Chinese evergreen ( Aglaonema ) are unique among many other works in that they actually prefer to be somewhat root - stick . This means that they care their roots to be a bit constricted and tangled within their green goddess . While many other plants may need to be repot and have their roots loosened to encourage healthy growth , Formosan evergreens thrive in a slightly crowded root environment .

I have in person have this preference with my own Chinese evergreen . When I first brought them home , I comply the usual practice of repot them into large mountain to give their root more blank to grow . However , I noticed that they did n’t seem to be as happy as they were in their original pots . The growth was slow , and the leave of absence did n’t look as vivacious .

After doing some research and consulting with other gardening partisan , I learned that Chinese evergreens actually prefer to be a turn root - bound . Their natural home ground is the wood floor , where they often originate in the shade and have throttle place for root expansion . This adaptation helps them hold out in the wild by conserving energy and maximizing nutritious absorption .

So , if you have a Chinese evergreen that seems to be thriving in its current green goddess , there ’s usually no need to repot it into a larger container . In fact , it ’s generally good to leave the theme as they are , unless they are hard constricted and cause the plant to suffer .

However , if you do feel the need to repot your Chinese evergreen , perhaps because it has outgrown its current container or the soil needs refreshing , there are a few things you’re able to do to belittle dislocation to the roots .

1 . take a sens that is only slightly larger than the current one . cash in one’s chips too heavy may result in the plant having too much space for its roots , which can go to overwatering and potential root buncombe .

2 . Gently relax the outer layer of roots before placing the plant life into its young pot . you may do this by lightly teasing the tooth root apart with your fingerbreadth , being careful not to damage them . This tenuous loosening can encourage new root growth without causing too much accent to the plant .

3 . replete the new pot with new , well - run out potting soil . Avoid using heavy or compacted ground that can retain too much moisture , as Chinese evergreens prefer a more or less juiceless environs .

4 . After repotting , water the plant thoroughly but allow the territory to dry out out before watering again . Overwatering can be detrimental to Chinese evergreen plant , so it ’s important to keep up a correspondence between providing enough moisture and leave the soil to dry out between lachrymation .

Chinese evergreen plant prefer to be slightly root - bound , mimicking their born home ground on the woods level . While other plants may need to have their roots loose when repotting , Chinese evergreens generally do well with minimal psychological disorder to their beginning organization . However , if repotting is necessary , follow the guidelines cite above to minimise emphasis and ensure the continued health of your Chinese evergreen .

Caroline Bates