Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast · Forum Communications Co.

Got cabin fever? Now's the time to repot your houseplants (republish)

·55 min·3 clips

A peace lily that wilts faster than usual may be root-bound and need a larger pot.

1. Growing Together: A Gardening Podcast focuses on repotting houseplants during January 2025. 2. John Lamb hosts with Don Kinsler, a lifelong gardener and North Dakota State University Extension horticulturist for Cass County. 3. The episode asks what signs tell a houseplant needs a new pot and what materials help it grow well indoors. 4. John says winter is a good time to keep hands in the dirt with houseplants and to bridge the gap until spring. 5. Don says houseplants surged in popularity during the pandemic, when many people were staying home. 6. Don says one clue is to slip the plant out of its pot and examine whether the root ball is fully intertwined with roots. 7. Don says roots growing out the bottom drain hole mean the plant is looking for new soil. 8. Don says hard-packed soil or a white crust on top can signal salts and a need for fresh mix. 9. Don says many plants can stay in the same pot one to two years, while jade plants and Christmas cactus can stay much longer. 10. Don says a fast-growing new plant or a peace lily that dries out too quickly may need a bigger pot. 11. Don says a high-quality potting mix is usually light, airy, and crumbles apart when wet. 12. Don says cheap mixes can be heavy, sticky, and gooey after watering, which is not ideal for roots. 13. Don says tropical houseplants usually like peat moss, coconut coir, vermiculite, and perlite in an organic mix. 14. Don says cactus and succulent mixes need to drain much more sharply than tropical mixes. 15. Don says orchid mixes rely on bark chunks because many orchids grow on decaying trees in their native habitat. 16. Don says the old practice of putting rocks in the bottom of a pot can make the upper mix stay too wet indoors. 17. Don says terracotta pots breathe through the sides, while plastic or glazed pots can suit ferns and African violets better. 18. The conversation stays practical and instructional, with John asking for clarification and Don answering in step-by-step terms. 19. Listeners who grow houseplants and want better repotting results should find this useful. 20. Listeners looking for plant-care stories or non-gardening content will probably skip it.

As heard by us

Practical January houseplant guidance on repotting, pot choice, and watering.

The piece keeps things practical, starting with repotting houseplants in January and moving through the basics that matter most: drainage holes, pot choice, and watering. Don Kinsler lays out the tradeoffs plainly.

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Give your windowsill plants a better pot while January still keeps you indoors.

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