Yes ladies and gentlemen it's time to do the dreaded repotting! If it is cold and winter where you live its time. This is the perfect time because plants aren't growing much during this time, so less chance of shocking the poor things. Actually I enjoy doing this and it doesn't have to be expensive, garage sales are a great place to pick up flower pots so is goodwill, dollar stores, I've used five gallon buckets and two litter pop bottles before. Anything will work as long as its big enough and has drain holes, and you can put your own holes in with a hammer and nails or a drill. By the way, five gallon buckets are cheap and I've used them many times to grow veggies in when I didn't have a yard. Let's get our supplies together.
1. Newspapers, if you don't have a garden area where you can work spread them out on the floor or a table.
2. Packing peanuts, gravel, rocks from your driveway(hehe), coffee filters.
3. Hot soapy water with a little bleach in it.
4. Soil (if you buy the cheap stuff get some slow release fertilizer,or liquid)
5. Trowel,or a coffee cup and a big spoon.
6. Pots, have them already washed and dry
7. Plants of course
Gently grab the bottom of your plants(this is easier if you haven't watered them recently), and the bottom of the pot and slowly pull the plant out. If its hard to pull out make sure roots aren't coming out the bottom, if that's not the problem get a dull knife and go around the edges like you would a cake. If the roots are bound tightly gently pull them a little lose, it won't hurt them and it makes it easier for them to grow, cut off any brown or dead areas.
In the new pot I like putting a coffee filter over the holes and then some rocks or packing peanuts. Coffee filters keep the dirt inside easier and help the plant retain moister longer. Then put your dirt in and make sure dirt is the same level on the plant as it was before. If using cheap dirt mix some fertilizer in it or in the water that you'll water them with after the transplant. See easy!
Just a few tips here: when the weather starts chilling and you bring your indoors plants back inside take them directly into the bathroom and give them a shower, run water through them until they seem like they might be drowning, this will get any bugs out that might have made your plants home during the summer. I also shower my plants at least monthly in the winter to get all the dust off their leaves, I just don't drown them. Don't put oil or anything on their leaves to make them shinny, it's how they breathe and they don't need it to be shinny anyway, that's why you shower them, except for plants that their leaves are 'furry' (like violets) they don't like their leaves wet. If your kitty likes using your plants for a bathroom put rocks over the dirt, those small bags of white rocks are cheap and look nice.
If you live where it's warm now it's time to start thinking about ordering your bulbs to plant for this fall(check my left side, these are the company's I trust and use) and if it's winter time where you live have you started looking at seeds yet? Thinking about what you want to add to your beds this spring? What veggies you want? I like to try a new veggie every year in my veggie garden. And when I was younger(and broker) I would add a new perennial or two every year. They can be expensive, and that was before I knew to buy them in August or September when they go on sale, I still buy my Mums at that time so they can get established before it gets cold. I also start a lot of my plants from seeds and next month I have plans to tell you all my secretes, I have a lot of good ones!
1. Newspapers, if you don't have a garden area where you can work spread them out on the floor or a table.
2. Packing peanuts, gravel, rocks from your driveway(hehe), coffee filters.
3. Hot soapy water with a little bleach in it.
4. Soil (if you buy the cheap stuff get some slow release fertilizer,or liquid)
5. Trowel,or a coffee cup and a big spoon.
6. Pots, have them already washed and dry
7. Plants of course
Gently grab the bottom of your plants(this is easier if you haven't watered them recently), and the bottom of the pot and slowly pull the plant out. If its hard to pull out make sure roots aren't coming out the bottom, if that's not the problem get a dull knife and go around the edges like you would a cake. If the roots are bound tightly gently pull them a little lose, it won't hurt them and it makes it easier for them to grow, cut off any brown or dead areas.
In the new pot I like putting a coffee filter over the holes and then some rocks or packing peanuts. Coffee filters keep the dirt inside easier and help the plant retain moister longer. Then put your dirt in and make sure dirt is the same level on the plant as it was before. If using cheap dirt mix some fertilizer in it or in the water that you'll water them with after the transplant. See easy!
Just a few tips here: when the weather starts chilling and you bring your indoors plants back inside take them directly into the bathroom and give them a shower, run water through them until they seem like they might be drowning, this will get any bugs out that might have made your plants home during the summer. I also shower my plants at least monthly in the winter to get all the dust off their leaves, I just don't drown them. Don't put oil or anything on their leaves to make them shinny, it's how they breathe and they don't need it to be shinny anyway, that's why you shower them, except for plants that their leaves are 'furry' (like violets) they don't like their leaves wet. If your kitty likes using your plants for a bathroom put rocks over the dirt, those small bags of white rocks are cheap and look nice.
If you live where it's warm now it's time to start thinking about ordering your bulbs to plant for this fall(check my left side, these are the company's I trust and use) and if it's winter time where you live have you started looking at seeds yet? Thinking about what you want to add to your beds this spring? What veggies you want? I like to try a new veggie every year in my veggie garden. And when I was younger(and broker) I would add a new perennial or two every year. They can be expensive, and that was before I knew to buy them in August or September when they go on sale, I still buy my Mums at that time so they can get established before it gets cold. I also start a lot of my plants from seeds and next month I have plans to tell you all my secretes, I have a lot of good ones!
1 comment:
I only keep mine inside during the winter..my ivy and my aloe vera..Dexter thinks they're to eat or lay on..
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