Hi all,
I need to change the soil that ive planted my rooted cuttings into, as i know for a fact it is bad soil and causing my plants to yellow badly..
The thing is , i need to pot them back into the same size pots as they are gonna be turned into bonsai mums - so i dont wanna pot em up into larger pots....(yet)
The clones were planted up (after rooting through in propogater) into Light-mix about a week and half ago.
My plan is just to try and break up/off as much of the soil they are in by hand and then just re-pot them into 'Westland Hanging Basket and container compost' - will this work?
Cheers in advance people,
i appreciate all help/advice given

Redgrotto

PS/- I know problem is definately the Light-mix, as i potted some other plants into different soil at the same time and they are fine and dandy
cheers again

Do a search tor OT1 article on bonsaiing mums and it shows you how to root prune. It is something i have just done myself to repot them into the same sized pots. It's easy just remove the plants trim off about 1/2 all the way round including the bottom. Replant the plants anout 1/4" deeper eact time you repot and voila.
Good luck but if you read his article about how to create bonsai mums you wont have too many problems.

Cheers fetish,
i know about the article you have read - i have studied it inside out,
but i cannot root prune them yet (i dont think) cos they havent even had the chance to root through properly, they havent grown since potting up the soil is so bad
I think what i need to do is break away as much soil as i can so it can be replaced,i hope i make sense
cheers for reply mate

RG

Then when you remove them from the pots any soil that hasn't got enough roots to keep it in place will either remain in the pots or fall off when lift them out so they should naturally fit back into the same pots as before. When you try to remove more soil just be carefull not to damage the roots but it sounds like they will benefit from the new soil.
Go for it mate they will be find if you keep em watered.

Cheers fetish,
im gonna go for it tommorow
thanks mate
Any more thoughts/input by anyone else out there?

RG

Tip the pots upside down using your hand to hold the stem between your fingers,then tip back upright while supporting the bottom and gently shake off the excess soil.Pot it on in new compo water through with superthrive. 908

What I did in a similar situation (potted up into B&Q organic multipurpose which was crap) was to wash away the old compost and re-plant with new. I got the plant out of the pot and, in a large bucket of water (temperature adjusted to room temperature), I loosened / washed off the old compost, being careful not to damage the roots. Then I held the plant approximately in position over the pot and sprinkled fresh compost around and between the roots until it was full again.

Though as fetish has said, if the plants haven't rooted through then you shouldn't have much problem removing the outer layer of compost anyway.

cheers guys,
appreciate the advice

RG