re-potting help

[canesisters]

Many years ago, in an empty office at my first landfill, there was a pretty pot with a dead stump in it. I moved it to my office and watered it... it started to sprout green leaves.
Over the years, and a few transfers later, and the leaves slowly turned into branches.
Is this a "Pony-tail plant"? It is terribly root-bound and although it still puts out new leaves now and then it has stopped growing. I want to re-pot it. But, I have had about 50/50 luck repotting things ... they often seem shocked and die.
What can I do to best ensure a happy transfer into a bigger pot with fresh soil??

 

[flowerbug]

Many years ago, in an empty office at my first landfill, there was a pretty pot with a dead stump in it. I moved it to my office and watered it... it started to sprout green leaves.
Over the years, and a few transfers later, and the leaves slowly turned into branches.
Is this a "Pony-tail plant"? It is terribly root-bound and although it still puts out new leaves now and then it has stopped growing. I want to re-pot it. But, I have had about 50/50 luck repotting things ... they often seem shocked and die.
What can I do to best ensure a happy transfer into a bigger pot with fresh soil??

View attachment 25470 View attachment 25471

if the pot has a hole in the bottom that isn't plugged take the whole thing and soak it in a larger tub of water until it is thoroughly wet.

then lift it out and set it on something you don't mind getting wet and full of dirt, and scrape off some of the outer soil layer around the roots. get as much off as you can.

in new larger pot, put down chunks on bottom so drainage holes don't get plugged and then see how much dirt you can add allowing for some settling and then center plant on top of that soil. add fresh potting soil around the edges and pack it down a little bit otherwise it will settle anyways. water it in when it's about half full until water comes out the bottom (did i say put this in a sink or tub or something first? i should have... )

put more fresh potting soil around edges and over top a little, pack it down a little, water again until it runs out the bottom and then let it sit for a while to let most of the drips out (i'm staying here sorry )...

put new plant where you want it and admire the new pot.

cross fingers, but i've rarely had problems from repotting plants.

p.s. i didn't say how much bigger new pot should be but from the type of plant and eyeballing i'd say two inches from the side of the current root ball around is probably ok.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

It is a pony tail plant. I have one that I bought in 2009, and only repotted it last year. It likes to be crowded/rootbound! And not wet too.

I don't think it needs repotting. It will just very slooooooowly send out new leaves while the old ones below turn yellow.

 

[aftermidnight]

It is a pony tail plant. I have one that I bought in 2009, and only repotted it last year. It likes to be crowded/rootbound! And not wet too.

I don't think it needs repotting. It will just very slooooooowly send out new leaves while the old ones below turn yellow.

I agree I wouldn't repot unless it shows signs of distress, these guys are tough, stand lots of abuse and neglect. I've had mine for about 10 years and it has never been repotted, given a coffee mug of water the first of every month, pull the odd dead leaf/frond, whatever they're called off and fertilizer, if it's lucky with something weak once a year.

Cane, you have a very nice looking Pony Tail Palm, love the way the fronds cascade down.

Annette

 

[flowerbug]

I agree I wouldn't repot unless it shows signs of distress, these guys are tough, stand lots of abuse and neglect. I've had mine for about 10 years and it has never been repotted, given a coffee mug of water the first of every month, pull the odd dead leaf/frond, whatever they're called off and fertilizer, if it's lucky with something weak once a year.
View attachment 25472

Cane, you have a very nice looking Pony Tail Palm, love the way the fronds cascade down.

Annette

pretty, nice plant there...

 

[canesisters]

Thank you.
But, see how yours is FULL of nice, healthy looking leaves? Mine's leaves have been getting thinner and sparser and lighter colored over the past couple of years.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

my pics are uploading right now. Their leaves start out very thin and then grad get wider. Mine has a haircut at the top cus my 16 yr old cat likes to chew the leaves and then throw them up at night. So the pony tail is up higher now.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

 

[catjac1975]

Many years ago, in an empty office at my first landfill, there was a pretty pot with a dead stump in it. I moved it to my office and watered it... it started to sprout green leaves.
Over the years, and a few transfers later, and the leaves slowly turned into branches.
Is this a "Pony-tail plant"? It is terribly root-bound and although it still puts out new leaves now and then it has stopped growing. I want to re-pot it. But, I have had about 50/50 luck repotting things ... they often seem shocked and die.
What can I do to best ensure a happy transfer into a bigger pot with fresh soil??

View attachment 25470 View attachment 25471

If you do repot make sure you just go up a bit in size. Yo may just try fertilizer before disturbing it.