How to Re-pot Plants

The first thing to consider when getting ready to repot a plant is the type of container. Some plants prefer clay (or terra-cotta) pots and others certainly don't mind being in plastic or ceramic. Understanding the way pots retain moisture will help in the decision of what types of containers to use to repot plants.

Clay and unglazed ceramic pots allow more air flow to the roots of plants which also allow the soil to dry out faster. This makes them a good choice to repot cactus and other succulents. Clay pots will need to be conditioned before used to repot plants. The clay is absorbent and will draw the water out of the soil. The terra-cotta pot will need to be completely immersed in water until it stops bubbling, indicating the air pockets in the porous clay are filled with water.

Plastic and glazed ceramic pots hold water in the soil longer. These are better choices to repot plants that prefer moist soil. Plastic is also a better choice if the pot is small. The smaller the pot the faster the soil will dry out.

Be especially careful when using decorative containers that don't have drainage holes in them. These types of pots make the soil easy to become waterlogged causing the roots to rot. Place a layer of pebbles in the bottom of the container before adding the soil and plant. This will give the water a place to drain away from the soil and will help to prevent root rot.

Most standard pots do have drainage holes in the bottom which is a better choice for those with less experience growing plants. This type does allow the excess water to drain away but the soil will also drain from the holes. It's easy to prevent this by placing something over the drainage hole that will still allow the water to drain while keeping the soil in the pot. The easiest thing to use is a paper coffee filter and then cover it with pebbles or with shards from a broken pot. A small piece of screening material will also work.