Plant cleaning

[Chamifornia]

So I just got a 3 ft tall umbrella plant and it's too big to dip on a bucket. Any suggestions how to clean it?

 

[carol5208]

I would just spray real good with soap and water and rinse and do that a couple of times.

 

[Chamifornia]

Ok thanks Carol!

 

[Hoj]

i took mine into the shower and sprayed it with the removable head and then i just whiped down the leaves, it took along time to whip the leaves but i just watched tv while i did it lol

 

[Chamifornia]

How do I repot it safely without killing it? Theres alot of roots in the pot so I don't want to kill a 50 dollar plant

 

[carol5208]

I assume the pot is plastic it came in? Just take a knife and slice it down the sides in about four places and peel it off. The whole ball of dirt and the root system should stay in place.

 

[Hoj]

I assume the pot is plastic it came in? Just take a knife and slice it down the sides in about four places and peel it off. The whole ball of dirt and the root system should stay in place.

thats what i do

 

[Chamifornia]

Wouldnt you cut the roots if you did that? I have it out of the pot but need to switch the soil and there are tons of roots so I dont want to damage the roots? sorry I don't know crap about plants

 

[carol5208]

thats what i do

Great minds think alike Hoj

 

[Hoj]

yo can just shake off a bit of the excess dirt but i useuall just put it into a new bigger pot will new dirt all around

 

[Chamifornia]

aren't you supposed to change all of the soil to organic ? thats what I am trying to do but to get the old soil out It seems I would mess the roots up a bit? So the roots on the outside of the pot are ok to cut? Im confused

 

[carol5208]

Yeah you can cut the roots that are sticking through the holes, but if you cut the pot you won't have to pull on it hard to get it out of the original pot and the roots should kinda slide through the holes. when you replant just use a larger pot. I never replanted all the dirt. Just fill the top with organic soil and then cover with some large river rocks and you are good to go!

 

[Hoj]

i just remove my plant from the pot by cutting down the side not deep just throught the plastic then i take it out and shake of a bunch of dirt, how much depends on the particular plant and how well the roots are holding the soil. i then place it into a larger pot with a bit of new dirt on the bottom, then fill in the rest of the pot with new dirt and cover with rocks.. i useually just water it really well untill the water is flowing through and set it out to dry.

 

[suzi]

I soak mine in the tub for awhile. I killed the first one that I didn't soak and have had success with soaking for at least an hour, it had worked for all my plants since. I also do what Carol suggested by cutting around the outside with a knife first. After it soaks for awhile it is easy to rinse off the old soil and replace with organic. Good luck

 

[Chamifornia]

I thought you were supposed to change out ALL the soil.

 

[suzi]

I do, but you probably don't have to. If you do soak it, use warm water

 

[Hoj]

i dont get out all the soil just as much as i can easily and put it in new soil.. and then lots of water help set the new roots and flush out crap from the old dirt.

 

[suzi]

Do you change your plants out hoj? My hibiscus are doing terrible even with the plant bulb, maybe they need the real sun

 

[Hoj]

i do change out my plants about every 3 months, but they just end up as a free range in the real sun LOL my hibiscus is almost always out as it keeps flowering and my gf really likes it out on display lol

 

[suzi]

Yeah they are pretty flowers