As our plants grow they need slightly larger containers. If we don’t transplant them, in the short or medium term growth will stagnate and there will come a time when the roots will not only run out of nutrients, but the plants will also end up dying.
It is for this reason that it is very necessary to acquire large pots, especially if we have trees, palm trees or other types of plants that reach important sizes. But how do you know when the time has come to use them?
Index
- 1 Identify the signs of the need for a transplant
- 2 When to use a large pot
Identify the signs of the need for a transplant
Before knowing that a plant needs a larger pot, you have to identify those signs that will indicate that it has that need. They are the following:
- Roots begin to poke through the drainage holes.
- The plant has been a few months or even years that, despite looking good, has not grown at all.
- When taking it by the trunk or main stem and wanting to extract it from the pot, it comes out without problems, with the entire root ball.
If it shows any of these signs or if it has never been repotted since it was purchased, it is a good idea to repot it .
When to use a large pot
The large pot is designed to hold a large plant, or a group of small plants. Each time it is transplanted, pots that are between 3 and 5cm wider than the previous one should be chosen , unless they are fast growing, in which case those that are between 6 and 10cm larger will be more advisable.
Depth is also an issue that we must take into account. Plants should not be put in a 50cm deep pot than in a 20cm pot. As a general rule, woody plants (trees, shrubs, conifers) and palm trees should be planted in pots that are more or less as wide as they are deep ; On the other hand, herbaceous and bulbous plants, as well as of course bonsai, should be planted in one that is wider than it is deep .
Thus, your plants can continue to grow without problems.
