Repotting plants

[Nicholas_Bostaph]

Does anyone happen to have any good repotting tips? Yesterday, I recieved my PFT terrarium and 2 potted VFTs. When I was trying to remove them from their pots and plant them in the terrarium, I had a lot of trouble. The soil in the pots wasn't really holding together very well, and it was hard to get them out without sticking a knife down the side to use as a lever to losen the soil. Any thoughts? Was I doing something wrong? This would be my first gardenning experience

. Just looking to get some tips since I have a D Intermedia coming in soon and would rather transplant it without disturbing it as much. Thanks!

 

[Travis]

Sometimes sticking the whole pot into distiled water helps break up the soil better.  

Your vft may go into shock after transplanting...may take a couple months to recover.  Most people transplant in early spring.  It is nothing serious just slows the growth during the prime growing season that is all.

Good Luck,
Travis

 

[technoracer]

i like to turn the whole pot upside down and tap the bottom of the pot while gently squeezing the sides of the pot. usually, the whole plant and all the soil will come out in one big clump.

just place this whole clump into a new pot, and fill the sides in with a mix of sphagnum peat and pearlite (50/50). mix up the new soil before hand, using distilled/ro/rain water.

top water the newly potted plant, then add additional soil if needed.

hope this helps!


peace,
technoracer

 

[Nicholas_Bostaph]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (technoracer @ July 11 2003,6:46)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">i like to turn the whole pot upside down and tap the bottom of the pot while gently squeezing the sides of the pot.  usually, the whole plant and all the soil will come out in one big clump.

just place this whole clump into a new pot, and fill the sides in with a mix of sphagnum peat and pearlite (50/50).  mix up the new soil before hand, using distilled/ro/rain water.

top water the newly potted plant, then add additional soil if needed.

hope this helps!


peace,
technoracer[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
This is exactly what I was trying to do, as I'd seen others use this technique. Unfortunately, it wouldn't come out when I turned it upside down, even with some heavy taps. Oh well, at least I know I was doing it right...hopefully I'll have better luck this week when my D Intermedia comes in.

Thanks...

 

[WildBill]

Sometimes when a plant won't come out, I use an unsharpened pencil, or chopstick and gently push on the soil through the holes in the bottom of the pot.

I hope this helps.

WildBill

 

[Copper]

Try squeezing the sides of the pot in your hands. If it is difficult you can "roll" the pot while squeezing it. The turn it upside down or on its side.