POTTED PLANT MAINTENANCE

We often wonder what gardening jobs we can do during the plant's non-growing times. In fact, there are several important tasks we can undertake to ensure our gardens stay beautiful all year, one of which is to give our pot plants an overhaul.

During spring and summer, pot plants put on a lot of rapid growth and often become a little leggy in appearance. Now is the perfect time to tip prune them back into shape to ensure they remain vibrant and compact. Pruning pot plants at this time of the year will encourage them to burst into new growth for autumn. When pruning, take the opportunity to check for any pests and diseases and treat them accordingly.

Late summer is also a good time to repot containerised plants for the coming seasons. Repotting is best performed in the early morning, in shade to avoid heat stress on both plant and gardener. After removing the plant from its container, check for signs of root rot and prune away any damaged material.

For best results, select a large enough container to allow for future growth and repot your plants into a top-quality mix such as Searles Platinum Premium Potting Mix. Position the plant into the new pot, so the surface of the rootball is at the same level as it was in the old pot.

When repotting, it is a good idea to incorporate a controlled release fertiliser, such Robust Pots & Indoors Plant Food, into the mix to boost growth for the coming months. Simply dibble a little Robust around the root ball or generally sprinkle throughout the mix to feed plants for the next six months.

After repotting water the plant well, washing off any stray potting mix from the foliage.

Search our common indoor plant problems list.