Repotting Houseplants- What Do We Need?

Repotting houseplants need not be a difficult or messy procedure.  If we are prepared, the process of giving our houseplants a new home can be enjoyable and satisfying.First we must gather together the items needed for repotting the houseplant.

We need to have an appropriate pot into which to repot our houseplant.  The new pot should be 1 to 2 inches larger than the pot it is now in.  If you choose a pot much larger, the soil will stay wet for too long and promote root rot.  The new pot needs to have a hole in the bottom for drainage.  The pot should be clean and washed with hot water to remove any possible disease or fungus.  We don't want to infect our houseplant during repotting by introducing it to something left behind by the previous plant.

Do not repot your houseplant into a decorative cache pot.  It is not suitable as a new home. Cache pots are meant for decoration and should be used only with a suitable plant pot.

We need some fresh potting soil.  Suitable mixes for most houseplants are available at nurseries and garden centers.  We may want to have some peat moss (sphagnum) and coarse sand available to mix with the soil.  Sphagnum will improve the soil's water holding ability so the soil remains more evenly moist from the top to the bottom of the pot.  Coarse sand will improve the drainage so the soil remains moist but not wet.

We need a piece of broken terra cotta pot, some small pebbles or a piece of screen to cover the drainage hole so the soil does not run out of the pot.

A plastic sheet or drop cloth on which to do the houseplant repotting will help to contain spills and make clean up easier.  I have used a garbage bag to work on to make cleanup much easier.

We will need some water to water in the roots after repotting your houseplant.  It is always best to water your houseplants with water that is at or near room temperature where your plant is growing.

Now, with all the necessary materials at hand, we can start repotting the houseplant.