Hi everyone! I’m new here… I just got this GORGEOUS 8” Thai Constellation and I’m terrified to repot her because I spent $130 on her…. I’d love any and all suggestions on how I should repot this and if this seems like a good set up? There is a grow light above this one as well. TIA! :)
She is beautiful indeed! I would keep in mind that monsteras like to be a bit root bound, so I wouldn’t rush to repot unless absolutely necessary. If so, repot her in a nursery pot (and you can place that in a pretty pot). If so, give the pot some good presses to loosen things up and work the plant + roots + soil chunk out of it. One thing I’ve learned over time is that roots are smart and will adapt. You don’t necessarily NEED to untangle them all. You can simply place the chunk of roots/soil into a slightly larger pot, and fill in the soil around it. Make sure she has a pole off of the back of them stem for support — that’ll help her grow better. I am always sure to water good after repotting. It’s never failed me.
1 mi piace Also, be sure to add a little layer on the bottom. The chunkier the mix, the better
1 mi piace Thank you!!! I have no idea if she’s root bound is the thing. 😔 I’d love to put her in a clear nursery pot but I’ve been scared that repotting will make her stressed and die. Letting me know about the roots and not needing to untangle definitely relieves some stress 😅 What layer do you recommend on the bottom?
1 mi piace That’s okay! You can do a few things to check/see the signs: •Soil dries out super fast •The pot bulges or feels like a rock •Difficulty getting a finger (or moisture meter if you have one) down into the soil •Worst case scenario if you can’t tell by those things, give her a little gentle tug at her base and pull her out of her pot and check. I always do a mix of regular soil + perlite + orchid bark. Place a layer of that on the bottom, heavy on the orchid bark (for better drainage on the bottom), I’d say about half your thumb or a little less on the layer thickness. Wanna give them enough to grow but not too much space that they don’t know what to do with it. And only size up a tiny tiny bit. Plants don’t like going too big too fast (I killed a few that way when I was first starting out. Always better to be too small than too big and take it slow.) Also heavy on potting in a nursery pot with good drainage and placing that nursery pot in a decorative pot. Usually the pretty ones don’t have sufficient drainage and we don’t want root rot! Also makes checking on the plant much easier. You can find large packs on amazon or usually at a local plant shop. I have dozenssss lying around at this point 😆 If you just brought her home, and you do need to repot, I would honestly wait maybe a month or so to let her adjust. Our little green friends are so sensitive and need time to adjust to new environments with minimal other stress factors.
2 Mi piace Also, if you really wanna go the extra mile, get one of these suckers for your tropical friends. It has made the world of difference for mine! This one is super quiet (literally makes no sound) and has made my monsteras SOOOOO happy. Not completely necessary but it can help (:
You’ve been a life saver 🫶 I have over 40 something plants at home currently, I was just nervous about this one because of the price and the “pickiness” of it. Here’s where I have her currently 😊 I’ll absolutely be taking all your advice when/if I repot her within a month or so. Thank you so much!!
Girl I get it! My albos are some of my most prized possessions…. Not only because they’re beautiful, but because of their price tag 😆 Your setup is SO CUTE!!! I’ve started cluttering my corner as well. And drilling holes for hooks in the ceiling 😂 Definitely gonna borrow your wall decor ideas
The holes in the ceiling are the BANE OF MY EXISTENCE 😂😭 hahaha I love yours too! And thank you 🥹
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Thank you all for this post and comments, I’m learning so much! I plan on repotting my monstera soon after I buy potting soil tomorrow and so glad I read these comments before getting started.
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