Many of us have indoor plants that fill our spaces bringing the outdoors indoors, filling the dull spaces in our homes with lush greenery, which in turn helps filter the air we breath.

But, particularly if you’ve had them for a bit, it might be time to re-pot your houseplants.

Here are some great tips on how to and when to re-pot.

You may ask, how do I know when its time? You will see the roots coming through the bottom of your pot, the roots may be pushing the plant out of the pot, your plant may stop growing in it's non-dormant season, and you'll notice when watering the plant will not absorb the water and drains out the wholes quickly. By re-potting will provide your plant with fresh soil and nutrients. Smaller plants might need to be refreshed every one to two years, where as larger slow growing plants can go as long as three years.

It’s important to choose the right pot that is the right size. You may be tempted to go out and buy a nice big pot! Please don't This can lead to over-watering which can lead to root rot. The new pot should be about two inches larger that the one you have, with drainage holes. When re-potting a snake plant make sure the new container is only slightly larger than the one you currently have.

Always use new potting soil. Plants use up the nutrients in the potting mix and need new soil to thrive.

When re-potting, first step turn your plant sideways, hold onto stems or leaves, and give it a gentle tap until the plant slides out. Loosen the roots with your fingers, check for any extra long, threadlike roots and prune them off. Unbind the roots that are growing in tight circles. Add a shallow layer of potting soil, place your plant so the crown sits level in the new pot, fill with new soil. Don't pack it down to tightly, you want the roots to have plenty of room to grow and breathe. Water your new container thoroughly, make sure it drains properly. At this time you do not have to fertilize your plant, the new soil has plenty of nutrients to grow.

You may want to divide your plants if this is an option and use new smaller containers. If you use the old container make sure you wash it well. Many house plants can be successfully divided, saving you a bunch of money.

Stop using tap water. Tap water contains fluoride which can turn leaf tips brown. “Dracaena, spider plants, ti plants, prayer plants, palms and some others tend to be sensitive to the chloride and fluoride in tap water. Rainwater and distilled water are two alternatives. If any of these is not a good solution for you try letting your water sit in gallon containers with tops off for an extended period of time, a week or more, might help.

The North Haven Garden Club is on Facebook with lots of useful and entertaining information and pictures of all our club does in North Haven. For membership information please email Italia at italia_a@comcast.net. North Haven Garden Club is a member of The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut Inc., New England Garden Clubs Inc., and The National Garden Clubs Inc.