Tips to Successfully Repot a Philodendron Birkin

I've recently noticed that my Philodendron Birkin's growth has slowed down. The Philodendron Birkin is typically a fairly vigorous grower, so I figured it might need a repot. In this post, I will walk you through spotting some of the signs that you need to repot your Philodendron Birkin. I'll also go through the steps to repot a Philodendron Birkin.

Philodendron Birkin Care

The first thing you want to do is make sure that you are giving your Philodendron Birkin the proper care. Below you will see a table addressing proper Philodendron Birkin light requirements and watering. Philodendron Birkin does well in an east-facing window if you have one. They are toxic to cats and dogs, so be sure to keep them out of reach.

Signs That You Need to Repot Your Philodendron Birkin

Philodendron Birkin, and Philodendrons in general, are relatively easy-going plants. If you spot any of these signs, it may be time to repot or adjust your care routine.

Philodendron Birkin Slow Growth

Generally speaking, Philodendron Birkins are pretty fast-growing foliage plants. If you notice that your plant is not putting out leaves at the same frequency as before it may be a sign that you need to repot your Philodendron Birkin. Make sure it's not winter though, all plants go through some sort of dormancy when the days are shorter and light is scarce. One way to confirm your plant is growing more slowly during the growing season is to check the roots.

In the photo above I have pulled my Philodendron Birkin out of its pot to inspect the roots. As you can see, there are many fat roots that have visibly formed the shape of the original pot. I would say this is on the cusp of what people call root bound. I've certainly seen worse. The reality is there are roots that found the edge of the pot, have grown around the edge, and are even growing up out of the soil. They need somewhere to go. Repotting to a bigger pot is in order.

Philodendron Birkin has Yellow Leaves

If your Philodendron Birkin has yellow or brown leaves this may be a sign of overwatering or under-watering. Not helpful, I know. You should be able to tell if you have overwatered your plant by sticking your finger in the soil though. If you want something more objective, a cheap soil moisture meter works wonders. If the moisture reading is high and it stays high over several days and the soil doesn't seem to dry out, then you have an overwatering problem. Your pot may be too big, the pot may lack drainage holes, or your Philodendron Birkin soil mix is suboptimal. The pot fixes are self-evident. Repot to a smaller pot or a pot with drainage. To aid drainage in your soil mix you'll need to add some draining medium to your soil like perlite.

Check for underwatering in the same way you would overwatering. Put your finger in the soil or use a soil moisture meter. Another sign may be that when you water your plant the water runs straight through the pot and the soil does not retain moisture. If you have this problem your soil has become hydrophobic. Here's a great blog on fixing hydrophobic houseplant soil. If you are able to examine the roots and you see a lot of them circling the pot. A repot to a bigger-sized pot will help retain some moisture in the pot for longer.

What You Need to Repot a Philodendron Birkin

A New Pot for Your Philodendron Birkin

If you are planning to pot up, you will need a pot that is roughly one to two inches larger in diameter compared to its current pot. If you need to size down because of overwet soil, then you should shoot for a pot that is about an inch larger than the Philodendron Birkin's root ball. Whatever pot you get, make sure it has drainage holes! Below you can see examples of old and new pots from when I was repotting a bunch of Philodendrons.

Philodendron Birkin Soil Mix

Philodendrons don't need a really specific potting mix. For example, at the home improvement stores some times you see bags of "African Violet Potting Soil" or "Cactus Potting Soil," nothing like that. I recommend a normal bag of potting soil and I like to mix extra perlite to aid in drainage. What works for me is a ratio of 3:1 potting soil and perlite.

Steps to Repot a Philodendron Birkin

• Carefully remove the Philodendron Birkin from the original pot. Hold the plant close to the base where it enters the soil and wiggle if it is difficult to remove. If it's especially root bound, you may need to take a knife or something flat and run it around the pot to loosen the roots (kind of like you do for brownies in a pan).
• Inspect the roots. It's always good to check the roots when you repot. Look at the color and texture. You don't want dark brown or mushy roots those are signs of rotting.
• Fill the new pot with your Philodendron Birkin Soil Mix to the level that you want to place the root ball. Place the root ball in the pot. Then back fill soil mix around the root ball.
• You may lightly pack down the soil to help stabilize the plant in the pot, but do not compact the soil too much. It's not good for the roots.

Do you have questions about your Philodendron Birkin?