Repotting · 5 min read
When to repot a plant — and when not to
Most plants are repotted too soon, into pots that are too big. Here is how to know it is actually time.
The signs it is genuinely time
Roots growing out of the drainage hole, or circling the surface of the soil. Water running straight through without wetting anything. A plant that dries out within two or three days in summer. And growth that has stopped despite good light and sensible watering.
Slow growth on its own is not a reason
A plant in winter, or in low light, is supposed to slow down. Repotting it then adds stress at the point it can least handle it. Wait for spring and for at least two of the signs above.
One size up, never three
A pot two inches wider in diameter is right. Too much fresh compost holds water the roots cannot reach, which turns the middle of the pot into a permanently wet zone — the fastest route to root rot we see.
Drainage is not optional
A decorative pot with no hole is a cover, not a home. Keep the plant in a plastic nursery pot inside it, lift it out to water, and let it drain fully before it goes back.
How to do it without setting the plant back
Water the plant a day beforehand so the root ball holds together. Ease it out, loosen the outer roots with your fingers and cut away anything black or mushy. Sit it in the new pot at the same depth it was before — burying the stem invites rot — and firm fresh compost around the sides rather than compacting it from above.
Do not feed for a month
Fresh compost already contains nutrients, and damaged roots cannot use fertiliser. Water it in, put it back in its usual spot, and leave it alone.
When to top-dress instead
For a large plant you would rather not disturb, scrape off the top inch of tired compost each spring and replace it with fresh. It buys a year or two and avoids the shock of a full repot entirely.
Written by our growers in Portland. Last reviewed June 2026.
Written by our growers in Kolkata. Last reviewed June 2026.
