What was once a bright shiny leaved plant over time begins to lose that pristine look and eventually appears decidedly tired. At this point you need to give it the health spa treatment or repotting to be more precise. When a plant begins to look stunted, deformed or pale and dull it is time to move it on to a larger pot. I found an article by Marion Owen over on the Plan Tea website which gives step-by-step instructions on the best way to repot your plants.
Indoor plants need special attention, just like kids and, dogs. Give them water, plant food and, the right kind of light and they’ll thrive. And, just like kids outgrow tennis shoes, plants outgrow their pots.
How can you tell if a plant is pot-bound?
If your indoor potted plants have any of the following characteristics, they may be pot-bound. Pot-bound roots have outgrown their container and are starting to circle around the inside or poke out the drainage holes in search of more growing room.
- Stunted
- Deformed
- Pale and dull
- Top-heavy
- Generally declining
- Water drains quickly through soil
To see for yourself, tilt the plant on its side and gently slide the plant a few inches out of the pot. If the roots look like ropes winding around in circles or they’re matted at the bottom the plant’s overdue for a change. The solution is “stepping up” — moving the plant to a larger pot. By stepping up, you fix several problems at once: restricted root space, replenish tired potting soil and you make the plant look better in a container more in scale with its larger size.
See more at Plan Tea
Image source: Madaise
