Houseplant Chores to do Before Spring

Roots

Check the roots! Are they coming out the bottom? Are they root-bound inside the pot? This means it is time for a repot. Most plants do not like being root bound and need continual(yearly) pot size increases. 

What do I do when my plants look like this? You will need to repot in a larger pot. Gently break free and wiggle all the roots and remove the soil. Repot in the larger pot with fresh potting soil or a soil mix based on the type of plant. Water and you are ready to go. 

Soil Health

Since our houseplants are living in a controlled environment, the soil nutrients do not get replenished like in the wild, with decaying plants. Overtime house plants absorb the nutrients from the soil. You should change the soil in your pots annually for the happiest and healthiest plants. Check to see if they are root bound and follow the step above, or simply repot with new soil in the same pot. 

Relocate

As the nights start to warm and the days get longer, your plants may be happier in different places around the house. Be cognizant of temperatures near windows, they will slowly get much hotter as we reach summer. Succulents and cacti can be moved outside once these freezing nights are over.

Fertilize & Water

We can start to fertilize again! These past few cold months have probably slowed or completely halted new plant growth. Start off slow when reintroducing fertilizer, only use 1/2 what you normally would for this first round and if you bought soil with chemical fertilizers to repot, do not fertilize at all. 

Along with fertilizing returning, your watering schedule will probably change. The increased growth and warmer weather means watering more often. Take a look at your plants and soil moisture a few times a week to determine how often you will need to water, this will also depend on the type of plant. During the summer, most of my plants get watered once a week.