Textbook of Field Practices in Bioresource Production, University of Tsukuba

Flowering plants (2)

Potting and repotting of flowers and ornamental plants

1. Objectives: Potting is the practice of transferring seedlings or nursery plants grown by cutting, division
layering, or other methods to pots for the first time. Potted plants become deficient in nutrients and decline as
they grow so they are transferred to bigger pots with new soil. This practice is called repotting.

2. Materials and equipment: Second-year and third-year Clivia seedlings and flowering plants, other potted
flowers, various soil types, various pots (unglazed pots, plastic pots, vinyl pots, pottery pots, etc.)

3. Preparation of pots: Pot types include unglazed pots made of clay, glazed ceramic pots, plastic-mold hard
pots, soft pots made from vinyl film, and peat pots made from peat moss. Pot standards use a diameter of 3 cm
as a unit (e.g., No. 2 pot [6 cm], No. 4.5 pot [13.5 cm]).

Table 1. Pot size and volume (Cited from Abe)

Type (No.) 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 7

Diameter (cm) 6.0 7.5 9.0 10.5 12.0 13.5 15.0 16.5 18.0 21.0

Height (cm) 5.5 6.0 7.5 8.5 11.0 11.5 12.5 13.0 14.5 17.5

Volume (ml) 100 180 250 400 670 1000 1300 1800 2200 3800

4. Differences by pot material:

Unglazed pots have tiny pores in their surfaces, allowing the absorption and evaporation of moisture.
Therefore, soil in these pots dries more quickly than that in plastic pots. On the other hand, plastic, vinyl, and
ceramic pots do not pass air and moisture and their internal environments are prone to excessive humidity.
Unglazed pots and ceramic pots are fragile and heavy. Plastic pots and ceramic pots are superior in terms of
decoration. Plastic pots are superior in terms of the freedom of shape and color.

5. Soil preparation:
Soil is mixed with ingredients suitable for each plant to achieve the desired physical and chemical integrities.
The soils and ingredients need to be disinfected prior to use. Disinfection methods include drug treatment and
heating treatment (using steam, fire, etc.).
A soil burner is used for directly sterilizing soil and a steam disinfector is used for sterilizing soil with steam.
One benefit of these treatment methods is that treatment at 90°C for 10 to 20 minutes is sufficient and treated
soil can be used immediately after being cooled.

Daiki Mizuta,
AFRC, University of Tsukuba
1
 Textbook of Field Practices in Bioresource Production, University of Tsukuba

6. Potting
1) Seedling size and pot preparation
For potting, pots suitable for seedling sizes should be chosen. Generally speaking, No. 2.5 – No. 3 pots are
used for many potted plants. Large plants that have been layered or divided, or group-planted plants, are
planted in large pots from the start.
2) Preparation for potting
Clods or pot pieces are placed in the bottom of a pot to prevent soil loss; however, No. 3 or smaller pots do
not generally require this bedding as these pots have sufficiently small holes in the bottom. First, a small
amount of soil is placed in the pot, a seedling is then placed in the center of the pot, and then the soil is
added around the seedling. The soil level should be slightly lower than the upper edge of the pot. The soil
around the base of the seedling should be lightly compacted. You can lightly tap the pot on the work table a
few times to settle the soil. Do not compact the soil as it will decrease the air and moisture permeability of
the soil and may damage the roots. The soil level should be one or two centimeters below the upper edge of
the pot, depending on pot size. This gap serves as water space when the plant is watered and water gradually
penetrates and spreads in the soil from there. If this gap is too small, the soil will get dry easily and if the
gap is too big, the soil becomes too wet or water washes out nutrients through the bottom of the pot.

7. Repotting
1) Timing of repotting
As a potted plant grows, its roots spread in the soil and the plant becomes root-bound along a pot shape. If
white roots have started appearing from the holes in the bottom of the pot, the plant requires repotting. If
repotting is delayed, the root mass becomes even bigger and their growth significantly declines, slowing the
post-repotting growth of the plant.
2) Repotting method
When pulling out a potted plant from a pot, you lightly tap the edge of the pot a few times from above on
the work table to separate the roots and soil from the pot. For large pots, use a wooden or robber hammer for
this. If the plant cannot be pulled out from the pot because the roots are entangled with the pot, hold the pot
upside down and tap the edge of the pot a few times against the edge of the work table.
You might think that doing potting while the seedling is still small would save the labor of repotting;
however, if you do this, the roots will mainly grow toward the pot wall, creating a non-uniform distribution
of roots. Also, growing plants in the same soil for a long period of time can deteriorate the physicochemical
properties of the soil and increase pest damage and weeds.

Daiki Mizuta,
AFRC, University of Tsukuba
2