Repotting is the best moment to feed a plant. The old soil is tired, the roots are accessible, and some vermicompost mixed into the new pot gives the plant a gentle start.
What you need
- A pot one size up, with drainage holes
- Good potting soil or a mix of garden soil, cocopeat and sand
- A few handfuls of vermicompost
- A trowel and a watering can
The method
Water the plant the day before, so the root ball slides out easily. Mix one part vermicompost to three parts potting soil in a bucket. That is 25 percent, the most that extension services such as Oregon State and the University of Maryland suggest in a mix. More is not better: a very rich mix can hold more salts than young roots like.
Put a layer of the mix in the new pot, set the plant so its crown sits just below the rim, and fill around it. Press gently and water well. Keep the plant in shade for two or three days while it settles.
Feeding afterwards
Top up with a handful every month through the growing season. Scratch it into the top few centimetres and water. Small, regular feeding works better than one large dose.