too-deep from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-depth; the right-depth).

The Aftercare Notes

Aftercare to not kill your plant: the the-water-appropriately (the appropriate (not over) watering after from the stop-overwatering-houseplants chapter — the the-water; the don’t-overwater), the the-avoid-fertilizing-immediately (the not-fertilizing right-after (let it settle) from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-fertilizer; the wait-to-fertilize), the the-right-light (the appropriate light (avoid stress) from the low-light-houseplants chapter — the the-light; the right-light), the the-let-it-adjust (the letting the plant adjust (some droop is normal) from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-adjustment; the give-it-time), the the-dont-repot-too-often (the not-repotting too-frequently from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-frequency; the not-too-often), the the-watch-for-stress (the watching for repotting-stress from the houseplants-beginners chapter — the the-stress; the monitor), the the-drainage-prevents-overwatering (the drainage preventing root-rot from the stop-overwatering-houseplants chapter — the the-drainage; the good-drainage), and the frame (repotting as sign-driven, slightly-bigger-pot-fresh-soil-and-loosened-roots, watered-and-adjusted aftercare — how not to kill your plant. Repot when your plant outgrows its pot (roots out the bottom, rootbound) in the growing season — into a pot 1-2 sizes larger with drainage and fresh soil, gently loosening the roots — then water it in appropriately (don’t overwater or fertilize immediately), give it the right light and let it adjust: when and how to repot without killing your plant.

Repotting is one of those plant-care tasks people either avoid (and their plant suffers) or do wrong (and their plant suffers) — but it’s straightforward. When: your plant outgrows its pot (roots out the bottom, rootbound), in the growing season. How: choose a pot 1-2 sizes larger with drainage and good soil, gently remove the plant, loosen rootbound roots, add fresh soil, position and fill, then water in (don’t plant too deep). Aftercare — water appropriately (don’t overwater), don’t fertilize immediately, give the right light, and let it adjust (some droop is normal). How not to kill your plant.