Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

C. De-Potting
Removal of nursery plant from the pot is known as de-potting.
De-potting Procedure
1. Loosen the soil around rim. Invert the soil. Keep the right hand palm under the
surface of the soil with the plant stem between the two middle fingers.
2. Tap the rim sharply but gently against a hard surface or wooden object and take the
plant out along with the root ball.
3. Safely loosen the excess soil between the roots and shake out the excess soil.
Removed the decayed and dead roots with sharp secateurs.
4. Keep the plant with ball of earth in position in the new pot and then fill the remaining
pot with new potting mixture till the top and level the surface.
5. Clip off few leaves to check transpiration. Then water thoroughly with a fine water
spray. Keep the plant under partial shade for a few days.
Depotting of Ornamental Plant Dieffenbachia
Care and Maintenance of Plant during Repotting
� The initial reaction after potting and repotting is partial or temporary wilting. The
transpiration loss has to be checked to help plants revive. Hence keep freshly potted
plants under shade and "pot water daily".
� After about 6 to 10 days under shade, the plants should be gradually exposed to sun
by keeping them for some hours under sun and then putting them under shade. The
period of exposure can be increased every week until finally the plants can be kept in
the open. This process is called "hardening".
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