Hi there

I have had my BOP since Summer 2020 and haven't repotted it. Now it's enormous and I can see a couple of big roots pushing out of the drainage holes.

The other day it tipped over. Fortunately I caught it and it wasn't damaged!

Should I repot it? If so, how big and any tips on doing it? At the moment it's in a pot just under 30cm.

I'd really appreciate any advice!!
Thanks

Get the new pot ready with soil at the bottom to match the current height of the root ball. For example, if the root ball is 8" tall and your new pot is 12" deep, put just under 4" of soil in the bottom so when you add the 8" rootball, it will be even with the rim of the pot.

Then slide your plant out of the current pot and sit it on the soil in the new pot. Fill around the sides. If you have another pair of hands to hold it steady while filling the sides, that helps, but you do do both things at the same time, one hand for each thing, if needed.

Beautiful plant. Never had one but wow, it's a room-changer.

What purpleinopp said:)

As far as size, I'd aim for about 1-2" wider than the root ball.

As you fill with soil make sure to tamp down that outer loose new soil. I do it again when I'm done.

For a plant that size and mass, if the new soil is loose it can shift a lot when you water.

To be on the safe side you could even cage it with 3 or 4 bamboo stakes off the perimeter where it won't harm any roots, tied gently. I get them for about 10 cents. Leave them for a few weeks and remove once the new roots lock in.

FWIW, I do everything possible to avoid compacting soil, by not tamping and by watering with a very gentle sprinkle the first few times until particles stop moving around. This is because I want as much air in the pot as possible so the soil can stay moist w/o rotting the roots, and so the roots can more easily grow through those spaces.

Opinions will vary but if it was me doing this, I would try to find a pot bigger than the basket, at least 5 gallons, so I won't have to repot it again so soon, because it's too hard to try to fill just 1" of space with new soil, because an enormous plant can make an enormous root system, a bigger pot makes it easier to provide consistent conditions, and to provide the ballast that such a big plant needs to stay upright.

purpleinopp said: FWIW, I do everything possible to avoid compacting soil, by not tamping and by watering with a very gentle sprinkle the first few times until particles stop moving around. This is because I want as much air in the pot as possible so the soil can stay moist w/o rotting the roots, and so the roots can more easily grow through those spaces.

I like your logic.

Glad both methods work, I'll have to try yours again.

Happy to suggest! I haven't had a plant die of "overwatering" for years, even though I water them often, with the possible exception of an Aeonium stem that I propagated last fall. Not sure what happened to it because the other plants in the pot are fine.

purpleinopp said: Happy to suggest! I haven't had a plant die of "overwatering" for years, even though I water them often, with the possible exception of an Aeonium stem that I propagated last fall. Not sure what happened to it because the other plants in the pot are fine.

It makes sense and is a great method.

After seeing roots etch themselves into glass and brick, split pots, and break concrete and asphalt, I guess I just decided to go with stability so it's just a habit now.

It would also help to insert pots in heavy ceramic or concrete pots. I keep my top heavy plants in a plastic nursery pots then put it inside a heavy ceramic or concrete pots. Some of my big pots would stay up upright even on windy days.

GigiPlumeria said: It would also help to insert pots in heavy ceramic or concrete pots. I keep my top heavy plants in a plastic nursery pots then put it inside a heavy ceramic or concrete pots. Some of my big pots would stay up upright even on windy days.

I have pot right now with about 4 lbs of river rock on the bottom to offset a 2' moss pole.

Works great but catches people off guard when they take it down to mist it.

Humboldt said: I have pot right now with about 4 lbs of river rock on the bottom to offset a 2' moss pole.

Works great but catches people off guard when they take it down to mist it.

I do rocks on the bottom top of my plastic potted plants. It helps stabilize the pot and doesn't make it get knocked down easy. And good for plants that requires faster drainage.

GigiPlumeria said: I do rocks on the bottom top of my plastic potted plants. It helps stabilize the pot and doesn't make it get knocked down easy. And good for plants that requires faster drainage.

Starting a new thread to help this one focus on that beautiful plant.