Hello, dedicated plant caregiver. I am your Pothos, a resilient and generally easy-going companion. While I'm not one to complain, the time comes when my roots start to feel a bit cramped in my current home. Repotting is a significant event in my life, a chance to stretch out and grow even more lush and vibrant for you. Let me guide you through the process from my perspective, so you can understand exactly what I need to thrive.
I can't tap you on the shoulder, so I send subtle signals. The most obvious one is when you see my roots peeking out of the drainage holes at the bottom of my pot. It's my way of waving for help! Another sign is when I seem to be drinking all the water you give me almost instantly, and the soil dries out unusually fast. This means the root ball has taken up so much space that there's very little soil left to retain moisture. You might also notice that my growth has slowed down significantly, even during my active growing seasons of spring and summer. If I seem top-heavy and tip over easily, it's a clear sign that my container is no longer proportional to my size.
Before we begin, please prepare my new supplies. I will need a new pot that is only 1 to 2 inches larger in diameter than my current one. A pot that is too large will hold excess soil and water, which can lead to root rot—a condition I am particularly afraid of. Most importantly, the new pot must have drainage holes! I do not like having "wet feet." You will also need a fresh, well-draining potting mix. A standard indoor plant mix is fine, but I especially love it if you add a handful of perlite or orchid bark to improve aeration. Please have a clean pair of scissors or pruning shears ready, some gardening gloves for your hands, and perhaps a newspaper to keep your workspace tidy.
First, please water me lightly a day or so before the repotting. This will make it easier to remove me from my current pot and reduce the shock to my system. On the day of the move, gently tilt my current pot and carefully coax me out. You might need to tap the sides and bottom of the pot. Once I'm out, it's time for a gentle root inspection. Using your fingers, softly loosen the root ball. If the roots are circling tightly around themselves, you can make a few vertical cuts with a clean knife or gently tease them apart. This encourages them to grow outward into the new soil instead of continuing in a tight circle.
Place a layer of fresh potting mix at the bottom of the new pot. The depth should be such that when you place me in the center, the top of my root ball sits about an inch below the rim of the pot. This leaves room for watering. Once I'm positioned correctly, begin filling in the space around my roots with the new potting mix. Gently firm the soil as you go to eliminate large air pockets, but please don't pack it down too tightly—my roots need room to breathe. Leave a small gap between the soil surface and the pot's rim to prevent water from overflowing.
After I'm comfortably settled, give me a thorough, gentle watering until water runs freely out of the drainage holes. This serves two purposes: it helps the new soil settle around my roots and ensures that all parts of the root ball make contact with the moisture they need. For the next few weeks, place me in a spot with bright, indirect light and hold off on fertilizing. I need this time to recover from the move and acclimate to my new environment. Your patience and care during this period will be rewarded with a fresh burst of growth very soon.
