Coffee Time! #12 Plants, Part 3.

Greetings everyone! How are you today? I’m never sure if I should put a question mark after that previous statement, or just a period. Maybe an exclamation mark? I never know. I always thought it was a question, but then I was told it’s not a question, it’s a greeting.

It’s not something that a person is supposed to answer. Therefore, it is not a question. But to me, it still sounds like a question, so it should need a question mark at the end. I’m confused. That is not unusual though. Things confuse me a lot sometimes. Like when someone tries to show me how to do something on the computer. They always talk in a totally different language.

Getting everything ready, plant, pots, gloves, potting soils, etc.

So, I just smile and nod my head. After they leave I bang my head against the wall. Speaking of plants. Well, I’m supposed to be doing that anyway. Today I will show the simple process of repotting plants. Basically it’s the same for all plants, although there are some minor, though important, differences at times depending on the plant variety.

My new repotting mat, looks odd, but works good to contain the mess. There’s always mess when I do things.

Today I will show how I repotted a Peperomia plant. These plants are great for beginners, they are easy to care for, really, they need little care. There are over 1,500 varieties of these plants and are native in places like Mexica, the Caribbean and S. America.

Adding extra perlite to the potting soil (which already had some perlite in the mix)

Many Peperomia plants are so different from each other they don’t look like they would be related. These plants generally stay quite small, like the two I have. They will grow to about 12 inches (30cm) tall and are quite bushy. They have thick leaves that retain water well, like a succulent, so forgetting to water them now and then is not a problem.

Always mix it in thoroughly.

Less water is actually better for these plants. And they need very little fertilizer, just a diluted serving once a month during the summer and none at all during the winter. These plants are also said to be good at removing toxins from the air, so that’s another good reason to have them around. Best of all, for people like me, they are SAFE FOR PETS!

Adding soil to the bottom of the pot first.

They do require lots of bright, but indirect light, so a sunny room where you can keep the plant out of direct sunlight is ideal. They do need good draining soil to keep the roots healthy. An orchid mix is good for them, but regular potting soil works fine too. I just add extra perlite to the mix, even if it has perlite in the mix already.

I use a fork to help break up the root bound soil before repotting, this helps the roots move out from the root ball and into the new soil of the pot.

The plant I have in the photos is not too badly root bound, but the cheap plastic pot it came in from the store was cracked and needed to be replaced anyway. These plants do like to be somewhat rootbound, but when the roots come out the drainage holes, it’s time to repot.

Position the plant in the center of the pot and fill in soil around the edges, making sure to push it in carefully so the new soil fills all the gaps around the roots. Now, water the plant thoroughly and make sure the top 2 inches (5cm) of soil is dry before watering again.

But just upgrade to a pot about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5cm) larger than the old one. Make sure the pot has good drainage holes. Good drainage holes are best for any plant actually.

I have 2 different varieties of these plants, they have interesting and beautiful foliage and hopefully I can get some more. Have a great day everyone and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

©2025 Steve McLeod.