Not sure when to repot the ZZ plant?
It is one of the most interesting issues that many gardeners face while growing ZZ plants in their home gardens.
And if you are not a pro gardener, you would definitely get confused when repotting this houseplant.
In the following guide, I have shared a few tips and suggestions to address this unique ZZ plant issue.
So, do check it out below.
Contents:
4 Tips To Know When To Repot ZZ Plant
Here are the tips that should help in understanding when to repot your ZZ plant –
1. Your ZZ Plant Is Not Growing
As we all know, the ZZ plant is one of the slow-growing plants in indoor gardens.
It takes weeks and months to see any new growth on this plant.
But if the plant is taking longer than expected time, you need to have a good look at it.
Sometimes, the plants don’t do well due to stress or lack of nutrients in the soil.
And that’s when you should consider repotting the plant.
When you repot the plant, it helps in breathing fresh air to your dull and slow-growing ZZ plant.
So, do keep an eye on how the plant grows over a few weeks.
And if you don’t see any improvements, you can go ahead with the repotting process.
Quick Tip: Do add some all-purpose fertilizer or compost while repotting your ZZ plant.
2. Your ZZ Plant Is Root Bound
If your ZZ plant has lived all its life in the same pot for a long time, it is going to get root-bound.
And it generally happens when the pot size is relatively small.
So, if you really want to see your plant growing at a steady pace, you know it’s time to move it to a new pot.
And if you don’t have a larger pot, you can simply repot the plant.
Just make sure you remove the soil clinging to the roots.
Also, check for the root system and remove some of the damaged and dead roots from the bottom.
It will help in freeing up some space for new growth under the soil.
3. When The Plant Gets Bigger Than Pot
It’s an ideal situation where you can think of repotting or transplanting your ZZ plant.
When the plant grows tall and gets bigger than the pot size, it tends to lean on either side of the pot.
And that’s a great indication to know it’s time to move your plant in a new pot.
Now, if you don’t have a bigger pot, you can trim some of the leaves and branches and repot the plant in the same pot.
This should help in fixing the problem for some time.
The only downside of this method is you will lose some of the precious growth on this plant, as it takes quite a while to see such growth on this type of indoor plant.
On the other hand, the next option is to transplant it into a large-sized pot.
This pot should have enough space for the plant to grow at a decent rate.
Note: If you don’t feel like following any of these options, you can just stake the plant using wooden sticks.
It will give your plant much-needed support and will also prevent it from leaning over on either side.
4. When You Notice Any Other Issues With The Plant
Apart from the growth-related issues, there might be an external issue that might need your attention too.
For e.g.,
The plant might be suffering from a fungal attack or sunburn.
Any of these external factors can significantly damage the plant and will hamper the growth as well.
In such a scenario, your priority should be of tackling the issue.
Once you address the issue, the next best option would be to repot the plant or move it into another pot.
Repotting is generally considered good for such plants, as you essentially provide a new environment to the plant.
And when it gets to grow in a new environment, it automatically helps in eliminating some of the risk factors.
So, do think of it as a part of the solution whenever you want to repot or transplant the ZZ plant.
Now, let’s look at the tips that might help in repotting your ZZ plant.
Things To Do Before Repotting ZZ Plant
Here are some of the things to consider –
1. Water The Plant A Day Before Repotting
That’s right!
Don’t remove the plant when it’s bone dry!
You should water the plant thoroughly a day before you plan to begin the repotting process.
It usually helps in taking the plant out of the pot without putting too much pressure on the roots and stem.
2. Remove The Plant Carefully
As I said earlier, the plant may not come out easily if it’s root bound or completely dry.
And this can easily lead to damage to your plant’s roots, stem, or branches.
To avoid such issues, you should not hurry to remove it from the old pot.
And if you want to minimize these efforts, water the plant as suggested above.
You can also pat on all sides of the pot, which will help loosen up the soil.
So, keep these things in mind before removing the plant from the pot.
3. Remove Any Dirt Off The Root And Stem
Once you have removed the plant successfully, take a good look at the roots system.
If it looks healthy, try to loosen up some of the soil attached to the roots.
You can also spray some water on the roots and lower stem to get the dirt off quickly.
4. Prune The Leaves And Branches If Needed
In the next step, prune the leaves and trim some of the unwanted branches from the plant.
Do not perform hard pruning on the plant at this stage.
Here, you just have to get rid of weak and damaged leaves and branches off the plant.
Note: When you are repotting your ZZ plant, make sure you do not spray any pesticides.
Simply spray it with water and let the plant dry out completely in an airy space.
Now, this is an important step, and you should follow it religiously.
When you repot the plant, it undergoes a shock and needs some time to recover from it.
So, wait for a week or so before you apply any such elements to the plant.
Also, the plant doesn’t require a lot of attention after you repot it.
How To Repot A ZZ Plant
Here are a few steps you need to follow to repot your plant –
- As mentioned earlier, water the plant thoroughly before you want to go ahead with the process. If you forgot to do it a day before, you should at least do it half an hour before you begin repotting.
- If the pot is small, put some pressure on each side so that it becomes easier to release the internal soil and roots.
- Now, hold the stem from the bottom and try to pull the plant out of the pot. If it’s not coming out easily, make sure you hold the edge of the pot from one hand and try to pull it out. You will need to perform this step from all sides of the edges.
- If you cannot remove it using step 3, you can flip the pot upside in your one hand and use the gravitational force to work for you. Tap gently on the bottom of the pot, and it should make things easy to remove it completely.
- Once the plant is removed, clean the pot with water and allow it to dry out for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, you can loosen up the soil clinging onto the roots.
- Trim some of the dead and damaged roots, leaves, and branches from the plant.
- Now, go back to the pot and add the new potting mixture with some compost to it.
- Place the plant gently and fill more soil in it if needed.
- Press the topsoil gently from each side.
- Water the plant again and wait for it to drain out from the drainage hole.
That’s it!
You have successfully repotted your ZZ plant!
If you want to transplant it to another pot, you can follow the same steps suggested above.
The only difference here would be to discard the old pot and replace it with a new one!
Important: Once you have repotted the plant, you should allow it to dry out naturally.
Place it somewhere near an airy place where there is enough airflow.
And when the plant looks dry, you can move it to a place where it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
Do not put wet plant in such places, as it might attract fungus or similar issues to the plant.
In the next section, I have shared answers to some of the questions asked by the readers.
If you have any queries related to this topic, you should definitely check out this section below.
FAQs
Not really!
No plant likes to be crowded.
However, when the plant gets bigger over time, it can surely get crowded and root-bound.
And in such cases, you should repot it as soon as possible.
There is no ideal month to repot a plant.
But you will always get better results when the outside environment is pleasant.
And that’s the only rule you need to remember while repotting any plant.
If the temperature and weather conditions are extreme, you should refrain from doing any repotting activity in your indoor as well as outdoor garden.
Yes, you must water your ZZ plant after repotting.
When you water the plant after this process, it helps settle the soil in the new pot.
Along with that, the roots get rejuvenated after being in a shock of repotting.
So, it’s necessary to freshen up your ZZ plant after the repotting process.
In most cases, you don’t have to repot a small ZZ plant at all.
Since the growth rate of this plant is slow, it will thrive in a small pot for an extended period.
However, if you feel there is a need to repot your little ZZ plant, you can transplant it into a one-size bigger pot.
This will allow more space for the growth of roots and will also help in addressing some of the issues in the previous pot.
Here’s how you can repot your small ZZ plant –
1. Firstly, take out the plant from your old pot and remove some of the soil attached to the roots.
2. Make sure there is no issue with the roots.
3. Add some compost or vermicompost along with soil to the new pot.
4. Place the plant in this pot and water it thoroughly.
And that’s all there is to the repotting process of the ZZ plant.
Not really!
ZZ plant is one of those plants that can do well in small pots too.
It doesn’t need bigger pots because the growth of this plant is slower than many other indoor plants.
But if the plant is already big and rootbound, you should definitely consider moving it to a large-sized pot.
Over To You
Repotting a plant is not the most difficult task to do in the gardening world.
But when to repot is much more important than anything else!
Once you master this skill, I’m sure you’d never have to look back again.
Well, if you liked some of the tips I’ve shared in this guide, do consider sharing them with your friends and family.
And if you have any more doubts, please leave a comment below.
I’ll do my best to resolve them for you!
Leave a Reply