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Repotting Tropical Flowers |
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Keeping Tropical Flowers |
Repotting tropical plants – step 1Before repotting tropical plants, it is important to give them a lot of water. The water should be given over the course of several hours before the repotting. This will not only make it easier to remove the plants; it will also make the plants more apt to acclimatizing to their new pots and reduce the transplant chock. Repotting tropical plants – step 2Place your hand on the potting mix and invert the pot. The plant should be secured between your index and middle finger. Tap the pot against a table or similar until the root ball can be easily removed from the pot. When repotting tropical plants, it is very important never to exercise a lot of force on the stem by pulling it. If you have problems releasing the root ball, try gently rolling the pot. For severe cases, it can be necessary to place a garden hose against the drain hole of the pot and use water pressure to make the root ball slide out. If none of these methods work, you should ask yourself which item that will be most expensive to replace – the pot or the plant. (If you have a really large and heavy plant with a big pot, you will have to adjust the guidelines in part 2 to fit your plant. Repotting a big plant is easier if you have someone to help you holding it.) Repotting tropical plants – step 3If the pot was so full of roots that the roots had started to grow back into the middle of the pot, the roots need your help to realise that they can grow outwards again. Gently loosen the roots along the sides and at the base of the root ball. If you notice any dead or decaying roots, they should be pruned away. If the root ball seems exceptionally tight, you can use a sharp knife to cut away some of the roots. Slice 15 to 25 percent down the side of the root ball. Repotting tropical plants – step 4Prepare the new pot for your plant. Making sure that the pot is well draining and obtaining the right type of potting mix for each plant species is very important when repotting tropical plants. Repotting tropical plants – step 5Add some potting mix to the new pot. When the root ball is planted, the top of the root ball should be located within an inch of the pot's top. Carefully place the root ball in the new pot and make sure that the plant is straight and centred. Add potting mix around the root ball to secure it and tamp gently. Cover the top, but leave roughly ¾ of an inch or more at the top; otherwise the pot may flood and water spill over the edge when you water the plant. Repotting tropical plants – step 6Give your plant plenty of water to ensure good soil contact for the roots. Repotting tropical plants – step 7Reducing transplant chock is an important aspect of repotting tropical plants. You can reduce the risk of severe transplant chock by placing the repotted plant in a spot where it will not receive full sun during the initial period after repotting. It is better for the plant to be gradually exposed to more and more light until it is back in full light again (if it is a light craving tropical plant). It is also a good idea to let the soil dry out almost completely before you give the repotted plant any more water after step 6.
Repotting Tropical Flowers |
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