Repot hydroponic plants: avoid damage to the plant

A very special plant - the hydroponic plant

Hydroponics are something very special. They don't need soil to grow. A while ago, no one would have thought that plants could survive without soil. Today, hydroponics are known worldwide and also very popular.

Have you ever thought about planting hydroponics yourself? Then in this article you can learn all about how best to rid your plant of the crumbly soil and bring it into the world of hydroponics. However, if you have had hydroponics for a long time and it is getting too small for the pot, then you should repot it slowly.

We'll show you what you have to pay particular attention to when repotting hydroponic plants in order to avoid damage.

When do you need to repot hydroponic plants?

Thehydroponic plants need to be repotted much less often than plants in conventional soil. The hydroponic plants still need a larger pot from time to time so that their roots have enough space again.

The best time to repot hydroponic plants is between spring and summer. The plants have the most energy at this time and tolerate repotting much better.

You need this to repot hydroponic plants

Since you are not using conventional soil for your hydroponics, you will of course need some special things. With these things, hydroponic plant repotting is guaranteed to work.

Waterproof planter with special inner pot

So that your plant does not stand in direct water and subsequently die due to waterlogging, there are special pots for hydroponic plants. The inner pot consists of the actual pot, into which the substrate will later come, as well as the water level indicator. Are you still unsure and wondering where you should get something like this from?

Here we have a great all-round package, with substrate, fertilizer, cachepot and inner pot. Of course you can get the right plants from us in the botanicly shop, feel free to take a look.

Water level indicator

With a water level indicator, watering is very easy. With this display, the water usually lasts the whole holiday without anyone having to come by to water it.

substrate

An inorganic material is used as “soil” in the hydroponic plant. Expanded clay or volcanic rock is best suited for this. Clay pebbles are made from clay and can hold an incredible amount of water as they are made.

Volcanic rocks such as perlite and basalt can store nutrients and water for long periods of time. Gravel or sand does not lend itself very well to hydroponics. Both are difficult to keep clean and weigh enormously.

This is the best way to proceed when repotting

Step 1: Take the older plant out of the old pot. This is usually not so easy, because some plants have already formed strong roots. If the roots have already overgrown the vessel, you must proceed very carefully.

Detach the roots as carefully as possible so as not to damage them. It is best if you cut open the entire inner pot to remove the plant.

Step 2: Carefully clean the roots with water and immediately check if all the roots are healthy. Dead roots are no longer functional and can quickly begin to rot. So cut them off with a clean, sharp knife.

Step 3: You don't need to buy a new expanded clay, you can simply use your old one. In order to remove dust, dirt or fertilizer residues from the old expanded clay, it should be thoroughly cleaned again.This keeps the plant healthy and its roots get enough oxygen

Step 4: Now fill the inner pot with a layer of expanded clay. This prevents the roots from hanging directly in the water. Check if the water level indicator is working by pouring some water into it.

Step 5: Now put the plant in and fill the rest of the inner pot with the expanded clay. Now you can put the inner pot back into the cachepot and fill up with water.

You should pay special attention to this

Repotting hydroponic plants is not difficult at all. Nevertheless, there are a few points that you should pay special attention to.

Water balance

After repotting hydroponic plants, there are 3 water levels that you should keep an eye on with the water level indicator. Check the ad once or twice a week. If the water level is below the minimum, you should add some water to the optimum, that is the normal level of watering.

Only fill the water up to the maximum in exceptional situations, e.g. when you go on vacation. Usually the water lasts about 3 weeks.

Depending on the location, plant and the size of the pot, the amount of water can vary greatly. If the water level indicator shows a minimum, it is not necessary to water immediately to the optimum.

For a large plant in a fairly small pot and in a sunny spot, watering every 4 days is sufficient. A small plant in a large pot that is in the shade can handle the same amount of water for about a month.

Clean substrate

It is important that the expanded clay is free of dirt, dust and fertilizer residues. Every 2-3 years, remove the top layer of substrate and clean it or replace it with a new one. Otherwise it is also sufficient if you clean the substrate when repotting hydroponic plants.

How to convert plants to hydroponics

Spring is the best time to repot hydroponic plants. Always use healthy plants. In any case, moving a dying plant is no longer of any use.

First of all, get everything ready that you need for repotting. Take the plant with the soil out of the old pot and gently shake off the old soil. You can also carefully try to remove the dirt with your fingers.

Then you completely immerse the roots in lukewarm water so that the rest of the soil is also removed. Any organic matter at the root must be removed to prevent rot later.

Rinse the expanded clay well with water and let it dry a little, it should no longer be visibly wet. Then pour a layer into the inner pot with the water level indicator so that the bottom is covered. Now hold the plant in the pot and fill up the expanded clay so that the roots can no longer be seen and the plant is firm.

You should not water the expanded clay directly from above after repotting hydroponic plants. The water must be poured into the planter and then the plant is placed in the inner pot.

As you can see, handling hydroponic plants is very easy. Don't be shy, because hydroponics have many advantages. If you would like to learn more about the care of hydroponics, then have a look at the article Hydroponic plants.

If you don't have a plant that you want to cultivate hydroponically, then feel free to visit our shop, you'll find some very nice specimens here.

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