Changing The Soil? Don't!
• When a plant is overwatered, folks change the soil.
• When the soil gets dry and hard, they change the soil.
• When they research and find "the best" potting mix for their plant, they replace the soil.
• When the soil doesn't look right or looks different, they replace it.
• When a plant attracts pests, they change the soil.
• When a plant has been in a pot for a year or more, they change the soil.
• When a plant gets overgrown they replace the pot.
• When a plant is tipping over, they replace the pot.
It seems that folks tend to believe that just about any plant problem can be solved by replacing the soil or the pot.
Replacing soil is very traumatic for most plants because doing so tears away many of the thin, fragile root hairs that do most of the work. The plant then slumps while it tries to regrow its damaged roots. This reaction is commonly called "transplant shock." But transplant shock should not happen – it is not a normal reaction. It is a sign of unnecessary stress and should not happen!
All of the situations listed above have more appropriate solutions that do not require damaging the roots.
For overwatered plants, let the soil dry out before watering again.
Hard, dry soil needs to be re-saturated by letting the pot sit in water for an hour or so.
Plants do not require annual repotting. If you are concerned about nutrient depletion, use fertilizer. If you are concerned about soil compaction, the roots will adapt as the compaction develops very gradually.
Recommended potting mixes are for starting NEW plants, not for replacing existing soil.
If you think the potting mix looks wrong, then cover it with a top dressing, such as sphagnum moss.
Most plant pests are on the leaves and stems, not in the soil. For soil-borne pests, replacing the soil will do far more harm than good and the chances are good that the new soil you use may also be infested.
Tall, overgrown, and leaning plants need to be pruned, not repotted.
Replacing soil and repotting may seem like easy and simple solutions to a variety of plant problems, but they are not. If your plant has a problem, think beyond changing the pots and soil.
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