How to plant a plant in a pot? Because, let’s imagine that we have received an order with a few that come with bare roots, as usually happens when shopping in cactus and other succulent stores, or only with the root ball -without the container- so that the box weighs less and thus lowers the price. the shipping cost.
Well, in either case, we will have to plant it as soon as possible so that it suffers as little as possible. And it is that the roots have to be in contact with the earth or the substrate, because if the sun hits them directly, for example, not only will they suffer but also the rest of the plant.
How to choose the pot?
The pot has to be the right size for the plant. But since I know I’m not really saying anything with this, let me tell you something: the best container will be the one in which, when the plant is in the center, it is wide enough so that there is at least two centimeters between the very center of your plant, and the edge of the pot. To make it easier to understand, I have made this drawing:
The brown circle represents the pot, and the green the plant. Anyway, that of the 2 centimeters between the plant and the edge of the pot is an indicative dataokay? If we know that we have one that grows very quickly in width and/or that produces many suckers, such as sempervivum or haworthias for example, there may be more.
But in any case, I do not recommend that it be excessively wide; it is preferable that it is just the right size so that the plant can grow well for a year, than putting it in one that is too big and that the roots rot because they have much more moist soil than they really need.
Now, apart from the size, You also have to look that it has holes in its base. It is preferable that these are numerous and small, and not few and large, although if you cannot find one of the first, you can put a piece of plastic mesh inside -like those used to protect the trunks of trees and palm trees for example-, or even drainage meshes for bonsais.
How do you choose the substrate for the plant?
Today it is very easy to get a substrate that is specific for each plant. So you can buy substrate for orchids, for green plants and also
to garden plants and also
to acidophilic (Japanese maples, camellias, azaleas, gardenias, etc.), for succulents (cacti and succulents), and even for seedbeds. There is also the universal substrate, which is the one that can be used for the rest of the plants that have flowers. You can buy the one you want by clicking on the corresponding link.
However you can also make your own mixdepending on the type of plant it is and what it needs. For example, if it is a cactus, a good mixture is this: black peat with perlite in equal parts. But if you have a magnolia or other tree that needs an acid substrate, it is better that you put coconut fiber. In this article you have more information about substrates:
Related article:
Complete guide to substrates: how to choose the most suitable for your plant
How to plant a potted plant?
We have the pot, and we have the substrate. And now? Now it is time to plant our plant in the container. What we will do like this:
- First, we have to put enough substrate inside the pot. If the plant is bare rooted, we will almost have to fill it completely; but if it is with its root ball, we will have to take into account its size to ensure that it is neither high nor low with respect to the edge of the pot.
- Then, We take the plant and put it in the pot. You have to put it right in the center, and at a suitable height; that is, the base of the plant has to be a little below the edge of the container so that, when it is watered, no water is lost.
- Then what we will do is add more substrate to finish planting it. It is important that we press down on the substrate, since it must be compact.
- To finish, we will take a watering can that has its showerhead, we will fill it with rainwater or suitable for consumption, and we will water unless it is a cactus or a succulent, in which case it is best to wait a week for the roots to settle.
How to care for a newly transplanted plant?
It is already planted in the pot, but now what can you expect? Well then everything will be fine as long as we put it in a place where there is a lot of light, but not direct sun. Although it is a plant that needs to be in a sunny place, we will not leave it exposed to direct sunlight until we see that it begins to grow, since otherwise it would burn.
Likewise, for now we will only water itensuring that the earth is not soaked. It is very important that fertilization does not begin until, I repeat, we see growth. When some leaves begin to sprout, then it will be the ideal time to apply some compost or fertilizer.
Later on, if we see that the roots are coming out of the drainage holes, or if we suspect that the container it has is too small, we will plant it in a larger one.
