When to repot, and what size

Repot when roots poke out of the drainage hole, circle the inside of the pot, or the soil dries out in a day or two — and go up only 1–2 inches in diameter. The best time is spring to early summer, when the plant is growing and heals fast.

A pot that’s too big is the most common repotting mistake: all that extra soil stays wet for weeks and rots the roots.

The 5 signs a plant needs a bigger pot

1. Roots coming out of the drainage hole. Lift the pot and look underneath.
2. Roots circling the root ball when you slide the plant out.
3. Water runs straight through and the soil is dry again within 1–2 days.
4. The plant tips over because it’s top-heavy for its pot.
5. It’s been 2+ years and growth has stalled even in good light.

One sign alone, like a single root out the bottom, isn’t an emergency. Two or more means it’s time.

Pot size chart

Current pot (diameter)	Move up to	Typical plant
4 in (10 cm)	5–6 in (13–15 cm)	Nursery pothos, haworthia
6 in (15 cm)	7–8 in (18–20 cm)	Spider plant, peace lily
8 in (20 cm)	10 in (25 cm)	Monstera, rubber plant
10 in (25 cm)	12 in (30 cm)	Fiddle leaf fig, money tree
12 in (30 cm)	14 in (35 cm)	Large floor plants
14 in+ (35 cm+)	Top-dress instead	Very large plants: replace the top 2 inches of soil yearly

Plants that like a snug pot — snake plant, ZZ plant, hoya, spider plant and peace lily — can stay root-bound longer. Repot them only when roots crack or deform the pot.

Step by step

1. Water the day before so the root ball slides out in one piece.
2. Pick the new pot, one size up, with a drainage hole. No hole? Use a plastic nursery pot inside it.
3. Add fresh mix to the bottom so the top of the root ball will sit about 1 inch below the rim.
4. Slide the plant out. Tap the sides or squeeze a plastic pot. Never yank by the stems.
5. Loosen circling roots with your fingers. Trim any that are black, mushy or smell bad.
6. Set it in and fill around the sides with mix, pressing lightly. Don’t bury the stem deeper than before.
7. Water once thoroughly and let it drain. Keep it out of hot direct sun for a week.

Which potting mix?

Plant type	Mix
Snake plant, ZZ, succulents, jade	Cactus/succulent mix, or potting mix + ⅓ perlite
Pothos, monstera, philodendron	Potting mix + a handful of orchid bark and perlite
Ferns, calathea, peace lily	Regular potting mix (holds more moisture)

Never use garden soil in a pot: it packs down and drains badly.

After repotting

• Expect a few days of droop — that’s normal transplant shock.
• Water less than usual for the first couple of weeks: there’s more soil, so it stays wet longer. Recalibrate with the lift test.
• Wait about a month before fertilizing.

Not ready to repot but the plant is leggy? Take cuttings instead — pothos roots in water in 2–4 weeks.