6 Easy Steps to Re-Pot a Houseplant

Hi there folks!   Today I'm going to show you one of the easiest projects you can do involving dirt and plants... repotting a houseplant.   

This is a project that you'll need to do every once in a while when your houseplants' root systems become "pot-bound" - a tightly packed ball of roots that have not room to grow and eventually will compromise the health of the plant.  

Here's another reason you might have to re-pot a houseplant:

Uh-Oh!  Looks like the pups got a little rambunctious playing on the side porch!  Let's take a look at how easy it is to re-pot a houseplant like this philodendron.  

6 Easy Steps to Re-Pot a Houseplant

Gather your materials and tools - basic potting soil, a new pot, rocks for drainage, and a paper towel or coffee filter.   I like to do my re-potting outside where it doesn't matter if I make a mess.  Of course you can do this inside too, if you're not as messy as I am.

Step 1:  Cover the Drainage Hole

Your pot should have at least one drainage hole in the bottom, so that extra water can run out.   You need to cover this hole (or holes) so that your potting soil doesn't fall out of the pot.   You could use a piece of cloth, a coffee filter, or a large rock.  I like to use both a paper towel and a large rock.

Step 2: Add Rocks for Drainage

Add some rocks to the bottom of the pot, to give space for extra water to drain out freely.  

Step 3:  Add Potting Soil

On top of the rocks, add some high-quality potting soil to the pot.   I like to use one that has fertilizer in it already, so I don't have to worry about fertilizing for a little while.   Don't over-fill at this point, just put enough soil in to cover the rocks completely.

Step 4:  Loosen Rootball, Place on Soil

Take the plant out of its old pot, and if necessary, loosen the roots out of their tight ball.   Shake off any excess dirt.   Place the rootball onto the new soil in the new pot, allowing the roots to spread out a little bit.  

Step 5:  Cover Roots with Soil

Add more potting soil on top of the roots, filling the pot to within 1/2 to 1 inch from the top. Press firmly, but not too hard.   

Step 6:  Water Thoroughly

Water the plant thoroughly, allowing the soil to settle nicely around the roots.  You may need to add more soil, depending on how much it settles after watering.  

Optional Step:   Trim long vines

My plant is a philodendron, which has many long trailing vines.   I decided that this was a good time to give the plant a haircut.  I trimmed off each of the vines just above a leaf, and set them aside for another project - a BONUS How-To down below!

And here's the finished product!

See? Wasn't that easy? It's a project that ANYONE can do!      

Hey, don't go yet!  I've got a BONUS project for you... what to do with all those cuttings? Let's turn them into new plants by rooting them in new soil.

We're going to use this awesome product to make our little plant cuttings into full-blown plants:

Rooting powder has active hormones in it that help cuttings form strong roots quickly.   Even plants that root easily in water, like this philodendron that I'm working with, will form better, stronger roots with rooting powder.

Gather up your materials:  potting container(s), potting soil, pruners or shears, and rooting hormone powder.   You can use gloves if you want, but I always seem to forget to do that!

Step 1:   Prepare Soil in Container(s)

Put your soil into the container, and press firmly but don't over-pack it.   

Step 2:  Trim Cutting

Cut the vine right above a leaf, making sure there are 4-6 inches of vine, with 2-6 leaves.  

Make sure there are root nodes within the first inch or two of the cutting.

Step 3:  Dip Cutting in Rooting Powder

I like to wet the cutting with water first, and then dip it into the rooting powder, taking care not to bump the edge of the jar when I take the cutting out.   You want the powder to adhere to the entire cutting.

Step 4: Place Stem in Soil

Make a hole int eh soil with your finger (or a pencil or something), and then put the cutting into the soil and press firmly around it.  Make sure the root nodes are under the soil level, and that the rooting powder isn't accidentally brushed off of the cutting as you put it in the soil.

I made a LOT of cuttings off of this plant, and I put 2-3 cuttings into each cell of my container.

Step 5:  Water Thoroughly

Water thoroughly, and add more soil if needed after the water settles.    Keep the cuttings moist but not water logged.   

And that's it!   So easy!

Other options:

• Philodendron cuttings like this one can be rooted in a glass of water, then transplanted into soil, eliminating the need for rooting powder.   The roots won't be as strong that way, but this plant is pretty hearty and it will work.
• Another method is to lay the vine across a container of soil and allow the root nodes to take root in that other container.  Once established, you can trim the two plants apart from each other.  Philodendrons are ground cover and climbing vines in nature, and they are very good at their job -- I've seen a philodendron vine take root on the dry cloth fabric of an office cubical wall!

That's a quick and easy tutorial for re-potting a common houseplant and making more plants by using rooting hormone powder on cuttings.  How do YOU re-pot houseplants... do you have a different method?  Any other tips?  I'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment and let's share ideas!

Did you miss some of my previous posts? Here are some that may help you in your garden:

I use these products and recommend them for you:

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest to get more tips and information about relaxing in your yard and garden. 

  

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Linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday - Between Naps on the Porch

Make it Pretty Monday - The Dedicated House

The Scoop - StoneGable

Wow Us Wednesday - Savvy Southern Style

Creative Muster Party - Fluster Buster

Home and Garden Thursday - A Delightsome Life

Thoughts of Home - Poofing the Pillows

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