Upgrading your decor with plants is one of the best things you can do for your home environment. Not only does it improve the ambiance, but it also boosts mental and emotional health. However, house plants do take a bit of work, and you’ll likely have to transplant a plant from one pot to a larger one as the plant outgrows its current home.

Transplanting a plant may sound scary, but it doesn’t need to be. While it must be done correctly to minimize shock and damage, it’s pretty easy to do it right. 

We’ll show you how.

When to Transplant a Plant

If you're wondering when's the best time to transplant a plant, there are a few telltale signs that will let you know. If you notice any of these signs, it's time to repot:

• The plant roots begin to grow out of the drainage holes of your planters
• The plant has gotten bigger, but the growth rate has slowed down
• You notice salt or mineral buildup on the plant or planter
• Your plant requires more frequent watering but dries out faster than usual
• The plant is heavy and falls over

The standard timeframe for replanting plants is 12 to 18 months based on average growth, but this varies hugely between varieties. Some plants survive quite happily the same pot for many years.

How to Transplant a Plant Correctly

It’s not enough to just yank the plant from one pot and stick it in another. The procedure must be done with care to ensure a smooth transition and avoid transplant shock, a potentially deadly condition. 

Here are the steps to follow to ensure a successful transplant:

1. Preparation

Water

A good transition is all about preparation, and watering your plant is an essential part of the preparation process. 

Before removing the plant from its pot, give it a thorough watering about an hour before transplanting to ensure it has time to absorb enough water. This will ensure the plant stays hydrated as it transitions into its new home. 

Timing

Even the best transplants can be stressful to a new plant, the same way even the best home moves can be stressful for humans. To give your plant the very best chance of successfully settling in to its new home, consider the season. Transplanting early in a growing season gives your plant optimal warmth and sunlight to help it flourish in its new home, but is not strictly necessary for indoor plants. 

2. Pick the Right Pot

This tip seems like a no-brainer, but it's important to ensure that you put the plant in a pot that's one size bigger than the current one. 

However, resist the urge to place a small plant in a large pot and “let it grow into the pot.” A too-small plant in a too-large pot will have a difficult time getting sufficient nutrition from the soil. 

Before transferring your plant, cover the drainage hole in the new planter with a filter to ensure the soil doesn't fall out, but water can still flow through. 

If your new potter doesn’t have holes in the bottom, you have two options to improve the drainage: drill holes in the bottom of the new pot, or fill the bottom with 2 inches of a well-draining substrate, like gravel, stones, or shards of broken pots. This will give water a place to drain to, without drowning the lower roots.

It’s ideal to replant into a nursery pot (the thin plastic pots that plants are sold in), instead of a decorative planter for this reason - they drain well, and it also makes updating your planter decor much more straightforward. 

3. Fill the New Pot

When you transplant a plant, fill the new pot with a few inches of potting soil. Use just enough so that if you put the root ball into the pot, the top of it would sit about one inch under the pot’s rim.

Your choice of soil is crucial to minimize transplant shock. If possible, try to use the same soil that your plant had in its previous pot. If not, opt for an organic mix specially designed for potted plants - regular garden soil compacts too quickly, which can strangle oxygen from the roots.

We use Edna’s Best Potting Soil and GreenAll Natural & Organic Potting Soil. Both are organic, pH balanced, drain well, and perfectly formulated for houseplants. Whatever soil you use, make sure it is pH balanced and contains ingredients that help keep the soil loose and oxygenated, such as perlite. 

4. Remove the Plant from Its Current Pot

The next step is to take the plant out of the pot. Unpotting can be tricky (and messy), so lay some newspaper on your repotting surface to make cleanup easier. A hardwood floor or table works best.

To unpot, cover the pot with one hand and carefully turn it upside down. Tap the pot with your hand, a trowel, or another hard object to help loosen the plant from its current home. You want to loosen the root ball and surrounding soil just enough that it slides out. 

Avoid pulling too hard on the plant, as this can damage it. You may have to gently wiggle the plant while tapping it to get it to slide out easily. Whatever you do, be as gentle as possible when removing the plant. 

5. Loosen the Root Ball

Slide the root ball out and gently loosen it if it has become entangled in the holes at the bottom of the nursery pot.  It's normal for the roots to clump together, so don't be alarmed. Also, if the plant was in the old pot for a long time, the roots may have taken the shape of the pot. 

If the root ball has been compacted by spending too much time in a too-small pot, you will need to loosen the root ball. Do this by carefully squeezing the root ball with your fingers to tease the roots apart, careful not to damage or break the roots. Loosening the root ball will encourage the roots to grow more deeply into the new pot. 

Since you’ve got the roots exposed, use this opportunity to inspect the roots and make sure they’re healthy. Look for signs of root rot or other problems before repotting. 

6. Home Sweet Home

Next, it’s time to replant your LEAFY friend into its new, larger home. 

Carefully place the root ball into the new pot. Using your hands or a trowel, fill the rest of the pot with the new potting soil, ensuring that the plant stays centered in the pot and is evenly supported all around. 

Fill the pot until there is about an inch of space between the soil and the pot’s upper rim. Gently pat the soil to even it out, but don’t press too hard and compact the soil - you still want to give the roots plenty of space and oxygen. 

7. Aftercare

Lastly, water the plant thoroughly to help it bounce back faster. 

After you’ve watered it, don't water it again until the top layer of the soil is completely dry, or you may risk overwatering. 

In addition to a thorough watering, keep it warm and give it ample natural sunlight for a couple of days to help ease the shock of being transplanted. 

Keep an eye on your transplantee, and watch it for any signs of ill-health. Yellow, wilted, or curling leaves can be a sign of root damage or improper watering. If you notice any transplant shock symptoms, feel deep into the soil with your finger, or use a moisture meter to check that the roots are not too dry or too damp. Frequently the cause of transplant shock is underwatering. 

There’s usually not much you can do to fix transplant shock once it has set in except to give the plant regular good care and wait. Most cases will resolve themselves in time.

Transplant a Plant: Beautiful Plants for Your Home

Hopefully, this information helps you take good care of your plant pals.

When it comes time to rehome your plant into a larger pot, check out our curated selection of stylish, modern planters to suit every decor taste. 

We ship our plants and planters across the country, so you can enjoy lush, healthy LEAFY plants and beautiful planters no matter where you live. But if you live in Palo Alto or San Jose, why not stop by? 

Our friendly, knowledgeable staff are always happy to talk about plants and help you choose the perfect plants and planters for your lifestyle.