Repot luck

Spring is the best time to repot houseplants. It is the time when roots are actively growing and the plants will be able to quickly overcome the shock caused by repotting.

Why Repot?
While repotting a plant may not be your favorite gardening chore, from time to time it is necessary to keep your plants growing vigorously. They've most likely been cooped up inside your house all winter with dry air, dust, drafts, low light, and even pollution from the household products that you routinely use. They need a bit of sprucing up and rejuvenation.
Several signs may indicate that your plant needs to be repotted. If it needs to be watered constantly, it most likely has too many roots and too little soil. You may notice roots growing on the surface of the soil or out the hole in the bottom of the pot. Occasionally a plant will push out of a pot or actually break it. Soil may become hard and impermeable, or a white crusty salt build-up may be evident on the surface of the soil.

First Steps
Wait to begin this process until nighttime temperatures do not fall below the 60s. Water the plants well three or four days before repotting to allow them to be as turgid and full of water as possible before disturbing the root system.
The first step is to remove the plant from its pot. Invert the pot, grasp the main stem, and give a gentle tug. Hopefully it will slip out of the pot easily. If it does not, a butter knife or other tool can be used to loosen the roots from the sides of the pot. You may even have to hit the edge of the upside down pot on the side of your potting table to jar it loose. If, after all this, the plant still refuses to budge from its pot, you may have to resort to drastic measures. The pot may have to be broken.

Decisions
The next step is to decide whether you want the plant to grow larger or whether you want it to maintain its present size. If you want it to grow larger, repot it in a pot that is an inch or two greater in diameter than the old pot. Never place in a pot that is much larger than the original pot. It will take the roots a long time to fill their new space at the expense of vigorous new top growth.
To maintain the present size, prune the roots and repot to the same container. To root-prune your plant, simply trim the outer inch or two of roots with a sharp knife or shears, and place it back in its original container. Add fresh soil around the edges and water in well. A bit of top pruning might be in order so that the downsized root system will be able to support the top growth.

Cautions
Sometime houseplants may be simply too large to repot. You might choose to top-dress them with fresh potting mix. Remove a bit of the old soil from the surface and spread a fresh layer of soil mix on the surface. Pack it in gently and water thoroughly.
Place your newly potted plant in a protected place for a week or two to give it a chance to become acclimated to its new home without additional stressors. Do not be overly concerned if your plant wilts for the first few days. It will soon bounce back and be better than ever.

Marie Harrison is a Master Gardener Volunteer with the University of Florida IFAS Extension in Okaloosa County. Her books, Gardening in the Coastal South, Southern Gardening, an Environmentally Sensitive Approach, and Groundcovers for the South are now available. Visit her Web site www.mariesgarden.com to read gardening hints and other information of interest to gardeners.