Beginner’s Garden Update {1}: Repotting Growing Plants
If y’all don’t recall, I started a mini-garden a few weeks back. I purchased some sustainably sourced plants and transported them into tea cups because, cute.
Well, they were cute, but their roots were cramped! I knew they needed bigger homes if they were going to survive. One day while out at JoAnn’s I saw some eco-friendly pots that were created out of plant materials on sale in their spring sale section. That had to be a sign because I was trying to avoid just buying pretty planters that had no positive impact on the environment, but I couldn’t find any planters I liked at any of the thrift stores I frequent. I purchased all of the green planter pots I saw that day (it’s my favorite color).
I also went to a local plant shop and purchased potting soil and fertilizer specifically formulated for vegetable gardens. I later saw an eco-friendly version at target, so I know what I’ll be getting when this run out!
Here are the steps I took to repot the plants:
1. Fill new pot about 3/4 full of potting soil and mix the recommended amount of fertilizer in with it, according to the package’s instructions.
2. Make a hole in the center of the dirt to place your plant.
3. Remove plant from previous pot by tilting it upside down and gently pulling it out by its base closest to the dirt.
4. Loosen the roots. Basically massage the dirt until the roots are able to breathe. My roots were packed very tightly around the bottom of each plant because there was very little space for them to grow.
5. Place the plants with its loose roots in the hole you made in the middle of the pot.
6. Lightly cover your newly placed plant with more potting soil. Do not pack the dirt in heavily or tightly.
I followed the same rules for my succulents, and I also added decorative stones on top of the potting soil to help keep water away from the actual plant to prevent it from rotting. I read on several websites that mixing sand with the soil helps with water drainage. This, along with loosely packed soil, is necessary because the roots don’t like to be soaked in water. I plan on adding sand to the mix soon so that they will hopefully return to how beautiful they were when I first purchased them.
Lastly, to label my plants I found the cutest wooden spoons at Hobby Lobby.
I wrote the plants’ names on the spoons (& their full name on the back) and put them in the new planter with the plants. They seem happy in their new, spacious homes.
My mint died… All of the leaves turned black. I’m not sure what that means.
I plan on heading to the library to read up on gardening soon, so my next garden update will be packed with things that I learned as well as the sources I learned them from.
Have you stated a garden recently, or a you a gardening pro? Do you have any tips to offer a young buck like me?
xoxo, dolls & dudes
