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Growing up, I can vividly remember geranium starts lining all our southern windows. Every January, Mom started her geraniums for the coming summer and, without realizing it, I become a plant person. I loved watching the cuttings grow and remember being so amazed by what we started once they were planted in the month of May.
I grew up in the garden: planting, weeding, watering, and learning from all my mistakes. But I understand that for many, gardening can seem daunting. Your new houseplant dies for some unknown reason or the newly planted tree just doesn’t leaf out. We all make mistakes and believe me, daily I still have my own questions. But the best way to learn is to ask questions and be resilient.
A great way to wade into the “gardening waters” is with potted plants. For me, all my houseplants spend the winter indoors – we’ll call it their version of Florida.
So when the warm spring weather hits, I’m ready to get them back outside. And it’s the perfect opportunity to freshen them up and split a few of the larger ones.
Watch how to work with potted plants:
Personally, I love to grow aloe, agave, mangave, and succulents. These varieties of plants, when well cared for (I like to call them happy plants), start numerous plants from the mother plant, which means extra plants for you! But when contained in a pot, plants eventually outgrow their container. Splitting them apart not only gives you more but also helps the plant have more room to become larger and healthier.
My Re-potting Tips
- Use potting soil appropriate for the type of plants you’re repotting. In most cases, general potting soil will be fine.
- Ensure your pots have good drainage, allowing the roots to dry out.
- If you are simply re-potting a plant rather than splitting it apart, choose a pot one or two sizes larger than the current pot. If you’re splitting a plant, choose a pot slightly larger than the individual plants.
- Fill the pot with soil, spread out the roots of the plant, and place more soil over the roots.
- Press down the soil to make sure there are no large air pockets.
- Water and watch the plant thrive!
how do you water aloe and succulent type plants? from the bottom, top… dribble, mist. lol thanks kaleb
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Would love to see a video on cultivating succulents Love your video’s.
I have tried growing tomato in pots and just have not had good luck. Can you tell me how to do it. I want to plant one cherry and two regular tomato plants. I live in Carter Lake IA. so in the same zone 5.
Thank you for your help.
Love all of your videos – cooking and gardening.
I live in central Oklahoma and I love Boston ferns. I put my Boston’s out in the shade in the summer, water daily, and bring them in in the winter. I have three that I have kept for 7-8 years but they are getting root bound and need bigger pots or should be separated into smaller plants and repotted.
QUESTIONS: How do you repot or separate/split Boston ferns??
How do you keep them during the winter?
What fertilizer do you use on them?
I have just found you on FB and I love your videos. Thank you so much!!
Love watching your videos, and have made several of dishes . The latest was apple butter..it turned out amazing..thank you
Hi Caleb… I am also a resident of Iowa. Just want you to know how much I enjoy your show. I think we love some of the same things. I really like your recipes, your garden tips and you’re always pleasantness.😊
I love that I found you, you are chef that one can learn from, you explain what you’re making and how to make it that is easy to understand. You need to have your own cooking show on TV!
I always use a plastic pot with holes in the bottom to plant my plant in and then put the plastic containers in decorator pots. I noticed you planted directly into decorator pots. Do you put stones in for drainage? Or do your pots have holes in the bottom- then how do you protect surfaces from leaking water? Thanks
Hi! I do not use stones or anything, I just make sure all pots have good drainage holes. I do like to put some hardware mesh over the holes to make sure they do not plug up. If the pots are in an area where I don’t want the water to drain I use a tray underneath to catch the water.
I am 73 years old and I have learned so much from you. Thank you for telling us that anyone can bake, cook, can, or garden. I am living proof. You taught me to just try. And I did! Thank you Kaleb!
Looks like your soil for cacti and succulents is very rich…..what kind do you use? I have been told to make it very gritty with not much soil itself…