12 Deadly Repotting Mistakes to Avoid!

[@lelfah]

This is the best advice I've seen from a plant person. So many people say to not repot plants after bringing them home and thats terrible advice. Thank you, new subscriber here, love from UK 🌱

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!💚

[@MrWolfheart111]

plant people are awsome :)

[@tierrawilliams4849]

All this is very informative. I had to learn all these over time and I didn’t have the information for these. Bringing plants home I didn’t check the soil nor roots. When buying a bunch of Chinese evergreens I learned of the cages around the roots. Had to regrow the roots because of it. I definitely will pot up more than two pot sizes due to drying out too fast and depending on the plant. Been growing plants for about 5 years now. I experiment now and love to propagate. Plants are so intriguing. Thanks for the tips. We need to hear this.

[@Stargazer-vk6vz]

I soooooo agree with you about new plants being in high peat mix (growers inexpensive potting mix) and the new plant gets root rot so very quickly and then dies...

[@amandaamanda5398]

Peat moss doesn't cause root rot by itself, especially chunky peat moss. Good quality peat moss is clean, airy, and extremely well-drained. If there's root rot, usually it's because the potting mix is contaminated with other stuff, such as garden soil, clay soil, dirty compost, etc. I often mix peat moss and lechuza pon as the base of my potting mix. Chunky peat moss with chunky pon for plants with thick roots such as monsteras and philodendrons, and fine peat with fine pon for plants with very fine roots such as begonias and peperomias. My experience is that, as long as your potting mix is clean and airy enough, the plant don't get root rot even if you use a much larger pot for it.

[@amandaamanda5398]

Oh sorry, you mean peat, not peat moss. Yes I agree that peat is usually bad news. All organic materials are subject to root rot. ( Peat moss is organic literally speaking, but usually it's treated as inorganic.)

[@PhiliciaTaylor]

I like the sound of birds 🐦

[@pinstripesuitandheels]

Me too!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

The random crow that took over the chimney spot last night threw me and the cats for a loop lol. Sooooo much louder than the mockingbird! But love me a big beautiful black crow 🐦‍⬛

[@pinstripesuitandheels]

I'm an avid repotter, and have killed many a newly acquired plant with my repotting fever. Thank you for another greatly informative video! P.s. the "Tap and Slap" is giving me Legally Blonde "Bend and Snap" vibes. Maybe you could make T-shirts with the words Legally Green on the front, and "Tap and Slap!" with a preppy picture of repotting on the back.

[@msscamp100]

😂😂 Love it! I would buy one!

[@msscamp100]

Excellent video! If I may be so bold as to suggest one thing? Plants growing in the wild are not contained by the walls of a planter, so circling is not an issue. Sure, their roots run into trees, rocks, etc, but they just go around those obstacles or continue to grow next to them. Other than that, the information in this video is spot on, and very much appreciated! Thank you.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

💯 My point in talking about roots in the wild was that roots will find a way no matter what, including if you don’t break them up when repotting, they will find their way into the new substrate when you put them in a larger pot. In fact, that’s the exact reason I had to have very expensive foundation repairs done at my last house. A few years prior to that we installed a “wall” aka root barrier, but that tree’s roots still found their way under the house and jacked up the foundation royally lol.

[@msscamp100]

@@AlohaPlantLife Oh yeah! Tree roots are a whole different story than most plant roots. They will screw with anything they are near, including septic tanks and sewer pipes in addition to foundations. I don't have trees close to my house, and I never will for that very reason. Something else that will seriously screw with concrete - be it a foundation or an irrigation ditch - are grasses that form a mat of roots, such as Brome grass.

[@Phebestreet]

Your videos are so thorough and informative. Thank you so much.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!💚

[@zahiralopez1131]

In January, I bought a 4in pot of Philo. Brasil at a big box store, and it went downhill quickly. I normally wait about a month to repot, and when I checked, it was all unrooted cuttings! So yes, it still happens. I put them all in a little cup with fluval to root, and now it is doing very well.

[@noelle7714]

How do you feel about root pruning? I’ve heard that it’s good for them and I’ve done it several times. Would you talk about that and give us some tips.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Guessing you hadn’t gotten to that part of the video yet when you posted this. I’m totally down with root pruning💚

[@Beepbeep_its_treasure]

I'm so glad I finally found this after using several search words. My alocasias have come in some tightly bound weird stringy substrate that doesn't look or feel like soil at all, but I'm so scared to do anything as I don't want to shock them and I've heard that they need acclimating

[@wishingonthemoon1]

Love the video! These are excellent tips. Even as a planty veteran, I totally get either too impatient and get repotting fever or I get too lazy and don’t do things properly. The bird sounds are very nice! It’s good background noise I think :) of course that doesn’t change the fact it’s probably distracting for you, so it doesn’t matter if we like it or not because it’s probably driving you nuts 😆 hope it’s not so bad for you.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I think it’s more of an issue for the cats than me lol. They’re like, “Where the heck is it??? I must try and catch it.”

[@wishingonthemoon1]

@@AlohaPlantLife ahaha that must be fun

[@Catplanty]

I just got a string of turtles and it’s definitely in the wrong soil (no drainage whatsoever). However I’ve been afraid of killing its fine roots off while repotting it. How do you repot those fine rooted plants? I’ve heard people recommend drying it out altogether so that the soil falls off easier but I don’t wanna dry it too much bc it needs the water 😩 any suggestions are highly appreciated 🙊

[@franchancock9479]

Good vid with one exception, as someone who has worked in retail nurseries we hate people who advise to slip a plant out of its pot to check roots, in spring as you say in the clip much product is repotted and as staff I was constantly finding a pile of new soil on the pathway and a plant just dumped loosely back in its pot without its new soil and heaven knows where the label went

[@melmac5173]

Have a question about potting. Picked up an anthurium wrapped in damp sphagnum at an import (Ecugenera) pop up. I removed the sphagnum to check the roots and have them rehydrating in water bare rooted for an hour. What should I put them in for their acclimation? Your acclimation video was really helpful but this is my first time with direct from importer and don’t want to hurt my plants. 😁Water only until signs of growth? Thanks. You are a tremendous help for all of us!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Water for no more than a week and as long as roots still look good pot up into epiphyte mix💚

[@turogers13]

I love your advice. ❤ Yes, I just purchased an Aglomena that I repotted the second day and ended up putting it in 2 sizes smaller.

[@ashleyengland1904]

This video was extremely helpful! Thank you so much! I always wanted a house full of plants, but couldn’t keep them alive to save my life. I gave up trying for many years, but figured out about five years ago that I could keep succulents alive.😀 Last year, I decided to give it another go with houseplants and have not lost one yet. 🤞🏼🤞🏼 I am completely addicted to growing my collection and have found the process of caring for them to be incredibly rewarding and therapeutic. I still have a lot to learn and appreciate the level of detail you included in this video! Thank you again! ❤️

[@Lela-plants]

Thank you! My scindapus pictus was a whole giant pot of half-rooted cuttings. It was beautiful for a week or so then things started yellowing. Checked it and they were just barely rooted and then shoved in dirt. Cleaned it up, put the strugglers in moss and when they rooted better I added them back to the pot. I was floored they were actually selling it. Maybe they assumed it would sit at the store longer and grow in? Or maybe they were just goobers…

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I vote goobers💚

[@chuck9693]

This was extremely helpful. Thank you.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You're very welcome!💚

[@katrienadummett576]

I tend to repot every time I bring one home.... They always seem to do well. It's almost like okay they're in shock now, yes, but now they go through shock overall one time versus now AND later once it "acclimates" Often I see with the vining "barely rooted" cuttings, store bought, they're crammed in there like a pack of spaghetti and I end up separating them out , then they do better verses if I left them all together.

[@dora9368]

This video was right on time as I have many plants to repot. Thanks Drea for your expert advice... love it ❤️😊

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You are so welcome!💚

[@artful1967]

very very helpful and informative thank you. I find all to often that the soil plants are sold in is either inappropriate or just washed out. Rather than trying to get nutrients back into that soil I just prefer to get it into a new batch of the correct potting compost. More time upfront but much less time in the long run.

[@chrislynch1011]

🇦🇺 Fantastic advice Drea, great information and explanations. As an avid outdoor gardener I don't have a fear of repotting, but it wasn't until recently I worked out about pots being too big as an issue... At the cost of a pothos and an adansonni 😅 I repot everything, firstly because of the plugs - I've never had a plant do well with those - even outdoor plants! But also when plants are sent bare rooted they have to be repotted anyway so now I have no fear lol. Thanks for explaining the roots coming out of the bottom doesn't always mean repot... I get caught out on that one Have a great week

[@benjaminreid5339]

Great video, well-chosen information to share with everyone. Thank you

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!💚

[@elysemattocks1495]

Yes agree not alot of roots in pots from some big box stores and they cage the bottoms together 😢 I've tried saving a few

[@louisehondel2761]

I had some hoyas and others not doing well and some on death's door. I put them in glass with no drain vesicles. All are doing better! Definitely have to consider the substrate and only let water collect at the very bottom.

[@wanderotter4667]

I repotthem right away, and often in leca too. Yolo. I learned a lot from this video.

[@cynthiagrossman569]

Ive been watching plant videos and seeing people pot up a plant and then proceed to press down extremely hard on the soil mix and you can actually hear the roots crumble crunching. I was always taught to gently tap the pot like you showed.

[@melmac5173]

Of your soil mixes, which do you recommend for anthuriums?

[@melmac5173]

Aha! Just found it on your video about soil mixes. Thought I’d written down all the varieties you mentioned for the epiphytic blend, but missed anthuriums. Thanks for having the resource available.

[@Stargazer-vk6vz]

Amanda... do you have any begonias??? I seem to remember that you have big Angel Wing... but do you have any other cane or rex begonias?? If you do could you do a video on repotting the Rex and Canes? Thank you...

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I unfortunately don’t have any experience as of yet with Rex begonia

[@vivacora1969]

Love your video, thanks for all the advice! Another reason why I will repot or mess with the roots when I bring in a new plant, is when I find those fabric plugs that are not decomposing and are actually stunting the growth of a plant. The number of fabric plugs I found just in the last few months is crazy! My poor Peperomia Hope wasn't growing as I expected, and wondered why. Took it out of the pot, messed around with the roots, and actually found 3 plugs! In one pot! I've had that plant for a while, and those plugs were still very much intact, and the poor roots barely could grow through them.

[@Heather3laine]

Yes. I just repotted my new Alocasia and found 2 fabric plugs strangling the roots.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

💯 I totally should have mentioned that in the video 🤦‍♀️

[@GreenWitch1]

Oh girl. I just repotted an Alocasia that dried out in Stratum (I hate that stuff), and proceeded to water with half strength liquid dirt 🤦🏼‍♀️ Hopefully, it’ll be ok.

[@loxieshillingstad895]

GREAT information!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Glad it was helpful!💚

[@carmelodriscoll6155]

Great video 🪴 Your channel is so informative and I’ve learned so much, thank you 😊

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You are so welcome!!💚

[@ashleyarias8030]

Great video ! New plant parent and i have killed about 3 plants already 😭

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Well hopefully this helps reverse that trend 🤞🏻

[@elizabethdugu]

Very informative video, thanks a bunch!! When you were root pruning the pothos and putting it back into the same pot, do you add more soil? The roots of my pothos is very similar to yours

[@LeafyConversations]

Thank you for this awesome video. I have pretty much found out everything you said here is my truth as well. I’ll be sharing this video.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!💚

[@cindywannamaker5299]

I have 2 Syndapsus that I had to cut back, runners and all that. Now there are fewer leaves. Do you suggest planting in a smaller container now. I'm thinking leaves to soul ratio is off now. Root system is not that big

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Might be a good idea💚

[@SalVirji-g1z]

Thanks for the information, it will be super helpful. Had a question regarding root pruning, would you recommend root pruning a calathea maranta?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You can, they will probably throw a slightly bigger fit than some other plants, but definitely avoid cutting through actual tubers

[@SalVirji-g1z]

@AlohaPlantLife great thanks, they are very temperamental, just re potted on in a larger pot and the leaves have started to dancing to the yellow tune 😃

[@dianneanderson7057]

Great advice, thank you ❤🦜🌱💕

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You are so welcome!💚

[@torquess454]

I totally repot too soon in cases 😊I’ll repot after bringing it home if the soil isn’t right, if it’s too wet, root bound etc I just about lost my Hoya crinkle 8 big hanging basket to root rot cause it was just vine cuttings packed in a big basket like you said, it definitely stayed wet for too long, I don’t want to be nosey but noticed you’re quite shakey, do you drink too much coffee like me too? My mom is due to Lupus, an autoimmune disease, and the shakiness runs in our family, mine is in my neck/head when I’m tired or stressed I never did any research when I owned plants back in my 20’s in no drainage pots, they did ok, but I was busy back then and I ignored them a bit 😂 Now they’re all with drainage! This was very thorough, well done love ❤

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I have a neurological condition called essential tremors that causes me to shake💚

[@torquess454]

@@AlohaPlantLife aww sorry! well, you do amazingly regardless ♥️

[@SleeepyZzZ]

Oooh i was looking forward to this! I messaged you on instagram about my mums plants and I feel like you addressed a lot of what I discussed! The plants are slowly bouncing back after being in a new substrate, dropping leaves and turning yellow but they're still looking sad. You've mentioned the next step would be to check the roots? I want to do this so badly but I don't want to send them into anymore shock. Will this be okay? Some of them are in clear nursery pots and others aren't. Thank you again for another informative video!!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It will be ok to check them💚

[@TheREALDanontheMoon]

Great information- and so thorough-- I'm really glad I found your channel!! This is how you get a subscribe

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!💚

[@renatecormick7399]

I’m just sitting here watching this video and almost at the end I have a huge guilty feeling because I committed one of the worst sins this morning ….repotted a new plant and added some slow release fertiliser, and we’re just into autumn, with nights getting cooler etc etc. What was I thinking! I’m not new to growing houseplants and should have known better. So it shows that even experienced growers make mistakes. 😂

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It’s ok! Things happen!💚

[@sachi0488]

Thank you for the video! for plants with roots sticking out of the pot (especially ones with multiple drainage holes), is there risk of the roots drying up if the plant doesn't get repotted?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

The ends might dry up but the rest of the root that is still up in the pot will be fine💚

[@passive-panda]

Thank you for your video it was very useful! I have a quick question if you don’t mind me asking. Is it better and safer to unwind roots which have recently been watered or to unwind relatively dry roots? I’m struggling with a dilemma all the time.. Same questing with repotting in general. Should I water plants a couple of days before repotting or should I wait until they are on a drier side. 😢 Thank you again!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

They’re usually easier to unwind when they’re damp, but you don’t want to repot when a plant has just been watered. Ideally it should be about ready to be watered again so that you can water it after you repot it.

[@amieefowler]

Hi! Is there a fertilizer out there anywhere that is suitable for all plants? Just trying to find one that can be used on all of mine instead of having to use a bunch of different ones. Thanks😊

[@mwatson4970]

I find super thrive works nicely for all of my plants, or miracle grow blue powder fertilizer if doing indoor only plants since it's more synthetic mix ingredients. I only fertilize 1ce or 2x per season to keep plants fairly compact but so far, so good.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I use the same fertilizer on all my plants in soil (I use a different thing for my plants in leca): www.amazon.com/dp/B00P8EG8XQ?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzan061ad3-20&creativeASIN=B00P8EG8XQ&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2MJTJE3FMRF0I&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_m_asin

[@agathan.944]

First rule of choosing containers for repotting - start from the biggest size. It could be necessary to get some bigger size pottery, and then hand-me-down process should work. When shopping for pottery, do not buy just one of the kind pot. Buy two or three, maybe the same finish but different size. Using them on the same level or across the room gives a cohesive impression for the whole interior.

[@jefftucker9225]

I repot when I bring them home, never had any problems, my advice is to do what works for you

[@mamabear9389]

I purchased a gigantic lipstick plant about 6 months ago. I repotted it in better soil but there was alot of the peat type soil packed around the roots and I could not get all of this soil off without destroying the roots but got off a fair amount. I fear the middle of the plant stays wetter with the outside drier. So far it is doing great but I live in fear of over watering it.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I would feel the same way💚

[@Stargazer-vk6vz]

When it's a bigger plant and set up in the peat that won't come off, especially with fragile roots I have found sitting the plant in a bucket of water for a couple of days and it really loosens the heavy peat so you can get it off... If you are really worried about your new plant is going to get root rot, you might try this.....

[@mamabear9389]

@@Stargazer-vk6vz Thanks!

[@scottgalbreath5707]

We have bought soil from let's say Walmart (Miracle-Gro or Pro Mix) not terrible soil. We recently found a local hardware store that sells potting soil (Organic) and it contains earth worm castings so that soil is honestly going to have the necessary ingredients per say and natural fertilizer already in it and our plants absolutely love it. Now bare in mind the soil mixture does have perlite in the mixture but I add more because I find it doesn't have enough and I prefer my soil to drain properly and not retain water or be so clumpy to where it's going to cause my plants root rot. I love and prefer a well draining soil. The store bought soils with the slow release fertilizer is good as well. Some plants you buy in the store already have the slow release fertilizer and I won't give the plants that have this any additional fertilizer for at least 3-6 months.

[@silviap4478]

Thank you for this video. I am happy about the last tip you gave. I have repotted a lot of plants a couple weeks ago and one of those was my Croton. For me the Croton is a really easy going plant, but suddenly it threw off its lower leaves after the repot. One after another they dropped. At first I was worried, but then I remembered that those leaves were also around two years old, so it's okay to throw them off after a big change. More importantly, the new leaves look good and new growth is happening, so all is good

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Crotons are notorious for not liking to be moved/handled. They will throw leaves at you for any little accidental nudge of the pot never mind an actual repot lol. The one I used to have popped off a least a third of its leaves while I was repotting it the first time. As long as it’s still pushing out new growth you should be fine💚

[@msscamp100]

@AlohaPlantLife Drea, I rewatched this video and I was completely out of line with my suggest about circling plant roots. I very sincerely apologize. I'm not sure how I misunderstood, but I most certainly did and I am sorry.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

No worries!💚💚💚

[@JJ-ec9lp]

9/10 times I repot my syngonium it’s into the same pot just to make the roots that grow straight to the bottom sit more towards the middle lol

[@matthewzacher8879]

I want an "I'm so shocked" mug.

[@takeshii]

Omg I wish this vid existed 2 weeks earlier before I committed like half of these with my syngoniums lol

[@seanbrown8920]

I repot to ensure I don’t bring in fungus gnats 😊.

[@chuck9693]

This is the exact reason why I had to repot

[@scottgalbreath5707]

I always inspect my plants first before repotting by pulling them out of their pot and make a judgment call based on what I see and how much root to soil ratio I have. Two, I make sure after I have repotted my plants and before I take them to the sink to water them, I take a wooden stick or chopsticks and poke the soil well and then give it water to eliminate and or lessen and chance of the soil being too compact. This way the water can drain more easily. I have been very fortunate that my plants I buy from the big box stores aren't necessarily in the wrong type of soil and haven't had to repot one upon bringing it home.

[@Overthisgeneration]

I don’t think the bird bothers anyone but you 😂

[@AlohaPlantLife]

He doesn’t so much bother me as I worry it’s distracting for some of you watching the video lol. But last night a crow took his place and let me tell you that was soooo much louder, it was insane. The cats were just standing in front of the fireplace staring like they were going to try to climb in there and get him😂

[@virginiamartinez391]

💚🌿💚🌿

[@janethemesath4758]

What plants are you talking about?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

What do you mean? The video is talking about repotting plants in general

[@kc-a7907]

So what’s Aloha got to do with you being in Texas. Kinda mis-leading…

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Not at all misleading and I made a video all about it: Chatty Repot with Me | Get to know me and why I started this channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKqZpmqVjdytask

[@pudik2008]

Great useful tips! 💚💚🪴🌿

[@JaimeyDaryRivera]

Thanks for all this information.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome💚