THIS week is a good time to overhaul all indoor and patio pot plants.
As the weather warms up and plants have increased demand for water, any that are pot-bound - or full in the pot - will find it harder to extract water from less and less potting mix space.
Gently tap plants out of their pots and check how much root growth is around the outside of the potting mix ball.
If full of roots, then it is time to go up to the next size.
Choose the appropriate potting mix from the premium standards range (look for the red standards mark on the potting mix bag).
Then select a new pot a couple of sizes larger than the old one.
If it is going outdoors you may prefer a plastic or glazed ceramic pot, as some of the older terracotta pots are porous and dry out quicker than a sealed pot.
Alternatively, if you do have a favourite non-glazed pot, you can seal the inside surface with one of the many pot sealers available at hardware stores.
The premium quality potting will have sufficient fertiliser to get the plant started again, so there is no need to fertilise immediately.
Pot up the plant into its new pot and water in thoroughly. Then water in with a weak seaweed solution to help stimulate the root growth.
Trim off any old and yellowing leaves and it won't be long before you see new growth starting to develop and the plant begin to thrive.
Leave them in the rain
IF YOUR indoor plants are not too large, it is always a good idea to take them outside for a thorough watering and wash the leaves where you won't risk water spilling onto wooden or other surfaces such as carpet that will stain.
Traditional favourites that survive in a well-lit area indoors include the parlour palm, peace lily or spathiphyllum, cast iron plant (aspidistra), dracaena and philodendrons.
Every few weeks you can wipe the leaves over with a moist soft cloth to remove any dust that collects on the foliage, or on an overcast and rainy day, you can take them outside and let them enjoy a brief wash in the rain.
