How to Re-Transplant Bromeliads

The bromeliad is colorful even when it isn't blooming.

Bromeliads are a diverse group of plants that have adapted well to growing indoors as houseplants. To ensure your success growing bromeliads, keep in mind their need for air circulation at the roots. This is easy to provide with a porous potting mix. Then, choose a pot with adequate drainage holes so that the soil can quickly drain after watering. The bromeliad's root system is not extensive, so a 5- to 7-inch pot is sufficient. Young plants should be transplanted into the next size pot every spring.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Container for mixing
• Bark
• Builder's sand
• Peat moss
• Planting pot
• Large spoon or trowel

Instructions

1. Lay newspaper on the work surface. Transplanting can be a messy job and using newspaper to collect the debris makes cleanup easier.

2. Combine equal parts of bark, builder's sand and peat moss in a container. Slowly pour water over the mixture, stirring until it is evenly moist.

3. Pour the soil mixture into the container until it is half full.

4. Turn the potted bromeliad over and gently remove it from the pot. Shake the roots to remove the old potting soil.

5. Place the roots onto the soil in the new pot and add or remove soil until the bromeliad is sitting at the same depth as it did in the old pot. Finish filling the pot with soil.

6. Pour water, slowly, over the soil in the new pot, drenching it. This helps settle the soil around the roots, removing air pockets.

References

• New York Bromeliad Society: About Bromeliads
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; Bromeliads; Robert J. Black, et al.; October 2003
• "The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual"; Barbara Pleasant; 2005