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I've done a lot of
container gardening over the years, and one thing is a given for
potted plants: it's a life of constant change. Moving around
from one part of the garden, patio or sunroom to another, moving
indoors and back outdoors again, and of course the inevitable
periodic re-potting. It's a wonder that plants do so well given
this life of constant upheaval, but the key seems to be to just
tend to their basic needs and let them do what comes naturally.
When re-potting,
it's a good idea in general not to disturb the root ball too
much, but many plants actually benefit from having the outer
surface of the root ball scuffed up a bit. This is particularly
true of plants which have become rootbound, exhibiting a tangled
network of roots around the outside of the soil, straining
against the inner surface of the pot.
When you place the
plant in its new, usually larger pot you will be surrounding it
with a layer of fresh soil, and of course you want the roots to
grow into this new soil as quickly as possible in order to take
full advantage of the added nutrients it provides. Scratching or
scuffing these outer exposed roots will irritate and slightly
damage them, which will trigger a healing response in the plant
- it will cause the roots to grow with extra vigor in order to
repair the damage and, lo and behold, the new root growth will
go right into the new layer of soil, which is just what you
want! Caution must be taken, of course, not to do too much
damage - just a light scuffing will do. Once the plant is in its
new container with the new soil, water it in well and let the
plant's natural growing tendency do the work for you!
Another example of
letting the plant's growing nature work for you is when you
separate plants that have been growing together in a single
container for awhile. Last Spring, I found a potted banana plant
on sale for $20 at a local nursery - but in fact it was 3 banana
plants growing together in one 12" pot.
My first thought
was "Wow, a 3 for 1 sale!" because I knew that I could separate
them and have three plants for the price of one! The problem was
that their roots were hopelessly intertwined in the soil, and
because the pot was so small (for 3 banana plants, that is) they
were badly rootbound. Not to worry - I simply yanked the whole
mess out of the pot, grabbed a pruning saw and cut the rootball
into three roughly equal parts, each containing one of the
plants. Naturally this required chewing up the roots rather
badly, and many folks would worry that such severe treatment
would kill them, but I knew that with proper care they would not
only survive, they would thrive in the newfound freedom of their
own pots.
Each plant went
into its own, roomy 16" pot (remember, they had all been sharing
a 12" pot!!) and was packed all around with good 'ol garden
compost. As you would expect, they drooped their leaves for
about a week, then Wham! All 3 started growing and putting out
fresh foliage like gangbusters!! This Spring, I'm looking at
three very healthy banana plants, each fully twice the size it
was when I got it, and each one with at least two budding young
sprouts shooting up from the soil at its base! Three sisters not
only surviving in their separate homes, but already starting
their own families! They couldn't be happier, and neither could
I!
The moral of the
story is that while you should always treat your plants with as
much care as possible, when the occasion arises that you must
put them through some stress, don't worry about it - just do it.
Make sure that they are nice and healthy beforehand, use good
gardening technique and common sense, give them all the water,
food and light that they need, then just let nature take its
course. You can trust those lovely, leafy friends of yours; They
Know How To Grow!
About the Author:
Brian Dalton owns
and maintains the Springtime Gardens website, and spends
countless happy hours decorating and maintaining his own patio
and container gardens.
Springtime Gardens
- Affordable Garden and Patio Decor
Article Source:
http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com |
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