You might be itching to move your plant into a planter but it’ll grow better if you let it adjust to its new surroundings first. Why? 

Let the plant adjust to the new environment. Getting used to new light, humidity levels, and temperature takes time. You don't want to repot plants from growing pots simultaneously. Grow pot is like its original home where it feels safe. You can then decide to leave it as is or fully pot it into a decorative planter. 

Remember, potting a plant early on is not compulsory: as long as it looks healthy and the roots have space to keep growing you needn't lift a finger! Here are different plant parent preferences below, and what to look for when assessing if it's time to pot your plant.

Why Grow Pots Are Better for Indoor Plants

Some plant parents like keeping their plants potted in their nursery grow pots for months, as long as the plant still has room to grow. They do this for several reasons; some of which you'll read below:

  • Grow pots have drainage holes so you don't have to worry about watering.
  • Grow pots allow the use of decorative planters without drainage holes (cachepot style).
  • The decorative planter acts like a tray, catching any excess water that drains out. It prevents plants from getting root rot. 
  • It's easy to transfer your plant into a new decorative pot when changing up your decor without adding extra weight.

Did you know indoor plants also follow a seasonal cycle? The perfect timespan to repot your plant is during the spring or summer growing season. During these warmer months, plants are more actively growing and can adjust better to their new environment. Planting landscape plants, like ornamental grasses, roses, and evergreens, requires more space and attention to soil. Houseplants, such as Pothos, peace lilies, and Snake plants. They grow well indoors with less space and controlled conditions.

Steps To Pot Your Plant

Follow these easy steps to repot your plant:

1. Remove the Plant

Turn your new plant onto its side, and gently grab the stems or leaves. Gently tap the bottom of the grow pot until the plant loosens and falls out. You may have to assist a little by gently tugging on the base of the stems. If it's stuck, you can also snip through the plastic grow pot with some scissors.

2. Loosen the Roots

Now that you have taken out the grow pot, gently loosen up the roots of your plant with your hands. Trim any excessively long, threadlike roots that have overgrown. Keep the thicker roots near the base of the plant for better growth support. If your plant is root-bound or the roots keep growing around in very tight circles around the bottom of the plant you should cut off the roots.

3. Use Some Potting Mix

Take out a third or more of what's currently encircling the plant in the potting mix. As it grows in its grow pot, your plant will have removed some of the nutrition in the current mix, so you want to feed it a new mix if you are potting it anyway!

4. Add Some New Potting Mix

Add a layer of fresh potting soil to the new planter and gently press it down to remove any air pockets. If your planter does not have a drainage hole, layer the bottom with lava rocks or similar before adding the potting mix to provide crevices for the excess water to pool into.

5. Add Your Plant

Place the plant you dug from the grow pot on top of the newly spread layer of mix in the new planter. Secure the plant by adding potting mix around it. Give the roots some space to breathe. Don’t overfill the pots with soil.

6. Water And Enjoy

Smooth down and level the potting mix on the top. Water well and admire your green companion! Sometimes rainfall isn’t enough for new plants so water them according to a watering schedule.

When To Fully Pot 

Now that you know you can keep your plant in its grow pot if you like, here are some reasons you might want to eventually pot it into its planter, for aesthetic reasons or otherwise.

  • If your plant has outgrown its nursery grow pot, you’ll notice roots pushing through the drainage holes at the bottom.
  • The roots push the plant upwards, out of the grow pot.
  • Its top is heavy, so it topples over easily.
  • It is growing slower than usual (outside of winter dormancy)
  • Your plant's potting mix dries out faster than usual and must be watered more often
  • Your plant could use a fresh potting mix and more space for the spring–summer growing season.

How to Buy Plants from Eureka Farms?

Eureka Farms has an extensive selection of plants-from landscaping trees and fruit trees to Palms, houseplants, and more you want to make your home's front yard look amazing or include a little greenery to your porch, we've got you covered. Our team carefully packs and ships plants across the country so they arrive fresh and ready to grow. Being easy to care for, improving air quality, and brightening up the space, they make a great addition to work-from-home setups or any relaxing corners. Start shopping today and enjoy the joy of planting!