One of the most important care measures for mountain palms is regular repotting. If this is forgotten, growth will be stunted and the plant will not be able to absorb enough nutrients.
So that the mountain palm (Chamaedorea) thrives and becomes an eye-catcher in your living room, the plant should be treated and cared for in a species-appropriate manner. This also includes regular repotting.
If this is not done, the roots can no longer spread sufficiently, the plant grows more poorly and receives fewer nutrients.
Repotting Characteristics
- Planter has strong roots
- The root ball is difficult to remove from the container
- Roots protrude from the planter
- Plant growth restricted
- The substrate can hardly be seen through the root system
At what intervals should mountain palms be repotted?
This depends on the age of the plant. Young plants grow relatively quickly and it is advisable to repot annually. Older plants are more reluctant to grow and transplanting is only necessary every two to three years.
When is the best time to repot?
Mountain palms are preferably repotted in early spring, when budding has not yet started after the hibernation. If it becomes necessary to replant the plant due to pest infestation or waterlogging, this can of course also be done all year round.
Which planter should I use?
Annual transplanting is recommended for young plants. It is not mandatory to replace the planter. If the plant still has enough space in the plant pot, only the substrate is exchanged and the mountain palm can be put back into the old plant pot.
Older plants are usually repotted because the planter has become too small and the roots can no longer spread sufficiently. In this case, the planter must be replaced in any case.
» Tip: Don't just look for a larger planter. The plant pot should also be a little higher than usual, because the roots of the mountain palm push deeper,than in width. In their original habitat, the roots of the mountain palms reach down to the groundwater.
Repotting the mountain palm - explained step by step
❶ Select suitable planter
❷ Select substrate and add compost if necessary
❸ Carefully remove plant from old planter
❹ Protect roots
❺ Remove the old substrate from the root ball
❻ Lay drainage made of broken pottery or pebbles on the bottom of the container
❼ Place the plant in the new container
❽ Carefully fill up the substrate
❾ Shake the plant gently , so that there are no gaps
❿ Do not fill the planter to the top
First of all, it is decided whether only the substrate should be replaced or whether the plant should or must be given a new pot. For older plants, the old planter can also be used here if the root ball has not yet penetrated the container.
» Tip: If you only want to transplant your mountain palm every two to three years, always use a larger and sufficiently deep planter.
Replanting the mountain palms is not only intended to create more freedom of movement for the roots, it is also about replacing the soil and improving the nutrient supply for the plant. Therefore, the plant should be completely freed from the old substrate. Gently strip the soil from the delicate roots and prepare the new substrate accordingly. To protect the plant from waterlogging, drainage made of potsherds or gravel makes sense.
» Tip: Be careful not to fill the potting soil all the way to the edge of the container, then the mountain palms can be watered better.
The roots of the mountain palm are particularly sensitive and should be protected when transplanting. If the roots break off, this can lead to the death of the plant. However, since commercially available plants are usually sold in tuffs, i.e. in several individual plants, it will rarely happen that the entire plant dies due to an unpleasant incident during transplanting.
Replanting mountain palms - an overview of the advantages and disadvantages
| Advantages | Cons |
|---|---|
| By replacing the planter, the plant gets more space and the roots can spread out better. | When transplanting, the sensitive roots can be damaged. |
| Since not only the planter but also the substrate is exchanged, the plant receives aBetter supply of nutrients, which has a positive effect on growth. | If a larger plant pot is used, the cover pots used may no longer fit and must be replaced or purchased new. |
| The location may also need to be changed if, for example, the larger planter no longer fits on the windowsill. |
What happens to the mountain palms after transplanting?
Once you have placed the palm trees in the new planter, press down firmly on the bottom. Here, too, it is important to ensure that the sensitive roots are not damaged. The mountain palms are then watered well and, if possible, brought back to their inhabited location. If this is not possible because the planter has now become larger and more unwieldy, the new location should be selected according to the needs of the plant. Since the mountain palm can tolerate a lot, it will usually get used to the new location well and continue to grow as usual.
Rescue in need - transplant mountain palms before it's too late
In addition to the routine of transplanting as a pure care measure, there are also situations in the life of the indoor gardener where you have to react quickly so that the plant doesn't die. If the mountain palm is visibly weakened, no longer growing as usual and shows brown or yellow leaf tips, there is a need for action.
If a pest infestation has been observed, the primary aim is to combat the pests in a targeted manner. Since pest infestation often occurs due to incorrect care, you should take a closer look at the substrate. If the root ball is particularly dense and almost overgrown with the planter, this suggests that the transplanting was probably missed and the plant could hardly absorb any nutrients in the planter that was much too narrow. The logical measure is to transplant and completely replace the substrate.
Waterlogging is not tolerated by mountain palms and requires quick action. If you want to keep the plant, remove it from the planter immediately, scrape off the old and wet soil and dry the root ball before planting it in new substrate.