How to Repot a Houseplant in 5 Steps

Hello, Garden enthusiasts! 🌿

I am an agronomist at Meda and I am ready to share with you 5 steps how to repot a House plant. I’ve transplanted maybe over 100 plants in my life and now I’m ready to share the tips that have worked best for me.

Well, if you know how to repot houseplants, but you have problems with the care of indoor plants, then I encourage you to read this blog post “10 Tips How to Take Care of Houseplants During Winter Season”.

1. Choose the right pot

Before buying a pot, it is important to pay attention to three things:

Pot size. Choose the size of the pot according to the root system of the plant you have. This means that when transplanting the plant, its roots will fit and still have some space left. If you have an old pot, you can measure it and choose a pot two fingers taller and wider.
What materials is it made of? Pots are usually clay, plastic or metal. Plastic ones are good because they are light, so I would plant larger plants in them. Clay ones are heavier, but they can absorb moisture, which they will later give to the plant. I plant those plants in them that I can easily carry. In addition, clay can look more beautiful in the interior. Metal ones can get very hot on a hot day and quickly dry out the ground, so I don’t choose them at all.
Does it have a hole with a plate. Well, this must be taken into account, especially for those who often overwater the plants. This will help you regulate watering and excess moisture will drain into the saucer. Granted, many clay pots don’t have holes, so that’s a problem, but it can be solved with a drainage layer, which I’ll talk about below.

2. Add drainage

If you asked me what mistake I made most when transplanting plants in the past, I would say not using drainage. As a result, my plants would start to brown a lot, the roots would rot, and the plants would die. Drainage can be bought from a garden or greengrocer (such as this one) or you can use pebbles. The drainage layer depends on the size of the pot, but it is best if it is at least 3-5 cm.

If the pot is with a plate, you can not use the drainage, but my experience shows that the plants feel better anyway when the drainage is used.

3. Substrate preparation with magical ingredients

As for the substrate, I used to buy substrates suitable for specific plants. However, as the number of plants increased, it didn’t pay off financially, and anyway I discovered the recipe for the perfect substrate:
1. You need a universal substrate that contains not only peat, but also compost soil.
2. If the purchased substrate does not contain agroperlite, it should be mixed in.
3. Since the plants on the windowsill dry out very quickly in the summer, I add water crystals to the substrate, which absorb moisture and release it later.
4. For longer plant feeding, I add “Osmocote” fertilizer, which works for at least 3 months.

I choose the quantities at my own discretion, but for the first time I recommend reading what the manufacturers recommend on the package.

4. Use of bacteria

When the plants are transplanted, I usually water them. What is the best water to use? I encourage you to read this blog post for tips on not only water but also other plant care mistakes.

Since my indoor plants received very little care during the fall and winter, I decided to pamper them with priobiotics. In my agronomy studies, I learned that bacteria can do wonders with agricultural plants, so I’m thinking of trying them on houseplants as well. I chose “TROOP Activacion” – a gentle, natural bacterial product that aims not only to restore the soil, but also to reduce the stress experienced by the plants.

It is very little, but after using it, the plants recovered, turned green and even my strelitzia started to produce a new leaf. I believe this is not a coincidence! This is not a necessary step, but if you want to pamper your plants, I highly recommend natural products with bacteria.

5. Decorate with drainage

Did you know that you can use the same drainage you use on the bottom of the pot on the top of the pot? What is the benefit of this?

It looks much nicer.
Watering does not splash the ground.
Drainage absorbs more moisture and releases it to the ground when dry.

The only downside I see is that it is difficult to see if the soil is dry through it, but here the tip of my wooden stick will help. Read more about that here.

That’s all. If you have any questions, feel free to write on Instagram, where I also share my experiences. Well, if you want this plant journey to be more comfortable and pleasant, I will always be waiting for you at the “Garden Mood” store. Well, of course, don’t forget to read the Blog, where you will discover new topics from my agronomic experience every month.

Happy gardening! 🌿

Meda founder of “Garden Mood” 🌼