Repotting houseplants correctly

Plants are not only a beautiful decoration for your home, but also help to improve air quality. In order to keep your houseplants healthy and strong, it is important to regularly plant them in new substrate. In this article, you will learn when the ideal time is, what size the pot should be and how to do it. mtopfen of houseplants actually works. If you follow our tips, you can ensure that your houseplant thrives healthy and happily in its new container.

The right time: When should a plant get a new pot?

In general, it is best to plant houseplants in spring or early summer to transplant , when the plants are growing at their strongest. At this time, the plants are better able to adapt to their new habitat. The right time is always when the plant has completely rooted through the pot and has therefore completely filled the available space in the pot. You can sometimes tell this because the roots are already growing out of the pot drain. In this case, however, you should act quickly and put the plant in a larger pot - no matter what time of year it is. Otherwise, the plant may no longer develop optimally because it does not have enough space to grow.

The right pot size

Choosing the right container is very important to promote plant growth and the absorption of water and nutrients. A pot that is too small will affect root growth and result in a limited nutrient and water balance. A pot that is too large, on the other hand, will cause the roots to grow in too large a substrate area and thus focus their energy unnecessarily on the growth of roots rather than leaves and stems. A good guideline for pot size is to buy a pot at least one to two sizes larger.

Buy potting soil or mix substrates?

There are various options when it comes to choosing the substrate. There are special potting soils for houseplants that are enriched with important nutrients and minerals. Alternatively, you can mix your own substrates. A mixture of compost, perlite, biochar and coconut fiber is suitable for this. It is important to use peat-free potting soil, because draining peat releases a lot of CO2 and destroys entire habitats of particular plant and animal species.

In this video you will learn more about substrates and we will show you how to mix soil yourself!

Step by step: How to repot your plants

Choosing the right pot: The new pot should be slightly larger than the old one so that the plant's roots have enough space to grow. The pot should also have a drainage hole to allow the water to drain away and avoid waterlogging.
Preparation: You can fill the bottom of the pot with a layer of gravel or expanded clay to improve water drainage. Then fill it 1/4 full with new soil.
Remove plant from old pot: Carefully tilt the old pot to the side and gently squeeze the sides to release the plant.
Cleaning the roots: Carefully remove the old soil from the root ball and remove damaged or dead roots with clean scissors if necessary. Roots can often rot, so pay attention to the condition of the roots of your green plant.
Planting in the new pot : Place the plant in the center and fill the pot with soil until the pot is full. Press the plant down a little to ensure it is stable.
Watering after repotting houseplants: Water the plant thoroughly afterwards to moisten all of the soil.
Choose the right location : The plant should then be placed in a suitable location that offers enough light and humidity.

Repotting large houseplants correctly

Large houseplants can be challenging when it comes to transplanting them into new soil. Here are some tips to make the process easier:

Use a pallet jack or cart to move your heavy plant
If possible, ask for help and do not try to plant the plant with a huge root ball in the fresh soil alone
A repotting mat can help you avoid leaving a huge mess
For very large plants, it is recommended to change the pot only every 2-3 years and to increase the pot size directly by up to 3-4 sizes
Fill the new pot 1/4 with new substrate, then the transfer of the plant will work more smoothly

In this video we explain the plant care basics – for your green thumb!

Repotting hydroponic plants

If you want to plant a plant from a soil substrate into a hydroponic culture, you should consider the following:

Remove the plant from the old substrate and remove it from the roots. This is best done by rinsing the roots thoroughly with water.
Prepare the new mineral substrate by soaking it in water to remove any dust.
Place the plant in the new water-permeable inner pot or container and fill the mineral substrate, preferably expanded clay, around the roots. Make sure that the plant is straight and upright. Then place the inner pot in a planter.
Water the plant with a nutrient solution. You should also use a water level indicator.

Fertilizing after repotting houseplants

In the new substrate, plants need time to get used to their new home and to recover from the stress that comes with repotting. New potting soil and organic substrate contain many nutrients and the plant is usually sufficiently supplied for the first 4 weeks. After that, a continuous application of fertilizer twice a month is essential. The FARBIO® Nitrogen Bio-Boost supports your plants with nitrogen, which is not only essential for healthy growth, but also makes your plants really shine with their intense green leaves!

This is different with hydroponics, semi-hydroponics and mineral substrates - these are often not pre-fertilized and fertilizer must be added directly when watering so that the plant can survive in the new pot! All FARBIO® fertilizers can be used for hydroponics and do not burn the roots! The FARBIO® NPK organic liquid fertilizer for green plants is very suitable for supplying your plants with the essential main nutrients.