Prepare the new pot. Select a clean pot one or two sizes bigger
than the existing one. Put 2cm (¾ inch) layer of coarse
gravel or broken crocks in the base of the new pot and cover with a
piece of paper or moss. The gravel will help water to drain away
and the paper will stop soil from coming out of the pot when you
Remove the plant from it's existing pot. A tricky and
potentially damaging operation so be careful. The way to do it is
to turn the plant upside down with your hands holding in the soil
and surrounding them stem. Tap the pot with your other hand until
the the pot comes away from the roots. You may need a friend's help
to support the plant and prevent damage if the plant is
Have a good look at the roots and cut away any that are damaged
or diseased. Use a sharp knife for this.
Remove the top 1cm (½ inch) of compost. Carefully separate the
roots at the bottom of the rootball trying to damage as few roots
as possible. remove any grits or stones and tease away any of the
Place the plant into the new pot (with the grit at the bottom
as in step 1 above). If it goes too far into the pot, remove the
plant, sprinkle 1cm (½ inch) of compost into the base and place the
plant on top.
Start to fill round the sides of the root ball with fresh
compost. Gently firm the compost down the dies with your finger or
a round stick. Continue doing this until the sides are filled. It
often helps to tap the pot on the floor to ensure the compost goes
as far down as possible. Sprinkle compost over the top to the level
of the old compost.
Firm down the top and water well. Don't feed for another couple
of weeks because the new compost will contain nutrients.