Step 4: Place In The New Home

Step 4: Place In The New Home

To Complete Repotting:

[Remember, if new roots are visible on the exterior of the root ball or are spiraled around, consider potting on, explained below, not repotting.]

• Line your cleaned original pot with drainage material. Use one-half inch to three or four inches of gravel or sand, depending on the side of the plant and pot.

Place your newly trimmed root ball in the pot. Scoop on some fresh potting soil and gently push it down the sides of the pot with your fingers. Pack the soil and water the plant lightly.

Potting On:

Do you want to pot on? Are you sure? Smaller plants prefer a smaller pot, so potting on will not aid their cause. So, if it's a small plant or shows no signs of being potbound, return to repotting (see above).

• Line the pot with drainage materials as in repotting. Cover the bottom with additional potting soil to bring the plant to its original level. Are you using a brand-new pot? See Tips.
• Create a mold for your plant by placing the original pot inside the new one. Using your fingers, slide in potting soil to fill the gap between the inner and outer pots.

Remove the original pot from the soil and replace it with your plant. Fill in any gaps and lightly water the plant.

Main Garden Guide Page

	Choosing The Proper Bulb
	Choosing The Right Gardening Tool
	Preparing A Flowerbed

This service is produced by Learn2.com, a partner of CBS.com