Time for a Fresh Start
Okay, so I looked at my wandering jew the other day, and honestly, it was looking a bit cramped. You know how they get? Sort of spilling everywhere, which is nice, but the pot just seemed… tight. Water was running straight through, too. Classic sign it needed a new home. Decided today was the day to tackle it.
Getting Stuff Ready
Didn’t need anything fancy. Just found a pot that was a little bit bigger than the old one. Maybe an inch or two wider? Didn’t want to shock it with a massive change. Then I grabbed my trusty bag of potting mix. Nothing special, just the regular stuff I use for most houseplants. Oh, and made sure my watering can was full for later.
The Actual Job
Alright, getting it out was the first step. I tipped the old pot sideways and gave the bottom a few good taps. It was a bit stubborn, gotta say. Had to wiggle it gently. Didn’t want to yank and break those long stems, you know? Finally, it slid out.
The roots looked okay, actually. Pretty dense, wrapped around a bit, but not like a solid brick or anything. I just gently teased the bottom ones apart with my fingers. Didn’t go crazy, just loosened them up so they’d know they have space to grow now.
Then, I put a layer of fresh soil in the bottom of the new pot. Just enough so the plant would sit at about the same height it was in the old pot. Don’t want to bury the crown too deep.
Popped the plant in, centered it as best I could. It’s tricky with wandering jews, they flop around! Then I started adding more soil around the sides, filling in the gaps. Patted it down lightly as I went, just to make sure there weren’t huge air pockets, but not packing it super tight either. Roots need to breathe.
Finishing Up
Once it was all tucked in, I gave it a really good drink of water. Let the water run all the way through the drainage holes at the bottom. This helps settle the soil around the roots. Poured out the extra water from the saucer after a few minutes – don’t want it sitting in water.
And that’s pretty much it! Put it back in its usual spot, maybe slightly less direct sun for a day or two just to let it recover from the move. Hopefully, it likes the extra room. Always feels good giving a plant a fresh start. We’ll see how it settles in over the next few weeks. Fingers crossed for lots of new growth!
