Are your plants looking a little cramped and lacklustre? It could be time to give them a bigger, better home in a new pot. 

When is the best time to repot plants?

The best time to repot plants is at the beginning of the growth period. This will vary per plant – it could be summer, winter, autumn or spring. To prevent your plants from being undersupplied and cramped, they should be repotted at regular intervals. 

Our team doesn’t recommend repotting a plant during its rest period, as moisture can accumulate in the soil and the roots can begin to rot. The following generally applies: houseplants should be repotted every two to three years. 

How to tell if your plant needs to be potted up

You can usually tell the right time for repotting by the appearance of the plant roots on the surface. The reason for this is that over time, plants produce more and more roots, which take up all the soil in the pot. 

If you want to be sure, lift the plant out of the pot; this will allow you to inspect the existing roots. Occasionally, the roots will actually crack the pot, or the pot will tip over all the time. This means the pot is too small for the plant. 

Repotting is also necessary when you see a crust of white stuff on plant soil, as this may be the result of using water that’s too hard or salinisation. Also, look out for declining or stunted growth, pale and dull leaves, and water that drains very quickly through the soil. 

Choose the right pot

The new pot should be approximately 2cm larger than the previous one. Clay pots or plastic pots can be used here, but clay containers are the best pots for indoor plants because the water can evaporate more easily and water-logging occurs less frequently.

Stop by your local Stodels Garden Centre and take advantage of our free potting-up services. Pick up essentials like a pot, potting soil and bonemeal and we’ll handle the dirty work. 

For more tips on repotting plants, read these blogs: 

• Repotting Succulents
• Step-by-step Guide to Repotting Plants