OMG, I thought you said that you had 'resoiled your pants', and then I realized that you mean re-potted your plants.

I'm still laughing....all by myself.

ummm ok?? I think-- lol. You made me look at my post again!! I do make a lot of mistakes typing- my poor backspace key is almost worn out!!

But yes- re-potted my plants. new soil too-- :p

Rhizo, lol. Too funny. You have me laughing with you.

Lamora, don't worry about repotting your Spiders.
Some plants might be a tad fussier repotting, (especially certain succulents/bulbs) but Spiders can be repotted throughout the year.

Every so often, one of the dogs brush against Spider offshoots, which end up on the floor.
Even though I usually toss cuttings, 'don't need duplicates,' I sometimes root broken babies.

Last month a pup broke off my oldest Spider..it's in water, rooting away.
The main disadvantage of rooting in mid-winter is cuttings take longer to root.

Now that new growth is making an appearnace, rooting and repotting is okay to do, 'applies to most plant,' not only Spiders.

Lamora, I know you love Spiders, and now H. Hindu Rope, but you need to add a few more varieties..lol..

Working on different plants during rainy days will brighten your emotions. Toni

Lamora - how fast cuttings root depends in large part on the amount of stored energy in the cutting. Cuttings taken from plants that are growing robustly root much faster than those taken from stressed or weakened plants ...... which is why it is better to wait until the plant regains energy (summer) to take and start cuttings. Houseplants are normally at their weakest in late winter and spring.

Additionally, while day length is increasing, most of a plant's energy is dedicated to producing more foliage and extending branch/stem length. As the summer solstice passes and day length starts to decrease, plants start to STORE energy in cambial tissues in preparation for the short days of the coming winter. This period, after the 3rd week of June, is the best time to repot and propagate. Plants repotted shortly after the summer solstice will have regained much of the energy lost during the short days and often adverse conditions of winter, and because of their high energy levels will recover MUCH faster than plants repotted in winter and spring, which leaves plants much less susceptible to insect predation and disease ..... and for a much shorter time.

It just doesn't make good sense, from the plant's perspective, to repot or take cuttings in winter or spring unless it's absolutely necessary. Anyone can tell you it's OK to do whatever you wish to do, and since they're your plants, that is entirely true - you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, but that doesn't change the fact that timing of major undertakings (repotting, root pruning, heavy pruning or cutting the top of the plant back ....) plays a significant part in how plants respond and at what speed.

As gardeners, we do a lot of planting and transplanting of temperate plants in the landscape in spring, but we do so with recognition of the fact that these plants are still bursting with the energy they went into dormancy with. Houseplants are different in that they are usually at the lowest energy levels of the growth cycle in late winter/spring. I'd be interested in learning why anyone might think it is a good time to repot houseplants now or in spring when plants are at their weakest? This issue comes up over and over again with no explanation why this view is held and repeated so often.

I hope readers keep in mind the question isn't what you CAN do, it's what is best for the plant. I'm sure everyone acknowledges that we're free to do what we want, but the question lies in what is the better or most logical course.

Al

Glad someone had a laugh today.. :D

Hopeful-
Don't forget about my Philodenron "Brasil"!! lol, and I am working on the variety thing-- prob is room for my plants. (very small apt)

DH said he would move his books (that he never reads) off this one shelf for them, but it is in a real awkward place for me to reach for them. I will take it tho till something better comes along. :)

Tapla--
Main reason I wanted to re-pot was to get them into better soil. The soil they were in was either very wet, to the point of sogginess, never drying out, or completely dry, no moisture at all. (funny tho, same soil was in everything, just reacted differently to the plants or pots)

I know it is too early in the year to do that, most are just babies and yes- I am new and trying out new things. I understand about the why of re-potting when it is warmer and they are in growing mode.

I just thought they would be better off in new type of soil right now. If it doesn't work out, I learn by my mistakes and wont do it again. Other than that.. I would have waited.

I actually would have preferred to wait to tell the truth, but I didn't and what is done is done. I just wanted them in better a situation with the soil is all. Hope this helps you understand why I did it now. :)

Oh, Lamora - please don't think I'm taking you to task for repotting your plants now. I could see by your comment in your initial post - "I hope I don't hurt them doing them this early" that you already understood that now might not be the best time to repot, but you decided to go ahead and repot anyway - based on potential root problems. That's fine - I really DO understand. I know what it's like to learn something new that has the potential to offer improvement. We get excited and want to implement it right away, so we can take immediate advantage of what we learned ..... and you don't owe me an explanation. ;-)

My interest isn't in what decision you or other growers end up making - I just want to see you have the information you need to make an informed decision. When someone tells you you CAN repot now, or it's OK to repot now, it's easy for you and others to take that as saying late winter and spring are good times to repot houseplants. That's simply not the case. Considering the entire growth cycle, late winter and spring are the worst times to repot, for the reasons I've spelled out many times. That doesn't necessarily mean anyone has done anything wrong, or that they have surely put their plants in eminent danger by repotting earlier than what would be ideal.

As we progress as growers and come to better understand how plants work, we will eventually arrive at the conclusion that it's better and easier on us and our plants if we play to their strengths and work with them than it is to try to battle their natural rhythms and end up having to deal with their weaknesses.

I'll work hard to make sure you get reliable information, but it's still up to you to decide whether and when you would like to put it in practice.

Best luck - I'm enjoying your enthusiasm!

Al

Thanks Al, I hope I didnt offend you. I just wanted you to know why I did it now. So far the plants seem to be doing real good-- so far.. only a few days now. But we will see what happens.

Woke up in a panic this morning tho. I Put the plants down for the day, near the window for the little bit of sunshine, if there is any. And put them up at night so the cat wont get them. (Night time is his time to chew on them cuz mommy dont have the spray bottle-- lol)and I forgot to put them up last night!! Panic hit!! But he was a good kitty last night, only thing he chewed up was the insole of my shoe (why the insole? we will never know, but it is his fav. thing to attack-/sigh) better that then my plants tho.

Anyway :)

Rhizo, lol. You made me laugh. I needed that belly laugh to tears laugh. I have done that I know I should wear my glasses more often.

Lamora, you give me such joy reading your care of your plants. You are nurturing them with such care. You make me want to send you a box of plants because I abuse mine so bad. lol They just seem to live to spite me.

Sending you a email.

You didn't offend me in the slightest, Lamora, so please put your mind at ease. ;-)

We have a cat that's still a kitten; and fortunately he (an 'it', now) hasn't really damaged or chewed anything - other than maybe the throw cover on the bed. He likes to hop on the bed & pounce/bite at my feet beneath the covers every time I shift positions while reading at night. It sort of slows my reading down because he's so much fun to watch, but his teeth have made a few snags in the throw the better half isn't particularly happy about, though she doesn't complain too loudly about ANY mischief the pets get into.

Take good care.

Al

Lamora..
Oh right...forgot about your Brazil..:)
How is it coming along??

Trying to keep up humidity, my Philos are grouped together, same room as the humidifer, most on treys w/water, and misted daily..
Still, Brazil needs watering every other day.

Lamora, before we bought a house, we lived in a super-large studio. 1 room!
Before the studio I had my own appt..my mother didn't allow plants in the house, so I moved out very young..long story.
Anyway, after moving out of the house, I started buying plants.
By the time dh and I lived in the studio, I had 75 plants. lol..Remember one, large room. Two west windows, one east and two north.
I still have most of those plants, including a plain, green Spider bought in 1972/3.
Most, not all..One really icy winter, an idiot room-mate, placed sheets on the windows..my plants were between the sheets and panes..so many froze..One was a Wax Begonia, several years old, that bloomed year round..
BTW, no access to the outdoors either.

You'd be surprised how many plants not only adapt but do well in 'somewhat' lower light, especially with the assistance of artificial lighting.

I dislike tossing books, but if he's not, nor planning on reading them.................lol. Toni