Here goes a crash course on how to repot plants.
These are a few guidelines I follow, and why.
Select plants to be repotted, and consider the size of the new containers you're using...don't go too large when you step up a plant...most plants don't appreciate such treatment.
Also consider what soil mix to use, as far as drainage and Ph requirements for your plants.
In my particular case, I'm repotting
2 pitangatubas from 7 gal to a 12 gal,
some small Luc Limoncillo and humilis, Garcinias from 1 gal or 3 gal, upto 7 gal,
and a red annona from Israel in a 3gal upto 7 gal.
(i'm guessing on pot sizes...sorry if I'm off by a few gallons here and there!)
all the pots Im using are Accelerator® air root pruning types (I've heard such good things, now I'm putting them to the test). Because they will dry out faster and need more watering, I've used a much richer and moister mix...comprised of Fafard Soil Conditioner, moisture holder, (peat moss/pinebark), and fafard 2P ( a lighter mix with peatmoss and perlite.)
I also added some organic garden manure from Espoma (4-2-2).
I like to use a large 50 gal container for mixing soil/fertilzer, etc...and also to repot plants in, so whatever soil falls out as I'm repotting small plants, lands back in the big container, wasting less soil.
Here are some pictures with captions of what's going on, and why!
Plants to be repotted....Pitangatubas (largest trees, only one in the pic), 2 Luc Limoncillo Garcinias, 2 Garcinia humilis, and a grafted Red Annona from Israel.
pitangatuba from 7gal, not root bound, but roots have filled out the pot, and ready for new territory...and a bigger pot. This plant was gently removed from the container it was in...now ready to be set in its new container.
Pitangatuba gently placed in it's new container, a 12 gal root accelerator container. I made sure to have just enough soil in the pot to make this tree sit at the perfect height.
now I use my hands to gently loosen the top 2-3 inches of soil around the root ball...I only do this at the top edge really...not down at the bottom (unless the plant is root bound). This allows for me to see the true height of the plant being repotted, and to adjust the levels of soils if need be. Essentially I'm trying to gently expose the root crown. Try to remove any weeds at this point!
the process of exposing the root crown is complete (although it was pretty much visible before any how)...now I can go ahead and add more of the new soil mix I'm using (fafard soil conditioner, fafard 2P, and manure from Espoma 4-2-2).
soil added, and filled to the very top, as much as the container will hold...but it hasn't been packed down yet!
use your hand, or the back of a shovel, or a similar type tool, and mash the soil down as far as you can, all the way around the circumference of the container. You will notice how much more your container expands with soil when you gently force it down into the pot, around all sides of the rootball...Be sure to do this without damaging the roots!!
keep mashing! almost there
almost there
now its jam packed with soil. (BTW some trees will not appreciate very tightly packed soil, or excessive trauma to roots...but every tree I grow get the treatment I'm showing you! Soil tightly packed into container!)
now its refilled again to the top!
repeat process of mashing soil down around the circumference of the pot.
now firmly press with your hands flat, onto the soil...making sure the level is even! You can top dress with any fertilizers you didn't add to your mix at this step, or the step before.
all done!! hand prints show how this plant was firmly, but gently pressed into it's new innovative abode...now it's time to gently water this plant...and I water quite heavily...because my mixes are always dry prior to planting...and also because these air pruning pots dry out quickly....also to make sure the soil is saturated, and no longer fluffy!
here is a Luc's limoncillo about to undergo a similar treatment as my pitangatuba! Its going from a one gal to a 7 gal. I'm turning the pot upside down, trying to make sure all of the soil falls into my big container of soil I use for mixing and repotting smaller plants.
the plant was successfully removed from it's container without the root ball falling apart! (this is a common mistake, and can mess up certain trees)...look at this tap root all coiled up!! I think it's new container might help this problem!!
here is the tap root unveiled! Holy cow! even longer than the G intermedia it seems.
the taproot is gently placed into the bottom of it's new pot, and soil is added as the root is evenly placed (in a spiral somewhat) within the container.
the proper height is determined, and soil is gently etched away around the circumference of the top of the rootball. Soon after...soil is added to the brim, and gently mashed down like in the pics above with my pitangatuba! the process is repeated until the desire amount of soil has been added. The final step is to gently water, and place this plant in proper lighting conditiions!
here is the line up! all worked over, and stepped up!
Notice the products I used are on my truck so u can see them! GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR REPOTTING EFFORTS!!!