Shaker Plant Guy to the Rescue!
Dozie Herbruck
Meet my Ming aralia (Polyscias fruticosa). This plant has been in our possession for at least 40 years. But this fall it started to look droopy and tired, and was even losing some leaves. When I showed it to Cynthia Druckenbrod, she asked me when I had last repotted it. When I sheepishly replied “never,” she suggested that repotting might be a good idea.
It just so happened that a few days later I met Bryan Tanner, aka ‘Shaker Plant Guy,’ at the fun meeting at Hallie Stewart’s home, where he demonstrated repotting and taking care of houseplants. I was so inspired that I went to Home Depot to buy all the necessary materials and repotted several of my small plants. But the Ming aralia – too big a project for me! So …the Shaker Plant Guy to the rescue!
Bryan made a house call and did the work for me as I watched and learned some valuable lessons. First he mixed the important ingredients: equal parts potting soil, perlite, peat and coco fiber.
He removed the plant from the pot and scraped off as much of the soil as he could, exposing the root ball and inspecting the roots. He removed about three of the branches by pulling the roots away from the ball (which he will replant.)
He sprinkled worm castings into the pot and then a bit of potting mixture before setting the plant back in. Holding the plant upright, he filled the pot with dry soil and packed it around the roots. I was surprised that he didn't water the plant at this point; he said keeping it dry for a few days would encourage the roots to spread out in the pot.
Finally he spent a great deal of time weaving the trunks and stems together so that the plant would hold itself upright without support, a strong foundation on which to sprout new growth. I'll keep you posted as to how it fares in the next few months. It certainly looks healthier already!
Thank you, Bryan Tanner!
Click here to read a note from Bryan Tanner, including the sources for many of the products he recommended at our membership meeting.