Question
I've been asked to house sit a neighbors plants and the only one I am unsure of is one in particular and that is the china doll . I told I would re - pot the plant while they were gone.. The plant is in a small pot and appears to be root bound to me and there are some browning in areas of the plant but the top of the plant looks very healthy. ( Its the best description I could give ) Could you give many any advice in how to replant it and take care of it afterwards  thanks in advance for any help ...

Answer
Hi Anita,

I think I am more inclined to advise you NOT to repot, than to tell you HOW. Here is my thinking. Unnecessary repotting is the single most common cause of plant failure. Because a plant "looks" potbound does not mean that is needs a new pot. If a plant is doing well and there is enough soil to keep the roots appropriately moist, then there is no reason to repot.

If you repot and something goes wrong, the neighbors may rightly be upset. Unless they specifically asked you to repot, you may not want to take on that responsibility.

Now, if you still want to repot, here is how to do it. Loosen the roots that are tightly wrapped around the outside of the rootball. You can use your fingers or a fork and don't worry about tearing some roots. Use a pot that is only one size larger and has drainage holes. Add about an inch of a peat-based, soilless potting mix to the bottom of the new pot. Do not put stones or other drainage material in the bottom of the pot. Set the rootball in the new pot and fill in the sides with fresh potting mix. Tamp it down firmly. Do NOT add any soil to the top of the rootball, which should be about a half-inch to an inch below the rim of the pot. Water the soil thoroughly. You are then good to go!

Keep the China doll in the same location that it has been in. Plants do not like changes in location. Allow the soil to dry out about a half-inch deep into the soil before watering it thoroughly. No need to fertilize or mist.

I have written an article on repotting that I will email to anyone who wants more information on this important topic. Send an email request to my address below.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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