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Many houseplants can grow quite large without restriction, to the extent that space apportioned them could no longer accommodate them. Most gardeners fail to put this into consideration when they are planting.
If you don’t know what to do when houseplants get too big, this article is for you. There are certain things you can do when your house plants get too big, and the most significant of them is pruning the plants.
In addition to slowing stem growth, pruning your house plants creates room for fresh soil and fresh new root growth without moving the plants into an enormous container.
How Do You Know When a House Plant Gets Too Big?
Generally, overgrown house plants have no specific size. However, whenever a house plant grows past its environs and starts creeping into other areas, including your personal space, then it’s a sign that it needs to be trimmed down.
Sometimes, the problem might not be the size, but the way it looks strange and untidy. So, most gardeners trim their house plants just for the sake of their weird looks rather than necessarily its overgrown size.
In other words, they trim their plants when they grow beyond their initial plans or intentions.
What to Do When Houseplants Get Too Big
Certain houseplants will choose to grow the way they want to grow, that even tying them to moss poles wouldn’t hinder their progress, both in size or in growth level. So, in this case, the best way to avoid this is by pruning.
Whenever you notice your house plant is getting too big, it is simply a sign that it needs to be pruned. It might seem disastrous, but it is helpful for your plants, especially when considering that it allows you to propagate for more house plants.
Generally, there are several things you can do whenever your house plants get too big. They include pruning, providing them with lower light, propagation, moving them to larger environs, and rehoming.
However, we will be highlighting them briefly one after another.
1. Pruning
Pruning is the surest and most significant step to take whenever your house plants get too big. Giving them a little trimming when they have outgrown their required length and sizes shouldn’t be a big deal.
While trimming, ensure you use germless scissors or shears, as it will help keep the plants safe from any potential form of pests, diseases, or infections.
If you are planning to get a fuller house plant soon, through propagation, then you have to make sure you cut the stem above a node to enable you to achieve your predetermined objective of seeing the plant produce fresher leaves.
2. Providing Them Lower Light
Another step you can take to curb the overgrowth of your house plants is by taking them somewhere that will aid in curtailing their growth.
Whenever you find out that your houseplant is overgrowing, it might be getting completely everything it desires.
So, it is essential to control the amount of light your plant receives because insufficient watering can be challenging to measure. You wouldn’t want them to experience any disastrous moments.
3. Moving Them into a Larger Room
This step is one of the best and most significant. Try moving the house plant to a larger room, with sufficient space. Also, looking for a house that has a conservatory and that has sufficient room for watering.
Wherever you are relocating them, consider having a utility room that will enable you to accommodate everything care factors that the plants require for their proper growth, including a vast sink deployed for watering the root of the plants and so many other care tools.
Also, a room that can house their unexpected overgrowing tendencies.
4. Propagation
Propagation entails the dissemination of the house plant to a larger area or more significant number. It makes propagation another appealing option or steps to take when your house plants get too big.
This propagation is done by dividing two plants half the sizes, with both on either side of the fireplace. The reason for this is that they might have overgrown their bookcase.
If you notice that any of the house plants are growing too long and extreme, especially those hanging, there’s a need to trim, and after that, put back the cuttings in the soil to make it a bit full.
If the overgrowth is excessive, you can sell off some of the cuttings if they have one more root on them.
5. Rehoming
It hasn’t always been a bad idea to rehome a house plant by discarding it when it gets too big. It has always been the easiest option. It is best sellable on online markets.
It could be a good fit for most eateries and shopping centers, as it helps to beautify and make the environs look so attractive.
You can also locate a place in your home that can accommodate its large growths without causing much discomfort. It could be a visitor’s room or bathroom because they are devoid of many intrusions.
Or you can as well live them outside your home, as long as you reside in an area that has a conducive atmosphere for the house plants.
Final Thoughts
It is essential to watch out for your house plants and know what to do when houseplants get too big. This is because it could be disastrous when it is overgrown, and take the necessary steps that are required to avoid any potential disaster.
Also, note that some plants like indoor trees and climbing plants can grow aggressively towards the sun, which means they have grown too big or high for their area of residence.
Therefore, undertaking the above steps, especially, pruning can go a long way towards preventing their excessive growth while giving them a more compact and lovely outlook or shape.
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