Those who already use our GreenBox will have noticed that it makes an excellent incubator, i.e. a growing box. This already happens almost automatically.
If you're not consuming your entire harvest right now and have a desire for new/new plants, you inevitably wonder where to put your seedlings?
So that you can enjoy your plants for a long time: Here are a few tips on how to get them out of the GreenBox and onto your windowsill, balcony or garden.
Why is repotting important?
Plants are constantly growing and therefore need more space, nutrients and water. If they remain in a pot that is too small, they will not be able to grow and develop properly. This can lead to a variety of problems such as root rot, poor aeration and even death of the plant. By repotting regularly, these problems can be avoided and the plants can grow healthy and strong.
These problems are actually not that relevant for the plants in the GreenBox, here it is more about making room for new things.
When should you repot a plant?
There are a few signs that a plant should be repotted. If the roots are growing out of the pot or the plant is growing very slowly, it's time for a new home. Another option is to turn the pot over and check to see if the roots cover the entire bottom. If so, the plant should be repotted.
In the case of the GreenBox, this is manifested by a very well rooted PlantPlug.
It may look like this:
This is our Ornamental Chili, you may have seen it in our Instagram story as we repotted it into one of our PlantPots. The Ornamental Chili is a small growing chili species that is very well suited for the GreenBox.
In the picture you can see the roots of the chili as they look in a healthy state! So the chili can remain in the GreenBox or, if you feel like something new, can be transplanted into a pot.
How to choose the right pot?
The pot should be large enough to give the plant enough room to grow, but not so large that the plant is lost in a sea of soil. A good guideline is a pot about 20% larger than the old one. Also make sure the new pot has holes in the bottom to allow excess water to drain.
Since our PlantPlugs are uniform in size, our PlantPots, which have an inside diameter of 12cm, are perfect for them.
How to prepare the plant for repotting?
Before repotting the plant should be sufficiently watered. This will facilitate the removal of the plant from the old pot and reduce stress for the plant.
This is a given with our GreenBox anyway, as our plants grow without substrate in the water.
If the plant is a little difficult to detach (usually a sign of good rooting, so very positive), our PlantPlug inserts have holes at the bottom. Carefully push the stubborn plant through these holes with your finger to get it out of the GreenBox.
How to carry out repotting?
First, the old pot should be carefully turned over to remove the plant. Then the soil should be removed from the roots to check the condition of the roots and remove damaged roots.
In our case, as already mentioned, simply remove the U-plate and carefully pull the plant out of the PlantPlug inserts. To protect the plant in the process, you can press from below with your finger. This will prevent you from accidentally tearing the plant off at the root neck.
The new pot should be filled with fresh soil; our peat-free soil is suitable for this. The soil has sufficient nutrients for the first six weeks after repotting and has good drainage properties.
If you use our PlantPots, do not forget to insert the filter paper before filling with soil. This will allow water to escape, but prevent the soil from leaking.
Then place the plant in the new pot, making sure the plant is deep enough to cover the PlantPlug with a light layer of soil.
You can, to avoid air pockets, gently press the soil to the side of the PlantPlug with your fingers.
How to care for the plant after repotting?
After repotting the plant should be sufficiently watered to moisten the soil and strengthen the roots.
When watering for the first time immediately after repotting, it is recommended that you simply hold the entire pot under running water (be careful here that the water pressure is not too high). Then just let the water run until it drips out of the bottom of the pot. Then you can drain the pot briefly - and off into the saucepan!
Avoid overwatering in the future, as this can lead to root rot. The basic rule for watering is: rather once a lot and not so often. This rule can also be applied to fertilizing and is one of the ten golden rules for fertilizing - more on this in a separate entry.
Finally, place the plant in a place where it receives sufficient light, but is protected from direct sunlight. Depending on the plant species, it may also be useful to shade it somewhat during the first few days after repotting to reduce stress.
Here is our Chili at her new home:
Over the next few weeks, you should check the plant regularly to make sure it is adequately watered and that there are no pests or diseases. After a few weeks, the plant should be well rooted in its new pot and able to grow normally again. So the repotting of your plant was successful, congratulations!
In summary, repotting is an important measure to promote the growth and health of plants. It is important to choose the right time, select the right pot, and carefully prepare and care for the plant. With a little care and attention, repotting can help keep your plants healthy and happy. Want to learn even more about growing seedlings? Then enjoy reading more!
But when is the right time to put my plant outdoors?
Here in our latitudes usually applies after the last frost. Perhaps some of you know the "Ice Saints". The Ice Saints, also called May frosts, include several name days of Christian saints in May, on which - according to various regional farming rules - the last frost nights of spring are possible.
The best thing you can do is find out about the plants you want to put outdoors. Here there are great differences in terms of resistance.
Welcome to the jungle...
Special promotion*: When you buy a GreenBox Urban Jungle Bundle, you automatically get 1 additional PlantPots set for free - without any codes during the promotion period.
👉 https://berlingreen.com/products/greenbox-urban-jungle-bundle
Want more? When you buy PlantPots sets, you can buy 2 and get 1 free. In this case you should remember to add 3 PlantPots sets to your cart and apply promo code HELLOSPRING before buying :)
*This promotion is valid until the end of March.