This video shows you how to prepare your soil for houseplant repotting. These steps include wetting the soil at the proper consistency. The video shows you what the soil should look like when it is wetted for repotting.
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So today, I’m going to talk to you about preparing your soil for repotting. This is a drill down here on how moist the soil should be for repotting plants. I do cover this in other videos, but I want to cover it again here too. It is important to have your soil moistened prior to repotting.
What happens if you don’t do that is, once you repot and water the soil, it is going to sink, and you’re going to have a plant that is too low in its pot. Too low in its pot means that it will welcome in pests and diseases. I have a video on that and what happens, so you definitely want to have the plant planted at the right level. The only way to do that is to moisten the soil. When you moisten the soil, it becomes more dense, as it will when the plant is watered, and that will keep it at the right level.
You want to have a quarter of an inch rim around the top of the plant, approximately a quarter inch rim minimum of an eight-inch rim left on the top of the plant once you repot. This ensures that the water doesn’t rush over when you water. It is very common to pot up too high in the pot as well.
So, too low and too high are both common issues. The too-high scenario can lead to a situation where, when you water— and you’ve probably had this happen; I know I have—the water will flow over the side of the pot. The soil will then come out with it, and sometimes you will expose the roots even around the base of the plant. That creates a problem.
So, having the soil moist at the right moisture level will help you prevent all of those problems that we just talked about.
Okay, as you can see, this is very dry soil. I am going to add some water to this soil so I can have a demonstration for you and show you something here.
Okay, what you want is a rule of thumb for having the best soil consistency possible. You want to be able to create a ball with your soil. Then, once you wet it—however you want, and I’m over-wetting to show you here—when you squeeze it, you don’t want water flowing out of that ball. That is too wet. Too wet will cause problems; it can create too dense of a situation, and then the plants can succumb to root rot.
Water flowing out when you make it into a nice ball, like you would when you’re making a snowball, is not what you’re looking for. So, I’m going to mix in a little more dry soil into this.
Now, if that occurs, let the soil dry out or add some more dry soil to get the right consistency before repotting.
Okay, now this looks to me like the right consistency. I can make a ball with it, as you can see here, but the ball, as you can see here, will easily fall apart in my hands once I hit it a little bit with my thumb. So that right there is perfect consistency for the soil.
It’s not too wet and mushy and too dense. At the same time, it’s not really dry, so that there’s too much air space in it. It creates just the right amount of air space at the root zone. I have a video on that too, and it also talks about the consistency that you’re going to keep your plants at when in between watering.
And you do want to water once you repot, too, but this is the right consistency that it’s going to be at most of the time. This consistency will allow you to plant the plant at the right level in the pot and also give the new roots a little moisture around the roots after repotting.
Ordering the repotting process means you should water the plant after repotting.
Okay, so that is that on that. Thank you for stopping by today! Please leave any comments about any indoor gardening tutorials you’d like to see. Remember to like, comment, subscribe, and share this video, and do check the bell if you’re a subscriber and would like to be notified when we release new videos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the importance of moistening soil before repotting plants?
Moistening the soil before repotting helps prevent the plant from settling too low in its pot, which can welcome pests and diseases.
How much rim should be left around the top of the pot after repotting?
You should leave approximately a quarter of an inch rim, with a minimum of an eight-inch rim at the top of the plant once you repot, to ensure that water does not rush over the side when watering.
What happens if the soil is too dry when repotting?
If the soil is too dry, it can lead to a situation where the plant is too low in its pot after watering, which can expose the roots and create problems.
How do you achieve the right consistency for repotting soil?
The ideal consistency allows you to form a ball with the soil that will easily fall apart when gently squeezed, without water flowing out. This indicates that the soil is not too wet or too dry.
What should I do if the soil is too wet?
If the soil is too wet, let it dry out or add more dry soil to achieve the right consistency before repotting.
What should I do after repotting my plant?
After repotting, it is important to water the plant to help the new roots acclimate to the soil.
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