Repotting a houseplant sounds like one of those jobs that requires an alarming amount of specialist equipment.
It really doesn’t.
At its simplest, you need a suitable pot, the right potting mix and something to water your plant with afterwards.
Everything else is either useful, plant-specific or simply there to make the process less messy.
That said, having a few basic supplies ready makes repotting considerably easier — particularly when you discover that a plant needs repotting now rather than at some conveniently scheduled point in the future.
So if you’re wondering what you need to repot a houseplant, here’s the complete beginner’s kit: the essentials, the genuinely useful extras and the things you absolutely don’t need to waste money on.
If you’re about to repot your first plant, I’d also read our Beginner’s Guide to Repotting Houseplants before you start.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.
What Do You Need to Repot a Houseplant?
For a straightforward repot, you usually need:
- A new pot with drainage holes
- Appropriate fresh potting mix
- Clean pruning snips or some sharp household scissors
- A small scoop or trowel
- Something to protect your work surface
- A watering can
- Optional amendments such as perlite or orchid bark
- Gloves, if you prefer using them
That’s really it.
You don’t need a £100 plant-care toolkit.
And you certainly don’t need every product we’re about to discuss for every single plant.
Some of these things solve particular problems, so buy according to the plants you actually own.
Houseplant Repotting Kit at a Glance
| Item | Do You Need It? | What It’s For |
|---|---|---|
| Pot with drainage | Essential | Gives roots appropriate growing space |
| Fresh potting mix | Essential | Replaces or supplements old growing medium |
| Pruning snips | Very useful | Trimming damaged roots and foliage |
| Perlite | Plant-dependent | Improves aeration and drainage |
| Orchid bark | Plant-dependent | Creates a chunkier growing mix |
| Hand trowel/scoop | Useful | Moving potting mix |
| Repotting mat | Optional but useful | Contains the mess |
| Gloves | Optional | Keeps hands clean/protected |
| Watering can | Useful | Watering after repotting when appropriate |
| Plant support | Plant-dependent | Supports unstable or climbing plants |
Let’s look at what each one actually does.
1. A Pot With Drainage Holes
The most important thing to get right
If you’re moving a plant into a new container, start with the pot.
For most ordinary houseplants, I strongly prefer a growing pot with drainage holes.
Drainage holes allow excess water to escape rather than collecting around the roots.
You can then put that nursery pot inside whatever beautiful decorative pot you want.
What kind of pot should you choose?
You have several options:
Plastic nursery pots are inexpensive, lightweight and retain moisture relatively well.
Terracotta pots are porous, allowing moisture to evaporate through the sides of the pot.
Ceramic pots vary — some have drainage holes and others are intended as decorative cover pots.
Whatever you choose, check the bottom before planting directly into it.
A gorgeous ceramic planter with no drainage might make a much better cover pot than growing pot.
👉 Shop nursery pots with drainage
👉 Shop terracotta houseplant pots
What Size Pot Should You Use When Repotting?
This is where beginners often go wrong.
Your plant doesn’t usually need an enormous upgrade.
If a plant is rootbound and genuinely needs a larger pot, move it up one modest pot size rather than jumping into something huge.
Why?
Because roots need oxygen as well as water.
Put a relatively small root system into an enormous volume of compost and that soil can stay wet for much longer than the plant needs.
That can create ideal conditions for root problems.
If you’re unsure whether your plant needs a bigger pot at all, read How to Tell When a Houseplant Needs Repotting before buying anything.
2. Fresh Houseplant Potting Mix
Essential — but choose the right one
Next comes the growing medium.
Don’t simply grab soil from the garden.
Garden soil can be too dense for containers and may contain weed seeds, pests or pathogens you don’t particularly want to introduce indoors.
Instead, use a potting mix intended for container plants.
But here’s where it gets slightly more complicated:
not every houseplant wants exactly the same soil.
A tropical foliage plant and a cactus have very different moisture requirements.
General houseplant mix
Suitable for many common foliage plants.
👉 Shop indoor houseplant potting mix or try my favourite (fox farms) – there’s a reason its so highly rated!
Cactus and succulent mix
Designed to drain more freely for plants that dislike prolonged wet conditions.
👉 Shop cactus and succulent potting mix
Orchid mix
Usually much chunkier than ordinary potting soil and often contains bark.
👉 Shop orchid potting mix
If you’re repotting an orchid, don’t automatically put it into standard houseplant compost. Head to our Orchid Care Tips for Beginners first.
Do You Have to Replace All the Soil When Repotting?
No.
Repotting doesn’t automatically mean stripping every particle of old soil from the roots.
If the plant is healthy and you’re simply moving it into a slightly larger container, you can usually keep much of the existing root ball intact and add fresh growing medium around it.
There are situations where removing more old soil makes sense, including:
- Root rot
- Severe soil compaction
- Pest problems involving the growing medium
- Completely unsuitable potting mix
But aggressively washing healthy roots clean every time you repot can create unnecessary stress. You can read more about this in my recently written guide: Should I replace old soil when I repot?
3. Perlite
Useful for improving drainage and aeration
Perlite is the lightweight white material you’ll often see mixed into commercial potting compost.
It helps create air spaces within the growing medium and can improve drainage.
That’s particularly useful when you’re creating a more free-draining mixture.
You might combine it with houseplant potting mix for plants that don’t appreciate sitting in dense, wet compost.
👉 Shop horticultural perlite
But perlite isn’t magic.
If you’re watering constantly or growing a tiny plant in an enormous pot, adding a handful of perlite won’t solve the underlying problem.
If your pots routinely stay wet for an eternity, read Why Does My Houseplant Soil Stay Wet for Days or Weeks?
4. Orchid Bark
Useful for making chunkier potting mixes
Despite the name, orchid bark isn’t exclusively useful for orchids.
Chunky bark can be incorporated into some houseplant mixes to create larger air pockets around the roots.
It’s particularly popular in chunky mixes for aroids such as:
- Monstera
- Philodendron
- Anthurium
You don’t automatically need it for every houseplant.
But if you’re starting to make your own potting mixes, it’s a useful ingredient to keep around.
👉 Shop orchid bark for potting mix
5. Clean Pruning Snips
For damaged roots, dead foliage and general plant surgery
A small pair of sharp pruning snips is one of the most useful plant tools you can own.
During repotting, you may discover:
- Dead roots
- Rotten roots
- Broken stems
- Damaged foliage
- Dead leaves
Clean, sharp blades let you remove damaged material without tearing healthy tissue.
👉 Shop precision plant pruning snips
Clean your tools before and after working on plants — particularly if you’ve been dealing with rot or disease.
And if you accidentally snap off a perfectly healthy piece of plant during repotting, don’t immediately throw it away.
Depending on the plant, you might be able to propagate it.
Read How to Take Plant Cuttings: A Complete Beginner’s Guide to find out.
6. A Potting Scoop or Small Trowel
Useful rather than essential
Can you repot a plant using your hands?
Absolutely.
I do not believe the plant police will arrest you.
But a small scoop makes getting potting mix into awkward containers considerably easier.
It’s particularly useful for:
- Small pots
- Narrow openings
- Filling around root balls
- Mixing potting media
- Keeping compost vaguely contained
A small garden trowel works perfectly well too.
👉 Shop indoor plant potting scoops
👉 Shop small hand trowel
You only need one of these, not both.
7. A Repotting Mat
Optional — but brilliant if you repot indoors
Do you need a repotting mat?
No.
Do I understand why people buy them?
Absolutely.
If you live in an apartment, repot at the kitchen table or simply don’t fancy finding perlite in strange places for the next fortnight, a waterproof repotting mat is useful.
The raised or fastened corners help contain:
- Compost
- Bark
- Perlite
- Old soil
- General plant debris
When you’re finished, tip the excess into the bin or compost and wipe the mat clean.
👉 Shop repotting mat
This is exactly the kind of product I’d describe as unnecessary but genuinely convenient.
A sheet of newspaper, old towel or bin bag also works.
8. Gardening Gloves
Completely optional for most repotting
You don’t need gloves to repot most houseplants.
Some people actually prefer bare hands because it’s easier to feel the roots and work soil around them.
But gloves are useful if:
- You dislike soil under your nails
- You’re handling prickly plants
- You have cuts on your hands
- You’re working with irritating plant sap
- You’re repotting lots of plants
👉 Shop lightweight gardening gloves
For cacti, ordinary thin gardening gloves may not provide enough protection from spines, so use appropriate handling equipment for particularly prickly plants.
9. A Watering Can
Useful — but don’t automatically drown the plant
A small watering can with a narrow spout gives you much more control than trying to water a little houseplant from a gigantic kitchen jug.
👉 Shop indoor plant watering cans
However, there’s a misconception that every plant must be heavily watered immediately after every repot.
Whether you should water immediately depends partly on the plant and why you’ve repotted it.
A healthy tropical houseplant moved into fresh soil may be watered normally.
A succulent with damaged roots may benefit from being allowed time before watering.
A plant repotted because of root rot certainly doesn’t need you immediately recreating the swamp that caused the problem.
Treat the plant, not the ritual.
And if you’re unsure about watering generally, read How Often Should You Water Houseplants?
10. Plant Stakes or Supports
Useful for unstable and climbing plants
Repotting is often the perfect opportunity to add support.
You might need:
- Bamboo stakes
- Moss poles
- Coir poles
- Trellises
- Soft plant ties
This is particularly useful for climbing plants such as Monstera and many Philodendrons.
Adding a large support while repotting can be much easier than trying to shove one through an established root system later.
👉 Shop moss poles for houseplants
👉 Shop bamboo plant stakes
👉 Shop soft reusable plant ties
11. Mesh for Drainage Holes
Optional — and don’t block the hole
If your pot has a particularly large drainage hole, you might worry about all the compost falling straight through it.
A small piece of mesh can help keep potting mix inside while still allowing water to escape.
👉 Shop plant pot drainage mesh
What you don’t want to do is completely seal the hole.
And you don’t need to create an elaborate drainage layer.
Which brings us neatly to…
Do You Need Rocks in the Bottom of Houseplant Pots?
Generally, no.
Adding a layer of stones or gravel to the bottom of a pot doesn’t magically improve drainage in the way people often assume.
What you need is:
- Suitable potting medium
- Appropriate pot size
- Functional drainage holes
Don’t sacrifice several centimetres of useful root space to a layer of decorative rocks because somebody’s grandmother told you plants require it.
Keep the drainage hole open instead.
Do You Need Activated Charcoal When Repotting?
Usually not.
Activated or horticultural charcoal appears in plenty of elaborate houseplant soil recipes.
It can have uses in certain growing setups, particularly terrariums, but it isn’t an essential ingredient for routine houseplant repotting.
For most beginners, I’d prioritise getting the basic potting mix, aeration and drainage right before buying additional amendments.
Do You Need a Moisture Meter?
No — but some beginners find them useful.
A moisture meter can give you additional information about moisture deeper inside the pot, particularly when you’re learning how quickly a newly repotted plant dries.
👉 Shop houseplant moisture meters
Just don’t allow the meter to become the only thing deciding when you water.
Check:
- The soil
- Pot weight
- Leaves
- Plant growth
and learn how your individual plant behaves.
Do You Need Rooting Hormone When Repotting?
No.
Rooting hormone is primarily used when propagating cuttings.
A healthy established plant doesn’t need rooting hormone sprinkled over its roots simply because you’ve changed its pot.
Save that product for propagation.
If you’re building a propagation setup, see What Do You Need to Propagate Plants? instead.
Do You Need Fertiliser When Repotting?
Usually, don’t rush to fertilise immediately.
Fresh commercial potting mixes may already contain nutrients or slow-release fertiliser.
Repotting can also temporarily stress a plant.
Check what’s already in your growing medium and follow the recommendations for your particular plant and fertiliser rather than automatically adding feed.
More isn’t better.
What Do You Need for an Emergency Repot?
Sometimes repotting isn’t planned.
You’ve discovered:
- Root rot
- A broken pot
- Waterlogged soil
- A severe pest problem
- Completely collapsed growing medium
and suddenly you’re performing emergency plant surgery on the kitchen counter.
For that situation, I’d want:
Clean pruning snips
For removing rotten or damaged material.
Fresh potting mix
Don’t put compromised soil straight back around unhealthy roots.
A clean nursery pot
Preferably appropriately sized with plenty of drainage.
Perlite or another appropriate amendment
If the old growing medium was far too dense.
Isopropyl alcohol
For cleaning tools between cuts and plants.
Those supplies overlap nicely with the items in our Houseplant First Aid Kit.
What Do You Need to Repot a Rootbound Plant?
A rootbound plant may simply need:
- A slightly larger pot
- Fresh potting mix
- Clean snips if necessary
- Water
You don’t automatically need to cut the roots.
Some plants have dense root systems while remaining perfectly healthy.
If roots are tightly circling the pot, you may gently loosen them before replanting.
The important thing is not to jump from a tiny pot into an enormous one.
Need to understand whether your plant is root bound? Check out my guide: How to repot a root bound plant.
What Do You Need to Repot a Plant With Root Rot?
This is a different situation.
You’ll want:
- Clean pruning snips
- Fresh growing medium
- A clean pot with drainage
- Tool disinfectant
- Possibly perlite or another appropriate drainage amendment
Remove clearly dead, mushy or rotten roots using clean tools.
Don’t reuse waterlogged contaminated growing medium.
And don’t automatically put the plant into a bigger pot.
Once damaged roots have been removed, the remaining root system may actually require a smaller container.
Do You Need a Bigger Pot Every Time You Repot?
No — and this is important.
Repotting does not always mean potting up.
You might repot because:
- Soil needs replacing
- Roots need inspecting
- There’s root rot
- The pot is damaged
- The plant needs a different growing medium
- You’re correcting a previous oversized pot
Sometimes the correct new pot is exactly the same size.
Sometimes it’s smaller.
Only increase the pot size when the root system actually needs more space.
How Much Bigger Should a New Houseplant Pot Be?
For many ordinary houseplants, moving up by roughly 2–5 cm (1–2 inches) in diameter is a sensible starting point.
But don’t follow that blindly.
Look at the root system.
A plant with a substantial healthy root ball may be ready for more space.
A plant with only a handful of remaining roots after rot treatment isn’t.
The pot should fit the roots — not the size of the foliage above them.
A Simple Beginner Houseplant Repotting Kit
If you’re starting from scratch, I wouldn’t buy everything in this article.
I’d get:
Essential
Very useful
Nice to have
Buy only when needed
That gives you enough to handle the vast majority of routine repotting jobs without filling an entire cupboard with plant paraphernalia.
My Ideal Houseplant Repotting Station
If you own a decent-sized plant collection, keeping the basics together makes life easier.
I’d have a box or cupboard containing:
- Pruning snips
- Gloves
- Potting scoop
- Perlite
- Plant ties
- Drainage mesh
- Spare nursery pots
Then keep larger bags of potting mix separately.
When something suddenly needs repotting, you aren’t hunting through three different cupboards for your scissors.
👉 Shop garden tool storage caddies
What Should You NOT Do When Repotting?
Having the right equipment doesn’t help if the technique goes completely rogue.
Avoid:
Choosing a huge pot
More room isn’t automatically better.
Burying the plant too deeply
Generally keep the plant around its previous planting depth unless the species requires otherwise.
Packing soil down incredibly tightly
Roots need air as well as water.
Firm the soil sufficiently to support the plant without compressing it into concrete.
Fertilising heavily
Freshly repotted plants don’t need a celebratory overdose of fertiliser.
Damaging healthy roots unnecessarily
You don’t need to untangle every root into a perfectly Instagrammable root system.
Repotting simply because you’re bored
If the plant is healthy and has appropriate growing space, leave it alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to repot a houseplant?
At minimum, you’ll usually need an appropriately sized pot with drainage holes and suitable fresh potting mix. Clean pruning snips and a small scoop are also useful.
Do I need to water a houseplant immediately after repotting?
It depends on the plant and why it was repotted. Many healthy tropical houseplants can be watered after routine repotting, while plants with damaged roots or some succulents may benefit from waiting. Follow the needs of the individual plant.
Should I remove all the old soil when repotting?
Usually not. If the plant and roots are healthy, much of the existing root ball can remain intact. More soil removal may be necessary if you’re dealing with rot, pests or unsuitable growing medium.
Should I put rocks in the bottom of a plant pot?
You generally don’t need a layer of rocks to improve drainage. Appropriate potting mix and unobstructed drainage holes are more important.
Can I repot a houseplant into a pot without drainage?
It’s possible to grow plants in containers without drainage, but managing moisture becomes much harder. For beginners, a nursery pot with drainage placed inside a decorative cover pot is usually much more forgiving.
Do I need perlite when repotting?
Not necessarily. Many ready-made potting mixes already contain drainage and aeration materials. Perlite is useful when you want to create a more free-draining mixture.
How much bigger should a new pot be?
For many plants, moving up approximately 1–2 inches (2–5 cm) in diameter is enough. The correct size ultimately depends on the root system rather than a fixed rule.
Can I reuse old houseplant soil?
Healthy used potting mix can sometimes be reused or refreshed, but don’t reuse growing medium affected by significant disease, pests or root rot around another plant.
Can I use garden soil for houseplants?
It’s generally better to use potting mix formulated for containers. Garden soil can become dense and poorly aerated inside pots.
Do I need special tools to repot plants?
No. You can repot perfectly successfully with basic household items. Specialist plant tools mostly make the job easier and cleaner.
Final Thoughts
You really don’t need much equipment to repot a houseplant.
A suitable pot.
The right growing medium.
And a reasonably good idea of why you’re repotting in the first place.
Everything else makes the job easier or solves a particular problem.
If you’re going to spend money anywhere, prioritise the things that directly affect root health: appropriate pots, suitable potting mix and good drainage.
Then add tools as your plant collection grows.
A decent pair of snips will get used repeatedly. Perlite is handy to have around. A repotting mat can save your kitchen table.
But don’t allow an enormous online shopping list to convince you that repotting is complicated.
Plants have been managing without colour-coordinated repotting kits for quite some time.
Continue Reading
If you’re about to repot a plant, these guides should help:
- Beginner’s Guide to Repotting Houseplants
- How to Tell When a Houseplant Needs Repotting
- Why Does My Houseplant Soil Stay Wet for Days or Weeks?
- How Often Should You Water Houseplants?
- Should You Bottom Water Houseplants?
- Houseplant First Aid Kit: What You Actually Need
- What Do You Need to Propagate Plants?
- How to Take Plant Cuttings: A Complete Beginner’s Guide
- Orchid Care Tips for Beginners