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Houseplant Repotting Guide

easyGardening1 hr

Give your indoor greenery room to grow with this essential houseplant repotting guide. Designed for plant enthusiasts of all levels, this tutorial teaches you how to safely transition your plants into larger containers to promote healthy root development. You will learn the proper way to prepare your soil and pots to ensure a successful transplant.

Safety Warnings

  • Some houseplant varieties are toxic if ingested; keep away from children and pets.
  • Wear gloves if handling plants with sap that may irritate skin.

Tools Needed

Clean scissors — Sharp blades for trimming roots
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Mesh or coffee filter — Small piece to cover drainage holes
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Materials

Potting soil — Mix containing rich loam, sand/perlite, and organic matter(As needed for pot size)
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New pot — One size larger than the previous pot with drainage holes(1)
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Steps

1
Water the plant thoroughly a few hours before transplanting and wait one hour. This dampens the soil and makes the root ball easier to remove from the original container.
2
Prepare the new pot by covering the drainage hole with a piece of mesh or a coffee filter to prevent soil from falling out while allowing water to escape.
Drainage hole Mesh filter New pot Insert filter Cross-section: Place mesh at the base to stop soil loss while allowing water to drain.
3
Fill the bottom of the new pot with a few inches of potting soil. Add enough so that when the root ball is placed inside, the top of the root ball sits 1 inch below the pot's rim.
Fill bottom Potting soil Root ball (target) Pot rim Cross-section: Add soil until the root ball sits 1" below the rim.
4
Remove the plant from its old pot by turning it upside down and gently tapping the rim against a table. Do not pull the plant out by the stem; if it is stuck, you may break the pot as a last resort.
Tap rim Old pot Plant stem Table Avoid pulling by stem; tap the rim to loosen root ball from pot
5
Gently loosen the root ball using your fingers. If the roots are too tangled or have taken the shape of the old pot, use a sharp, clean knife to make slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep into the sides of the root ball. Trim away any dead or rotten roots with clean scissors.
Slice sides 1/4" deep Root ball Clean knife Side view · Gently break the root circle to encourage outward growth
6
Set the root ball into the new pot and fill the remaining space with potting soil. Cover the top of the root ball with a thin layer of soil, leaving 3/4 to 1 inch of space between the soil surface and the pot rim.
1" rim gap Root ball Base soil Fill gap Cross-section: Center the root ball and fill sides with fresh potting soil.
7
Water the plant thoroughly until water flows out of the drainage hole. You may add a water-soluble fertilizer to the water to help the plant recover faster.
8
Gradually introduce the plant to sunlight over the next 2 to 3 days. Avoid placing it in full sunlight immediately to prevent shocking the plant.

Pro Tips

  • Repotting is best done in spring or summer during the plant's active growth phase.
  • Avoid repotting houseplants in the middle of winter, as this can shock a dormant plant.
  • For fast-growing plants, repot once per year; slow-growing plants typically need a new pot every 2 to 3 years.
  • A clear sign it is time to repot is when roots begin poking out of the pot's drainage holes.

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