Melinda's Garden Moment Radio Tips

Your houseplant is in need of transplanting but you can’t or don’t want to move it to a larger pot. Root pruning is an alternative you may want to consider.

Although root pruning is a bit risky, it may be the only solution for gardeners that lack the space, larger containers or strength to move large plants into the next size pot. 

Carefully remove the plant from the current container.  Trim about an inch of the roots off the bottom and around the sides of the root ball.  Set it back into the original pot, adding fresh potting mix around the root ball so the plant is growing at the same depth as before. 

Mix Wild Valley Farms’ wool pellets into the fresh potting mix to increase the soil’s moisture-holding ability, reducing the need to water by 25 percent.

Water thoroughly to remove any air pockets and whenever you water. Adjust your watering schedule to accommodate the smaller root ball, additional potting mix and Wild Valley Farms’ wool pellets. Then wait for the plants to fully recover and start producing new growth before fertilizing. 

A bit more information: Dividing snake plants, asparagus ferns and other houseplants with multiple crowns is another way to avoid moving plants into a larger pot.  Divide the plants into smaller sections and plant in a container slightly larger than the root ball.