Carter--Good advice.YES! HOW one re-pots and the soil they use is most important.
In case you did not know--I DO work at a Home Depot in the Garden Dept. 18yrs. and going.
Many customers that buy a houseplant do not really know how to properly re-pot a plant.
They will have a bag off potting SOIL and a pot wayyy too big in their carts for their 8" plant.
Most of them want to re-pot their new plants to get them in a prettier looking pot than the black ones come in.
That is when I try to "educate" them on soil, re-potting, fertilizing, etc. Most are very grateful for that.
My solution to the "bigger pot" situation is to tell the customer that they can just buy a one size bigger pot
and put the purchased plant in the bigger pot without re-potting....Pot-in-pot. So--they still get the "look" they want without re-potting. Yes--I advise them on watering--as most deco pots have no drainage.
Most Big Box stores do not have knowledgeable associates to advise them. Glad I am at mine...
I have been working in garden centers and stores for 30 years. Been on DG for 20+ years and it has been an education from all the DG'ers over the years as well.
Gita
