why do you get small plants in small pots then when its grown re pot into a medium pot?

Question

then when its grown again, repot in to a biger pot and when it ......etc etc. why not start the small plant in the big pot? it saves time, effort, and money. (or is it to easy?)

Answer 1

It saves space. And it also makes the plant look fuller if it is in a small pot relative to its size. If you start it out in a big pot then all people will see is the pot and the plant will look insignificant. Plus it costs more for potting soil. Repotting a medium sized plant in a big pot requires only the amount of soil to fill around the rootball. With a tiny plant you'd have to fill the whole pot.

Also, there are many plants that will not do well unless they have all of their roots in a small area. Not sure really why that is, but many plants in a very large pot will not do well.

Answer 2

I believe the reason why we re-pot or pot-on plants is to reduce the chance of the soil deadening or getting sour.

Getting the correct balance for water, nutrients and air in the growing medium of a pot is a tricky business. Most potting composts are sterile and therefore free of lots of the beneficial organisms that help balance the soil and create the right growing conditions for the plant. They also don't contain much of the larger bulky material that keeps the particles apart to allow air movement.

Many gardeners also tend to over water a pot plant, which causes the soil to become compressed and restricts air-flow. Roots need air as well as water and without air the plants roots will effectively die off. Constant watering will also wash the nutrients out of the pot. If you re-pot every now and again you replace some of the missing nutrients.

If you could grow a plant easily in a large pot to start with the nursery business could cut out most of their re-potting expenses and make more profit on the plants. In practise it's much easier to keep plants healthy if the plant's roots take up as much of pot as possible without becoming cramped and pot bound.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

For me, it truly is a matter of saving space. I only have a certain amount of room to grow new houseplants -- and sometimes I actually prefer to have them when they are little. And little plants planted in little pots don't take up much space.

I've found too that root development for houseplants seems to take off more in a small pot than a large one. And generally, the more fibrous a root system you can produce, the healthier the houseplant will be.

Lastly, I think small houseplants just look more ascetically pleasing in smaller pots.

Answer 4

well its all about the plant. If we were to plant a small plant into a large pot of soil,The plant would become weak. Keeping small plants in small pot helps the roots to become strong and healthy. Plants planted in big pots have weak root system because it has so much room the roots grow faster ,skinner and weaker. small plants needs to become root bound before transplanting to insure strong healthy root system.

Answer 5

plants like to know where the bounderies are with regards to room at the roots when young. a plant that has almost pot bound roots will balance top growth with available nutrients in growing medium and not get too big or leggy..hence a young plant put in a pot which is too large will not thrive.

Answer 6

When you put a small plant in to large of pot it will slow the growing down. Plants grow faster if they are not put into a large pot, this makes the plant grow better and floursh vs. using there energy to produce more roots.

Answer 7

its just a term called potting on it does waste a bit of money and compost but it is for aesthetics to who wants a small plant in a whopping great tub not me wait tll plant fills pot with roots then move on to next size up OK good luck

Answer 8

No it doesn't save money or space

The Wal-Marts need the most plants in the least amount of room

The larger pots cost more and they cost more to fill