What if I don't want to buy a bigger pot? Need advice.

8 years ago

Probably a basic/dumb question, but I have a lovely Chinese Evergreen that is growing well and may need a bigger pot by next Spring. However, I really like this pot that it is in and don't want to spend so much money to upgrade it to a...15 inch pot? I don't even know what the next size up is.

I know I could divide the plant and transfer the divided half to another pot, but could I also just trim the roots significantly and keep in it the same pot, as long as it doesn't topple over?

Most of my plants are in window sills and are tiny, slow growers, so they just don't get that big, frankly. Chinese Evergreen, however, is about 2 feet high and about a foot wide.

I'm pretty impressed with its growth, and very grateful, just uncertain about next steps. Advice?

Featured Answer

tlbean2004

8 years ago

That pot looks fine for it right now.

Comments (16)

tlbean2004
8 years ago
Just leave it in the pot until you are ready to put it in a larger container.

People leave plants in pots for YEARS on end. It just keeps them smaller.
Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years ago
You can absolutely and should root prune the houseplant come the growing season for the plant. It could remain in that pot for a long time if done properly.

There are some excellent posts on the forum re: root pruning so do a search and read. You have plenty of time to study before taking it on next year. You should be prepared to give it new (fresh) soil/mix, FYI.
jentsu926 thanked Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
Related Discussions
newbie - i don't want to regret them but now what??
Q
Comments (13)
We had non stop rain for 2wks and now a week with out rain so i am actually watering right now. it is supposed to be hot and humid tomorrow. as for fertilizing, only once this year with miracle grow. Thanks for the nice comments. I guess I am being to hard on myself (sounds like something my hubby says to me - lol). I have done a few garden tours in my local area and just haven't seen much for roses so they seem like they just stick out. Here are a couple more views. I am in the process of ruthless yanking and moving stuff around, so it looks a little rough. the weigela is coming out, it hasn't done well the past couple of years and I think its finally showing its age. to the right is the morden blush. as I look at these pictures I think its the placement of the spirea I am not happy with and the potentilla is also coming out. Its very sickly looking. You have given me ideas. So, thanks for that. Hopefully later I can show you what I have done. I don't think I want to move the David Thompson, so is it ok to move the smaller roses now or should I wait till fall or early next spring? Jodi
...See More
So do you buy pots you don't need?
Q
Comments (40)
I was in Target and decided to take a look in housewares. The selection of really good looking bowls was impressive and most of them are cheaper than regular house plant pots. I think I'll be getting a few of them, and a diamond encrusted drill bit. I never thought to look at these bowls as potential pots. Thanks for the ideas!
...See More
An epiphany: I don't think I want granite. Now what?
Q
Comments (58)
I really don't like granite. It's too speckeldy, too pretentious, too cold, too ostentatious, too expensive. And maybe it's just me, but doesn't most of it just look like rust stains? I also researched all the other countertop choices. Throughout our homebuilding we've tried to remain focused on our twin goals, Durable and Low Maintenance. And so we've come back to granite. What I found out is that granite showrooms only have a tiny selection of slabs onsite for you to look at. And most of those are ugly speckled rust stains. BUT, when you've found a company you want to work with, they'll hook you up with the huge granite yards where you go to pick out a slab and they send it to the installer. In our case it's a two hour drive to a huge city where there are a half dozen granite yards and acres of slabs of granite to choose from. You walk around for a couple of hours dragging your husband (who really doesn't want to be there and doesn't like anything unless it's cobalt blue) and your kids (who are fighting over a piece of gravel they picked up in the parking lot) and suddenly you turn a corner and find The Perfect Slab. And you hear a heavenly chorus that swells to drown out the sound of the kids squabbling and the perky salesperson who doesn't have a clue what you're really looking for (you couldn't tell her because you weren't really sure either.) And tears of relief and joy spring to your eyes, your husband drops to his knees in shock when he hears the price, and then you're done. Then you get to choose a backsplash!
...See More
I don't know what I want: white or medium wood kitchen?
Q
Comments (33)
We were going to repaint our perimeter cabinets and add new cabinets in other parts of the kitchen. I planned to have the new cabinets contrast the perimeter. I went back and forth between dark cabinets or white cabinets for the perimeter (existing dark oak cabinets). Finally the thing that made me go white perimeter and dark island was one simple thing. I like to use dark rich colors on the walls. When the cabinets were dark oak, I never could use browns or taupes. Plus, my adjacent dining room is chocolate brown, and to have the dark color continue through the kitchen on the cabinets, might be too much, I felt. So, after much staring at my space and imagining how each option would work, I went with the white perimeter and peppercorn island. I love the fact that I can paint my kitchen walls any color and it will work. I just hated the fact that my kitchen cabinets in my "old" kitchen dictated my color choices. I like to change my colors every now and then. So take into account how the other rooms nearby are decorated/painted. Think about what color you might want to paint that room. See what works with your choices. Good luck, and like so many others have said, keep looking at photos and real kitchens...see what speaks to your heart.
...See More
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
8 years ago
Do you have a pic of this guy? At some point, a plant is in as big of a pot as it will ever need. Just change the soil & trim off the pancake of roots at the bottom of the pot, if/whenever one develops.
jentsu926 thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
jentsu926
Original Author
8 years ago
Here he is:

jw · More Info

Sorry for the bad lighting. Sun is setting here.
jane__ny
8 years ago
I wouldn't do anything until it outgrows the pot. It appears it has a lot of room and I would leave it alone. Wait until the plant fills the pot.

Jane
jentsu926 thanked jane__ny
laticauda
8 years ago
Yeah, that pot is pretty big already!

Are you having trouble with watering frequency or something?
jentsu926
Original Author
8 years ago
Hey, Laticauda--watering frequency is not an issue. This might be the easiest plant I have as far as that is concerned. I was really just looking for what I might do with it next season. You wouldn't believe it, but when I first got it, it was in a 7 inch pot and really pot bound. I upgraded to this one, which is about 10 inches, and it grew a lot. All those leaves at the bottom that you see are from this growing season--it was kind of tall and spindly before. I guess my thought was, if it grows at a similar rate next year, I may have to get a new pot come spring, a much bigger one.

I only ask because I saw HUGE Chinese Evergreens at my local nursery. I am sure it was many plants grouped into a single pot, but they were large, in my opinion. Not just wide, but tall enough (3 feet?) to be a short floor plant.
jamilalshaw26
8 years ago
It sure is beautiful
jentsu926 thanked jamilalshaw26
laticauda
8 years ago
Different types of Agloanema have different full grown sizes. In ideal conditions would be different than etiolated growth but you know what I mean.

is your variety one that grows large?
laticauda
8 years ago
If it needs anything next spring, it's a repot not an up-pot. ;)
jentsu926 thanked laticauda
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years ago
Growth rate and vitality begin to fall under the limitations of root congestion at approximately the point in time when the root/soil mass can be lifted from the pot intact. The plant can be potted up w/o concern you're creating future problems if you pot up BEFORE the root/soil mass gets to that state of congestion. Beyond that stage of congestion (root/soil mass can be lifted from the pot intact) the limitations are permanent, even if the plant is transplanted into the landscape - unless the root issues are corrected by root pruning, the preeminent exercise of repotting.

It's not unusual for me to purchase a nursery plant and repot it into a pot less than half the volume of the pot it was purchased in, and in which it exhibits significantly greater vitality as a result of the execution. It might be several years before the plant grows enough to warrant being in a pot the volume of which is equal to that of the nursery can it was purchased in.

Al
jentsu926 thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
jentsu926
Original Author
8 years ago
Hmm. I am not entirely sure of this variety. Could it be Malay Queen or Beauty? Definitely not Silver Queen--leaves are not rounded enough. There was no tag on the plant.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2881353/aglaonema

I'll keep it in the pot it is in for awhile--thanks to everyone who chimed in--but now I want to know how big this variety gets!

Suggestions?
laticauda
8 years ago
Post in Russ's Aglaonema thread and he should be able to help you with identification or at least get you going the right direction.
jentsu926 thanked laticauda
jentsu926
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks, laticauda! I will give that a go.
ronalawn82
8 years ago
jentsu926, hopefully you will be able to ID the variety HERE It is quite surprising how much this plant will grow without repotting. Tiffany's suggestion of taking a slice off the bottom of the root ball and resetting it on some fresh medium, works well. My suggestion would be to reset the plant in a nursery grow pot (for the drainage holes) and set the whole in a water tight container. That way you will be able to water from the top and remove the drained water from the outer container (with a turkey baster).

What if I don't want to buy a bigger pot? Need advice.

tlbean2004

Comments (16)

tlbean2004

Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)

Related Discussions

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL

jentsu926
Original Author

jane__ny

laticauda

jentsu926
Original Author

jamilalshaw26

laticauda

laticauda

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

jentsu926
Original Author

laticauda

jentsu926
Original Author

ronalawn82

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

What if I don't want to buy a bigger pot? Need advice.

Comments (16)

Related Discussions

jentsu926Original Author

jentsu926Original Author

jentsu926Original Author

jentsu926Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

jentsu926
Original Author

jentsu926
Original Author

jentsu926
Original Author

jentsu926
Original Author