Q.Am I Potting My Plants Correctly?
I have a small variety of succulents/indoor plants that I have struggled with in terms of finding the right pot size and using the right soil. I noticed that when I first potted them, they seemed to outgrow the pots I had placed them in since they were growing at a much more rapid pace than I anticipated. I found myself repotting them more than I probably should have because of the size or because the plant didn’t seem to adjust to the soil I had used. How do I know if I’m using the right potting mix for my plants and how do I know what size pot to use for each one? I try to take into consideration each individual plant and it’s need but I find it hard to really know.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Your pots look fine. The most important thing when repotting is not to move the plant to a pot more than 1 or 2 sizes larger. If the container is too large, the excess soil can hold moisture, causing root rot.
Regarding soil, make sure it is well draining. You can always add perlite to increase drainage.
For most houseplants, regular potting soil is fine. For specialized plants such as orchids, cacti and succulents, African violets, etc., use a commercial mix especially for those plants. Or you can make your own with regular potting soil, perlite, sand, coir, etc., mixed. You can find soil recipes on our database https://www.gardeningknowhow.com or on other plant websites.
