Echinocactus grusonii in a pot

Potted Echinocactus grusonii

When we buy a plant we often think that it can be in that same pot for a long time, and even always, but this, my friends, is a mistake. If we let it stay in that same container for more months than it probably has already been, it is most likely that we will end up losing it soon.

To avoid it, it is very important to transplant the plantsgive them the opportunity to continue growing in the correct way thanks to the nutrients that will be found in the new substrate.

When are plants transplanted?

Young avocado in pot

Young avocado in pot

The plants that we have at home, as well as those that we have acquired recently, have to have a somewhat larger pot from time to time. But how often do you have to transplant them? Well It will depend a lot on the type of growth and size it is, and how long it has been since the last transplant.

Even so, to know if they need a pot change or not we can do the following:

  • Observe the drainage holes: If the roots come out because of them, you are definitely in need of an urgent transplant.
  • If we take the plant and take it a little out of the pot: if it comes out without any problem and the root ball remains intact, it is also because it must be changed as soon as possible.
  • See if the plant has started to grow badlyFor example, if we have a cactus that has to be barrel-shaped and has started to grow in a columnar way, or if we have a plant that should be compact, it is growing very tall.

If we have detected that, indeed, it must be transplanted, we will do it late winter or springevery 1-2 years.

How are they transplanted?

Potted basil plant

potted basil plant

To change from a pot to a plant we must follow this step by step:

  1. The first thing we will do is choose a pot, which will have to be at least 2cm wider than the previous one.
  2. Then we fill it with suitable substrate, more or less halfway.
  3. Next, we extract the plant from its »old» pot and place it in the center of the new one so that it is about 0,5cm below the edge of the container.
  4. Then we finish filling.
  5. Finally, we water.

Thus, we can have a beautiful plant that can continue to grow without problems.