Repotting a houseplant: when, how, and into what
Repotting can feel daunting, but it's a simple job that gives a cramped plant new energy. The right time, the right pot, the right mix, and seven steps to get it right.
Updated on 9 October 2026
In short
- Repot in spring, when the plant wakes up, every one to three years depending on the plant.
- Choose a pot only slightly bigger: 1 to 1.5 in (2 to 4 cm) wider, always with a drainage hole.
- The right mix: houseplant compost, cactus mix, or bark for orchids.
- No need for clay pebbles at the bottom of the pot: the hole and an airy mix do the draining.
- Afterwards: a good watering, no direct sun for a week, and no fertiliser for a month.
When to repot?
In spring, from March to May, when the days get longer and the plant starts growing again: it will settle quickly into its new pot. Of our 120 care guides for plants that need repotting, 116 recommend spring. Each care guide gives the recommended rhythm and month.
The signs a plant is cramped:
- roots coming out of the drainage hole, or circling on the surface;
- water running straight through the pot in seconds without soaking the soil;
- soil drying out much faster than before;
- the plant, now top-heavy, tipping over;
- hardly any growth during a whole growing season.
Avoid repotting a plant in full bloom, in midwinter, or right after buying it: give it two or three weeks to get used to its new home. The one exception: a plant with rotting roots is repotted straight away, whatever the season.
The right pot
Only slightly bigger than the old one: 1 to 1.5 in (2 to 4 cm) wider. A pot that's much too big holds a large mass of soil the roots don't reach, which stays wet and ends up rotting them. It must always have a hole in the bottom. A decorative outer pot is fine, as long as you empty it after each watering.
Terracotta breathes and dries faster: perfect for succulents, and if you tend to overwater. Plastic holds moisture longer: handy for plants that like soil that's always moist, such as ferns.
The right potting mix
| Plants | Potting mix |
|---|---|
| Tropical foliage plants (Monstera, Pothos and Heartleaf philodendron) | Houseplant compost, lightened with a little perlite or pumice |
| Succulents and cacti (Aloe vera, Echeveria and Jade plant) | Cactus mix, or compost mixed with a third of coarse sand or pumice |
| Orchids (Orchid and Dendrobium orchid) | Orchid pine bark, never compost |
| Acid-loving plants (Azalea and Gardenia) | Ericaceous compost |
| Ferns (Boston fern and Bird's nest fern) | Light, rich compost that stays moist |
Repotting, step by step
- Water the plant the day before. A moist root ball comes out more easily, and the roots suffer less.
- Take the plant out of its pot. Turn the pot upside down holding the base of the plant between your fingers, tap the rim, and slide the root ball out. Never pull on the stem. If it won't budge, run a knife around the inside, or cut the pot if it's plastic.
- Look at the roots. Gently tease out any circling roots, and cut off brown, mushy or dry ones with clean scissors.
- Add a layer of potting mix to the new pot, just enough for the top of the root ball to sit about an inch (2 cm) below the rim.
- Set the plant in the centre, and fill around it with mix, firming lightly with your fingertips. Don't bury the stem deeper than before.
- Water until it runs out of the hole. If the soil has settled, top it up.
- Put the plant in bright light, out of direct sun, for a week, while it recovers.
The myth of pebbles at the bottom of the pot
People often recommend a layer of clay pebbles or gravel at the bottom of the pot "for drainage". In fact, water doesn't move easily from fine soil into a coarse layer: it collects just above it, right at root level. What really drains is the hole in the pot and an airy mix. A piece of broken pot or a little mesh over the hole is enough to hold the soil in.
Large plants: top-dressing
When a plant is too big to change pots, like a large kentia palm or a fiddle-leaf fig, replace the top 1–2 in (3–5 cm) of soil with fresh mix every spring. It gets new nutrients, without the stress of repotting.
After repotting
No fertiliser for four to six weeks: fresh mix already contains some, and damaged roots wouldn't cope with it well. Don't worry if the plant sulks for a few days, or drops a leaf: that's normal. It will bounce back stronger.
This advice is for houseplants in a temperate climate. Every home is different: trust your plant too, and the soil under your finger.