Large plants like the oleander are difficult to repot. With our little tricks and the precise instructions, you can do it too.
Regular repotting of plants should not be neglected, as this is the only way to ensure that the plants develop well and are supplied with all the necessary nutrients. The oleander (Nerium oleander) is no exception, on the contrary, repotting is a priority simply because the rose laurel is a heavy feeder. These are plants that quickly remove large amounts of nutrients from the soil. The substrate in the bucket can therefore be used up quickly. If the supply of nutrients is exhausted, the substrate should be replaced as soon as possible.
Young oleander plants develop quite quickly and promptly require larger planters so that the roots can expand.
When should oleanders be repotted?
Repotting is inevitably stressful for any plant. Repotting during the growth and flowering period is not advisable. The plant could feel massively disturbed and shed flowers and leaves as a stress response. The best time to repot the oleander is at the end of the hibernation. The plant should already be transplanted into the new planter when it begins to sprout.
Tip: Young plants should be repotted annually. Otherwise, the strong growth often leads to a bursting of the planter that has become too narrow. Older plants only need to be repotted every five to ten years.
Repotting oleanders - the preparation
If the root ends are already sticking out of the bottom of the planter, it's time for a larger planter. Care must be taken when removing the oleander from its old planter so that the fine roots do not tear off. So that the shoots are not damaged, the plant should be touched as far down as possible. If the root ball consists of a particularly dense network, this indicates a lack of space in the old pot and the plant urgently needs a larger planter. A network of roots that is too dense can be torn open a little. This makes it easier for the roots to spread in the new planter. Before theWhen the plant is placed in the new substrate, most of the old soil should be removed from the roots. This makes the plant more receptive to the new substrate.
Tips and tricks for plant preparation
- Water the plant well to make it easier to remove it from the pot.
- Loosely tie larger plants together before transplanting.
- Remove overgrown plants from the edge of the pot with an old knife.
Warning: All parts of the oleander plant are poisonous. Be sure to wear gloves when transplanting!
Transplanting oleanders - step by step
- Control root.
- remove diseased or dried out root strands
- Older plants can have their roots trimmed.
- Remove used substrate as completely as possible.
- Shake the plant vigorously or treat it with a jet of water.
- Select planter.
- Place shards of pottery over the drain of the plant pot as drainage.
- Fill the planter with fresh substrate.
- Place plant in pot.
- Fill in new soil.
- Press the earth.
- Water the oleander well.
What should the right planter be like?
Oleanders are flat-rooted. The plant wants to spread out in its new planter. The new plant pot should not be chosen too small. The pot does not have to be overly deep. Pay more attention to width. There should be about four to four inches of space around the root ball.
Tip: If the planters are too large, the plant concentrates primarily on root penetration and, on the other hand, is often lazy to bloom.
Choosing the right substrate for the oleander
Particular importance should be attached to the substrate when repotting. Commercially available, inexpensive potting soil usually does not meet the high nutrient requirements of the plants. Strong and flowering plants are the result of the right substrate. Therefore, use standardized soil that has as little peat content as possible. While peat is often used to improve soil aeration, it also degrades the quality of the substrate. Peat is low in nutrients and can lead to acidification of the soil.
The ideal substrate is easy to mix yourself:
- Unit Earth
- Garden soil
- Sand
- lava granules
- Vital Limestone
Don't forget to cut back
If the oleander is repotted, the date for a pruning has come at the same time. Plants should not be pruned in autumn. This would accelerate budding and at the same time endanger overwintering. If you use scissors after repotting, all old and dried-up branches should first be removed. Branches that have become too long are cut no further than the next bud. The crown undergoes extensive thinning.
Repot mature plants
Repotting should not be neglected, even with fully grown plants. This then no longer happens in relation to moving to a larger planter, but in relation to replacing the soil. Older plants may also be pruned at the roots before they are placed back in the usual planter and new soil is filled in.
Measures for repotting larger and unwieldy plants:
| Measure | Explanation |
| Removing oleanders from the planter | If the plant has not been transplanted for a long time, it can happen that the plant cannot be easily removed from the planter. Especially with clay pots, the roots seem to have almost grown together with the bucket. If you slide a knife between the root ball and the edge of the pot, the plant can be easily removed. |
| Prepare plant | If the oleander bushes are watered again before the planned transplanting, this makes the project easier, because the moist root ball detaches much better from the planter than a dry plant. |
| Secure Plant | Tall plants are difficult to handle. To prevent too many shoots from being damaged or breaking off during transplanting, the shoots should be loosely fixed with a cord or straps. When the plant is fixed in this way, it is more resilient and will be less damaged during repotting. |
| Lift plant out of container | The oleander can reach considerable sizes. If the repotting is pending, it can be helpful to organize a second person. While one person holds the planter, you can plantpull out of the jar. If the plant pot is tilted, you work more gently on your back. |