Do I need a emergency repot??

8 years ago

Shes my lovely Syngonium, shes about 9 years old and has had her ups and downs. Currently doing great and we have lots of new growth happening but I’m concerned about how shes getting a little droopy, seems be getting a bit too heavy and there is a lot of root system above the soil level. Also today she’s just a a nice shower/flush And as I flushed i noticed a horrible smell and all this brown discoloured water? Normal or?

the Pot is a plastic pot with six little drain holes in each corner, it has a tray for underneath too.

Featured Answer

Karen S. (7b, NYC)

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

For such an enormous plant that sounds like very little drainage. It looks gorgeous, frankly, I don't see the droop.

But the bad smell can only mean bad things like rot of some kind. So yes, I'd say an emergency unpot to check the roots is in order.

Sorry, but the 1st pic is too dark to see anything.

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Comments (10)

christine 5b
8 years ago
I agree with Karen, but I would pot up and give her fresh soil and perlite
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Tori-leigh Reynolds
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks guys! I think I will take on the giant task tomorrow, I have to make sure she is ok!

I’ve just bought some perlite and fresh potting mix, don’t think the plant has been repotted since Mum bought it 9 years ago, and it definitely was being overwatered with her. Hoping the roots aren’t in too bad condition, the smell was awful!!

Now the second question!

Will this pot be ok for the replant? It’s about the same diameter across but deeper.

thanks again!!
Tori-leigh Reynolds
Original Author
8 years ago
Oops forgot to add that the black pot on right is the same as what it’s in now, wanting to move her into the burnt brown one!
christine 5b
8 years ago
I think the brown one might be to big,you could always put a pot in a pot, I've done that, lets see what others have to say about it, its a beautiful pot !
Dave
8 years ago
If there’s a soil issue, DONT POT UP, do an actual repot.

Remove all soil from in and around roots, root prune and place in a mix of 50% perlite 50% potting mix.
christine 5b
8 years ago
Dave, just curious why cant she pot up? I've been doing that for over 40 years and never had any issues.
Dave
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
If you pot up with dissimilar soils you’ll have wet and dry pockets.

If the current soil holds too much moisture and the OP is trying to get it into a faster draining mix, you want all of the soil to be the same type.

Not to mention if it’s rootbound and you simply pot up, you’re not fixing the root congestion at all, you’re only adding a layer of soil on the outside and bottom of the pot essentially smothering the roots from any oxygen they were getting prior.

Potting up is rarely as useful as repotting and should only be done on plants that aren’t badly root bound.
Ekor Tupai
8 years ago
Simply split it to 3 or 4 pots. That plant grow fast and very hard to kill. The pot is full of decay organic material from it's own dead roots, so it's smelly, but that condition won't kill this plant. For me, this plant is no 1 on 'plants that you can't kill..'
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
8 years ago
The roots may have also clogged the little drain holes.

And at some point, one has to declare that a plant is in the biggest possible pot it is going to have. If I only ever potted-up my plants when roots run out of room to grow, instead of a real repot (trim roots, remove old soil, replace with new soil,) some of them would be in whiskey barrels by now, requiring 2 really strong people to move (...so, two people who are not me.) LOL!