Should I Repot My Houseplant?

The fact that a houseplant has lived in the same pot for what seems like eons doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s time to repot. To discover if your indoor plant could benefit from a new home, look for the following signs.

If one or more of these conditions are present, it’s time to repot. 

Incorrect plant/pot ratio. The correct ratio for a potted indoor plant and its container is 2/3 plant and 1/3 pot. If your plant/pot ratio is more like 3/4 plant and 1/4 pot, it’s time to repot. Plants that have outgrown their containers appear oversized and will be top-heavy. 

Roots coming from drainage holes. Except for a few exceptions, including orchids and split-leaf philodendron, roots coming out of the drainage holes is an indication that your indoor plant has outgrown its pot and is seeking more moisture and soil.

Plant requires frequent watering. Plants that dry out quickly are in need of a bigger pot and more soil. If you find that it’s necessary to water a plant more frequently than before, and no other factors have changed, such as weather, then it’s time to repot. 

Water rushes through the pot. Another indication that a plant requires repotting occurs when water rushes through the container. This means that there isn’t sufficient soil in the pot for the amount of roots that the plant has. 

Salt/mineral staining has appeared on the container. Salt or mineral rings around the base or top of the pot indicate that salt and minerals have built up in the soil, which means that it’s a good idea to change the soil. Salt build-up in particular is damaging to plant roots, as it can cause toxic salt syndrome, which will shut down the roots. 

Plant is experiencing poor growth and development. If you are fertilizing regularly and providing the plant with sufficient light, but it is showing signs of weakened growth and smaller than usual or distorted foliage, this is often an indication of insufficent soil, which leads to inadequate nutrients.

When you find that your plant qualifies for repotting, check out the website’s articles on repotting and potting soils. Also take a look at this month’s video to see if now is the time for a bigger pot. And if your plant doesn’t fit the criteria, wait another 6 months, at which point the plant may have outgrown its pot.