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Repotting overgrown plants
Does someone have a good idea about how I could repot these? They have quite weak stems and I'm afraid that I'm going to break them. I was on a 2 week vacation and didn't think that they were going to grow this much.
- rainbowgardener
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What are they?
Repotting isn't hard. Supporting the stem with one hand, just slide the whole root ball out of the pot. If the roots are circling around, you need to loosen them up so they are hanging straight down.
Before you start, have the pot you are moving to ready. Should be twice as big and already have potting mix in the bottom. Put enough potting mix in so the plant will sit at the same level it was before.. Hold the stem upright and fill in around the root ball with fresh potting mix.
Repotting isn't hard. Supporting the stem with one hand, just slide the whole root ball out of the pot. If the roots are circling around, you need to loosen them up so they are hanging straight down.
Before you start, have the pot you are moving to ready. Should be twice as big and already have potting mix in the bottom. Put enough potting mix in so the plant will sit at the same level it was before.. Hold the stem upright and fill in around the root ball with fresh potting mix.
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For the big one, get a long enough pole or even a straight tree or shrub branch stripped of leaves and side branches. Secure it tightly to the short stake you already have first, then loosely tie the entire plant to this new support.
WATER WELL. Then gently lay the whole thing on its side on a sturdy cardboard, supporting the BRANCH with something to keep level and avoid crushing the plant/leaves.
You should be able to pull off the pot after pushing on its sides to loosen, and maybe with some help. Use the support stakes for handling as much as possible. Loosen potbound roots gently but don't worry about it too much.
Prep the (much) bigger pot. Lift the rootball with the cardboard as support (obviously with corrugated cardboard the lines should be vertical so you could enfold the rootball) - someone else should be supporting the upper part with the stake. Slide it in. Fill the rest of the container with potting mix and water well.
...something like that. Well near enough. I don't worry about the roots so much unless it's a long-lived perennial or a houseplant. Ha. Yeah rainbow is right -- the new pot should be nearly ready before removing the plant from old pot, minimize root exposure.
WATER WELL. Then gently lay the whole thing on its side on a sturdy cardboard, supporting the BRANCH with something to keep level and avoid crushing the plant/leaves.
You should be able to pull off the pot after pushing on its sides to loosen, and maybe with some help. Use the support stakes for handling as much as possible. Loosen potbound roots gently but don't worry about it too much.
Prep the (much) bigger pot. Lift the rootball with the cardboard as support (obviously with corrugated cardboard the lines should be vertical so you could enfold the rootball) - someone else should be supporting the upper part with the stake. Slide it in. Fill the rest of the container with potting mix and water well.
...something like that. Well near enough. I don't worry about the roots so much unless it's a long-lived perennial or a houseplant. Ha. Yeah rainbow is right -- the new pot should be nearly ready before removing the plant from old pot, minimize root exposure.
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Thanks for the advice.rainbowgardener wrote:What are they?
Repotting isn't hard. Supporting the stem with one hand, just slide the whole root ball out of the pot. If the roots are circling around, you need to loosen them up so they are hanging straight down.
Before you start, have the pot you are moving to ready. Should be twice as big and already have potting mix in the bottom. Put enough potting mix in so the plant will sit at the same level it was before.. Hold the stem upright and fill in around the root ball with fresh potting mix.
I didn't say what they are because I don't know. They might be some sort of weeds but I kept them because I like how they look like and I think the bigger one is going to flower soon.
- rainbowgardener
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