---
title: "Bought to ask a potentially stupid question lol when you repot, do…"
description: "Bought to ask a potentially stupid question lol when you repot, do you always remove the old dirt from the root system? Does that HAVE to happen? I haven’t…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg/7XhnMApNQXCfUs9B_gLUUQ?language=fr"
community: "Anything about plants"
author: "Moriah"
published: "2024-04-13T20:53:33.113151Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/6VLOjjIwg8eoQD17OoRwBUFlceHbJ6oDz0mAPQeWqH8/o-X2HgTvRHKMvh2moyI9pQ.webp?size=large"
---

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# Bought to ask a potentially stupid question lol when you repot, do…

_Publié par Moriah le 2024-04-13_

Bought to ask a potentially stupid question lol when you repot, do you always remove the old dirt from the root system? Does that HAVE to happen? I haven’t repotted often but I think I’ve kept the root ball as is and just added more soil below and around 😬 like should I break all this up?

![Pièce jointe 1 sur 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/6VLOjjIwg8eoQD17OoRwBUFlceHbJ6oDz0mAPQeWqH8/o-X2HgTvRHKMvh2moyI9pQ.webp?size=large)

## 13 commentaires

### lola a commenté le 2024-04-13

I don’t remove the dirt but I do break up the roots a little so they have more space to go

#### Moriah ha respondido el 2024-04-13

Ok that makes complete sense!!

### Tantalizea a commenté le 2024-04-13

There’s so many ways to repot 🙂

I replace almost all the soil when I do my repots. If there’s some stuck in the roots, I leave it alone.

For some plants, I cut about 1/3 of the roots to get them to fit in about the same size pot and have soil all around the roots.

No more than 1/3 though, otherwise they’re more likely to get stressed.

#### Moriah ha respondido el 2024-04-13

Oh wow I didn’t know you could cut the roots! That makes me nervy! Haha that makes sense tho!

### Riley a commenté le 2024-04-13

It’s not necessary to remove the soil unless it’s bad soil or you think something is going on with the roots of the plant. I almost never remove the old soil.

### Plant Lives Matter a commenté le 2024-04-13

It’s really a case by case basis for me. Personally I like to remove as much old soil as possible and break up the roots, especially if it’s a new plant or the soil is hydrophobic. But sometimes that’s very near impossible to do any of that. In those cases, I’ll just do what I can, shake out old soil and mechanically dislodge roots. Or if not, just surround with fresh potting soil. Plants will usually figure it out whatever you decide to do 😉

### Moriah a commenté le 2024-04-13

Thank you all!! Successfully repotted a pretty big snake plant and this lil spider plant!

### NewerHorizons777 a commenté le 2024-04-13

I see no reason to shock the plant any more than it has to be, so I try to leave most of the dirt in the root ball.

#### Sunny ha respondido el 2024-04-14

That’s my take on it too for house plants. I avoid removing soil and breaking roots unless I’m getting rid of pests in the soil. Handling the roots can cause breakage adding stress and creating entry points for bacteria.

#### Moriah ha respondido el 2024-04-14

Also super great points!

### Mason a commenté le 2024-04-15

I leave the roots and use a chunky homemade mix with perlite orchid bark and high qaulity soil

#### Moriah ha respondido el 2024-04-15

That’s essentially what I did! It was perlite, cactus soil and then organic potting soil! Heavier on the perlite since I didn’t have the orchid bark on hand

### Mossy-paws a commenté le 2024-04-15

When I plant my garden with fam every year, I always squeeze my plants a little just to break up the roots, I recommend doing the same with this

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