Hello, human. I am your impatiens plant. From my tightly coiled, crowded pot, I feel the changing seasons and hear your thoughts of renewal. I am ready. Repotting is not just a chore for you; it is a journey of liberation and growth for me. Let me guide you through what I need to feel safe, nourished, and able to flourish.
Before you begin, you must understand my distress. My roots are a tangled mass, circling the inside of my current pot, searching for new territory that isn't there. I may be drying out too quickly after watering, or my growth may have stunted. Please prepare my new home—a new pot that is only 1 to 2 inches larger in diameter than my current one. A palace that is too vast will hold excessive damp soil, and my roots, seeking moisture, may succumb to rot before they can colonize it. Ensure this new vessel has a drainage hole; my roots dread swimming. Have a fresh, well-draining potting mix ready. I am a hungry plant, and I crave a rich, fluffy medium to stretch into.
Please be gentle. Water me thoroughly a few hours before this operation. This hydrates me, reducing transplant shock, and makes the root ball more cohesive and easier to slide out. Tip my current pot sideways, support my stems with your fingers, and gently coax me out. If I resist, you can tap the pot's rim on a solid surface or carefully run a knife around the inside edge. Do not pull me by my stems, as they are brittle and my connection to the world.
Now, look at my roots. You will see a dense, matted web. This circular growth pattern must be broken. With your fingers, gently tease apart the outer roots at the bottom and sides of the root ball. Loosen them so they understand they are free to grow outward again. For severely bound roots, you may need to make several vertical cuts, about an inch deep, into the sides of the root ball with a clean knife. You can also prune away up to one-third of the very bottom of the root mass. This might seem harsh, but it stimulates vigorous new root growth directly into the fresh soil.
Place a layer of fresh potting mix in the bottom of the new pot. The depth should be such that when I am placed on top of it, my crown—where my stems meet my roots—will sit just slightly below the pot's rim. Center me in the pot. Holding me steady, begin backfilling around the sides with the new soil. Gently firm the soil as you go to eliminate large air pockets, but do not compact it too tightly. My new roots need air and space to move. Leave about an inch of space at the top for watering.
My final request is a deep, thorough watering. This settles the soil around my roots and provides the essential moisture I need to begin my recovery. Water until it flows freely from the drainage hole. After this, place me in a sheltered location for a few days—a spot with bright, indirect light but out of harsh, direct sun and strong winds. This allows me to focus my energy on root establishment without the stress of supporting full transpiration. Please withhold fertilizer for a few weeks; my tender new roots are too sensitive for it now.
