Join Debi Holland as she shows you exactly how to repot a plant step by step. From choosing the right new pot and peat-free compost to properly hydrating your plant and preparing your pot, Debi covers everything you need to know to give your plant the best start in its new home.
How to repot a plant
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If a plant has been sitting in a small nursery pot for a long time, the roots can become pot-bound. Sometimes you can see the original growing plug at the top. It’s time to move the plant into a slightly larger pot with fresh peat-free compost.
Hydrate the root ball and choose a pot. Dip the nursery pot in a bucket of water until the bubbles stop. Choose a new container one or two sizes larger, with a drainage hole. If you’re using unglazed terracotta, soak it first so it draws less moisture from the compost. Remove any dead stems or leaves.
Use the old pot to shape the planting hole. Prepare your compost. I hydrate a block of Richard Jackson’s peat-free Easy Compost, then put a crock over the drainage hole and part-fill the new pot. Set the nursery pot in the centre and fill around it. Lift it out to leave an imprint the size of the root ball.
Settle the plant in. Squeeze the sides of the nursery pot gently to free the plant, then tease out the roots a little. Set it into the hole and firm it in. Leave a little space below the rim so water can soak in without washing compost over the edge. Give the plant a good water. I also use Richard Jackson’s Flower Power feed.
