I’m fairly new to the houseplant game. I’ve got a Snake Plant that’s somehow managed to survive a couple of years in our home. Yay me! I got a steal on a Red Aglaonema (aka Chinese Evergreen) at Aldi a few months ago for just $4! The colorful foliage adds a little pizazz, and I hope to use it in my daughter’s bedroom at some point.
I don’t know about you, but as a rookie plant-keeper, I get a bit anxious when it comes to caring for plants. Should I water it now? Is it dry enough that it needs water? Should I put fertilizer on it? Why are the leaves turning brown? Should I put it in more light? Is it getting too much light? Is that potting soil right for this plant? Do I need to add some soil? Does it need a new pot?!
so. many. things.
I suppose it’s a lack of knowledge and experience (and a very irrational fear that I’M GOING TO KILL THE PLANT) that makes me a bit unnerved. But it was such a great deal, I’d kick myself if I didn’t keep this silly thing alive! After all, how hard can it be?
Plant Growth
The plant has done really well in the container I bought it in, but I noticed it was definitely starting to outgrow that pot (it’s been about four months that I’ve had it). And let’s be honest, the containers plants come in aren’t super stylish anyway! So, it was time to give this little cutie a new home.
After I spent weeks (maybe months?!) fretting and stewing over repotting this dang thing, I finally bit the bullet. I had also been holding out for a stylish, yet very affordable new pot, and then Target came through for me (once again)!
If you’re new the houseplant club and need to get one of your beauties a new home, look no further! I’ve laid out this process that only takes four simple steps to complete. Honestly, starting is the hardest part (isn’t that how it always goes?!). It will literally only take you about 5-10 minutes once you’ve got everything gathered. Definitely not worth the anxiety I was giving this simple task!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you purchase an item using my link (which I greatly appreciate), I may earn a small commission. This comes at no extra charge to you. Thank you for helping to support my blog.
Supplies Needed
- Existing Plant and Pot
- New Pot
- Pea Gravel
- Potting Soil
- Water
Step 1: New Pot Prep
When searching for a new, larger pot for my Chinese Evergreen, I knew from experience (which is very little) that I definitely wanted a drainage tray – preferably attached to the pot. The crisp, white one I found at Target checked off all of the boxes for me:
- Size – bigger than existing, but with room to grow
- Light but sturdy – better for moving around the house, if needed
- Drainage tray attached
- Stylish yet easy to incorporate into almost any space
- Affordable – mine was $8 at Target
The first thing I did to prep my pot was add a couple of inches of pea gravel to the bottom of my planter. This will allow for better drainage, and since the bottom of the pot has slats in it, this bulky layer will keep the soil from passing through and filling up the drainage tray.
Step Two: Fill with New Soil
Moving on, you’ll take your potting soil (I used this Miracle-Gro Potting Mix) and fill your new pot up with a few inches to spare at the top. Make sure to create a nice sized hole in the center, roughly about the size of your old container, to place your plant in.
Step Three: Transplant
Next, you’ll carefully take your plant out of its existing container. I like to separate the roots of the plant by gently loosening the soil on the bottom third of what was in the original container.
Once you’ve done that, you can place the plant into it’s new, larger pot. Take care in making sure all roots are down in the soil, and gently press the potting soil securely around the plant’s base.
Then, use more potting soil to fill in around the plant. You want to leave an inch or so of room to the top of the pot.
Step Four: Water
Now for the final step… give your plant the housewarming gift it deserves – water! I watered mine until I saw water seeping through down into the drainage tray.
Wa-hooo! You did it! Congratulations – enjoy your houseplant!
If you would like to try your hand at keeping houseplants, I’d recommend an Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) or Dracaena (Snake Plant) plant. They are great starter houseplants, and are very easy to care for (and not kill)! There are a ton of varieties of each of these plants, too.
Are you a houseplant fanatic? I really enjoy mine. I appreciate that they’re doing great things for our home, like purifying the air and bringing a bit of nature indoors for us to enjoy year-round! They also make an excellent addition to home decor – big or small!
I want to hear what your favorite houseplants are! Please leave a comment below so others reading this can learn about plants, too!
To the Chaos!
-MG
PS – I’ve saved a “highlight reel” of this whole process in real-time on my Instagram Account – named “Plant Repot”. Go check it out if you’re more of a visual person!
Leave a Reply