So ….Madeleine and I were chatting tonight about we take growing for granted, and we were talking about how to know when to pot on your plants or move to the ground so here is a guide: using a squash plant in my tunnel:

Photo 1 – The Plant Looks Ready

The early signs…

At first glance, this squash plant looks healthy and full of vigour. It’s producing several true leaves, has a sturdy stem and is growing strongly. While the growth above ground looks impressive, what really matters is what’s happening beneath the compost.

A plant reaching this size in a small pot is often telling us it’s nearly time for a bigger home.

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Photo 2 – Check the Roots

The easiest way to know if a plant needs potting on is to gently slide it from the pot and inspect the root ball.

Here we can see healthy white roots wrapping around the outside of the compost. This is a great sign that the plant is thriving. Once roots become visible all around the edge, the plant has usually used up most of the space available and is ready for the next stage.

This is the perfect time to act before the plant becomes stressed.

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Photo 3 – Don’t Wait Too Long

Looking underneath the root ball tells the full story. The roots have completely filled the pot and are beginning to circle around themselves. If left much longer, the plant will become rootbound, which can slow growth and reduce its ability to establish once planted out.

By potting on now, or planting into its final position, the roots can spread into fresh compost and continue growing without restriction.

Top Tip

A good rule of thumb for any allotmenteer is simple: if you slide a plant from its pot and see more roots than compost, it’s time to pot on. Catching plants at this stage keeps them growing strongly and gives them the best chance of producing a cracking crop later in the season.