We love to see mother nature glimmer in our house. Even a small portion of green leaves makes our house colorful and refreshing. But for, the long-term presence of houseplants in a pot can cause some casualties in the plant’s looks and its health. That’s why professionals suggest repotting plants after sitting in the pot for a long time to avoid some significant problems. For beginners, a common question can arise in mind: why repot houseplant?
Repotting a plant provides fresh soil nutrients, promotes new growth, creates a better watering system, and avoids any disease or insects available in the pot. It can also benefit from having more space in the pot for the plant and sweetening its looks. Overall, repotting helps plant’s health and looks.
In this post, you will see the reasons to repot your houseplant in detail.
Provides fresh soil nutrients
The new soil of the pot comes as a fresh nutrient source for a plant. The older a potting soil becomes, it starts losing its nutrient-holding capability. Sometimes overusing fertilization can damage soil quality. Years old pot soil gets depleted over time. Old pot soil doesn’t provide new growth for a plant. It may only help the plants with minimal development even after applying fertilization. In that case, new plant soil is the only solution.
Promote new growth
If your plant’s container is very old and not helping plants new growth, you need to change your old pot. As a plant goes old, it tends to slow down its development over time. Sometimes old habitants of a plant can cause not having new growth or flowering for a plant. In that case, repotting a plant can provide a unique environment and push for further growth, eventually leading to flowering. A new container can boost a plant for the new development of its stem and leaves.
Better watering system
Most beginner makes this massive mistake of not having a proper drainage system for their houseplants. It’s a common mistake, and it can happen. Not providing a sound drainage system can cause immense damage to a plant. It can cause bacteria and fungus to root rot. Holding water in a pot can cause an increase in humidity around the plants. For some plants, this kind of environment can kill a plant overnight.
If you see your indoor plant pot is not draining water properly and affecting your plant badly, you need to think about repotting your plant. You don’t need ultimately to change your old pot for repotting sake. You can empty the container, make drainage holes, and replant it.
Preventing disease
When a plant container carries a plant for a long time, there is a high chance it’s also bringing some disease possibility for the plant. After a plant pot is watered and fertilized for years and years can cause severe threats to a plant. It can produce fungus and bacteria in the soil. Also, an old plant pot can have insects and invasive worms in it. If any of these diseases or insects get a taste for your plants, they can also be transmitted to the nearest plants in the house. Which you don’t want to happen, right!
So to prevent some disease and insects casualty for your beloved plants, you need to keep in check your plant’s container, and if necessary, you need to repot your plant. You don’t need to replace your old plant pot. Just clean the old container properly and give it sun heat. After replacing old pot soil, you can use the old plant container.
Room for the new one
When a plant pot gets crowded by multiple plants or a single plant grows multiple stems, then there is a need to repot the plant. You can propagate your plant in a crowded plants container. There are various ways to do it. You can create divisions from roots, cut some stems, or by cane cutting. In these ways, you can propagate from your old plant. In that way, you can multiply your plant numbers in your house.
Improves the looks
In an old plant container, plants lose their natural color and look. Sometimes plant containers can also cause some weird shapes on a plant. Also, when a pot gets old, it doesn’t go with the plant’s look. You keep your indoor plants in your room to look good. Right? Indeed you won’t compromise your houseplant looks over an old ugly pot. So, in that case, you would like to have a new beautiful plants pot for your indoor plant. You will love it.
Top-heavy plants
When a plant grows big in a small pot, its top becomes heavy compared to its base, making the plant imbalanced. This way, a little accidental touch or slight heavy breeze can cause of falling the plant tub and break. In another sense, a top-heavy plant doesn’t grow properly. So, in that case, you should consider repotting your plant.
Breathing space
When a plant grows up and doesn’t fit in the plant tub, there will be some breathing space problems for the plant. Plants’ roots start to crowd in the tub, and after a long hard battle under the ground, they begin to push up the soil. This way, roots also start to come out from the plant pots’ drainage hole. This causes an uncomfortable situation for the plant and hurts its natural growth. It would be best if you replanted your houseplant in a bigger pot to solve this problem.
salt and minerals at the top of the soil
If your house water is hard, after a long time uses, it might start to build up on top of the potting soil, which is not an ideal condition for plants to thrive. You can repot your plant. You don’t have to change the plant tub entirely. Just change the pot soil mix and replant your plant in the same old pot. After planting, try to use filtered water or rainwater if possible.
Those are the reasons you need to repot your houseplant. I hope you have your answers and apply if any problems arise for your plant.
