Soil. Avoid touching your eyes or mouth during repotting and wash your hands with soap and water when you have finished. As long as you’ve got your ZZ in a large enough container, it is perfectly happy to keep growing as is. You can adjust the ratios to your liking. To do this successfully, you should gently wash the root ball with water to remove excess soil and give you a clear view of where any problem areas might be. The Zz plant does not need a lot of light and therefore can do well in any type of space! Found in all parts of the plant, including the sap, calcium oxalate can irritate the skin, eyes, or other soft tissues when you come into contact with it. Warmer conditions will make the process go much more quickly. Instead, tip the container over and gently try to slide the plant out upside down, with the central stems threaded between your fingers as they hold the soil surface. Check for roots and rhizome formation after a month. Leaves get pulled off. ZZ plants will tolerate a great amount of neglect when it comes to watering. ZZ Plants have a somewhat overblown reputation for being “poisonous,” some even going so far as to claim they cause cancer. 4. Start by filling your new pot with a mound of the potting soil/cactus mixture you’ve prepared. The photo above shows an infestation along with the consequences - diseased leaves. With sharp scissors, clip the bottom of the stem, so you’re left with one smooth, clean cut. If you notice any roots growing out of the bottom of the pot, or if you remove the plant from the pot and notice it’s beginning to get rootbound, it’s time to transplant. should it be where it can be seen or under the dirt. You definitely want to at least wait until the top inch or two of the soil is dry before watering again. Don’t overthink this one. If you are looking for a carefree plant that won’t suffer even if you neglect it for weeks or longer, then look no further than Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or ZZ plant! I was planning on writing a post on ZZ plant leaf propagation, but haven't gotten around to it yet. As a general rule of thumb, only go up one pot size from where you are currently at. Then just wait! Is it moist? You will notice potato-like rhizomes above the soil. If it shows any signs of stress from being underwatered, you want to correct that before transplanting. :-), Wonderful post on the beautiful ZZ plant. Once the cuts are made, let the rhizome pieces sit out on the counter, so the cuts dry out. If you do find yourself with a broken stem, clean it up by removing any damaged portions or leaves. Alternatively, ZZ plants … but there are now enough roots to plant this stem up in soil. While some ZZ plant growers maintain a belief that the plant doesn’t need to be fertilized, at all, most plants will benefit from soil additives at some point in order to promote healthy growth. You should find that your ZZ Plant loves the extra room you’ve given it, and you may even be rewarded with a rarely seen growth spurt over the next few months. The ZZ plant has a rather unique looking root system. Put new and fresh soil into the pot and set it well. Photograph by Forest and Kim Starr via Flickr.. ZZ’s one major drawback is that all parts of the plant are poisonous. Their natural slow growth makes them ideal for long term placement without overgrowing a space. ZZ Plants are happy as long as they are planted in soil, so whatever vessel you choose to hold that soil is of little concern to the ZZ. Growth Science Organic Root Magic (0-0-4) By building the roots, you are building the foundation of your plant. I know someone who only waters her giant ZZ plant once a month and it grew to monstrous proportions. You may be able to see rhizomes peeking up out of the soil at the base of your plant. Remove any rotten roots and pot it up into a pot that is appropriate for the size of the root ball. They usually do go dormant in the winter months, but wouldn’t be opposed to fresh soil and more space if that’s when you decide to shuffle your houseplant collection into new pots. Allow the cut end to callus over for a few hours. After all, ZZ plants have succulent-like properties, storing loads of water in their leaves and stems! Copyright © 2020 Houseplant Care Tips | Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Cast Iron Plant Care: How to Care for Aspidistra Elatior, Ultimate Top 10 Most Popular Houseplant Care Blog Posts, ZZ Plant Leaf Propagation: 2 Easy Water and Soil Methods. Re-potting is necessary once a ZZ plant outgrows its pot and becomes root-bound, meaning that its roots try to escape out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. In ZZ Plants, the rhizome is typically very round and swells large to store water and nutrients for the plant to use during times of drought. The Healthy Houseplant is reader-supported. Regardless of whether you choose terracotta, plastic, or something else entirely, don’t forget that when it comes to ZZ Plants, drainage is the “be all, end all” of plant health, so make sure the pot has a drainage hole at the bottom. A planter that is too large requires more soil to fill and retains excess water, meaning it takes much longer for the soil to properly dry out between watering. I love to hear from my readers. This will help to avoid stress to the plant and potential fungus and rot issues underneath the soil. Also, check out my shop on Amazon for all your houseplant care needs:OHIO TROPICS PLANT CARE STOREFRONT. ZZ Plants have fairly waxy leaves and stems, giving them a tough appearance, but you definitely want to avoid breaking them off as you try to remove the plant from the pot. I inserted each leaf about 1/2 to 3/4 inches into the soil. It is a must have in any houseplant collection! I would still consider it a lower light situation, but it is sufficient for me since the new growth is strong and the growth rate is actually much faster than I expected for this plant. Grab your ZZ and read on! Hopefully, before long, you’ll see new growth on your new ZZ babies. I’ll be keeping it on my porch where there is great natural light. While I can confidently say that the cancer claims are totally unfounded, I think it’s important to point out that ZZ Plants do contain calcium oxalate. No leftover water needed to stand in the plant saucer! I have a ZZ plant on top of my kitchen table, which is a few feet away from a Western exposure window. Insert the end of each leaf, where it was cut, partially into a pot to which you’ve added a special potting mix. Consider the current size of the rhizome and choose a pot that is 2-3” wider in diameter to accommodate future growth. People most commonly come into contact with it through the sap when they are pruning or transplanting their ZZ Plants. Input your search keywords and press Enter. Help for an Overwatered ZZ Plant: 5 Steps to Recovery, How to Choose the Best Soil and Pot for Your ZZ Plant, ZZ Plants and Coffee Grounds: Tips to Naturally Fertilize Your Plant, Why Do ZZ Leaves Curl? Promptly take it out of its pot and repot it. It’s pretty normal to see multiple stems protruding from one large rhizome, which continues to swell as the plant grows. ZZ plant watering instructions: Water your ZZ plant once the potting soil is almost completely dry and then water the plant thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot. Make sure the rhizome is just at, or slightly above, the soil line. If the roots seem to be taking over the soil or the rhizome has grown within an inch of the side of the pot, it’s time to give your ZZ Plant some more space. Hope this helps! I love your blog (and Instagram!)! Re-pot once the growing season begins in the spring. You are my plant god! It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of my ZZ Plants (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia), mainly because they’re low maintenance and make great foliage additions to my living room. After that, all you can do is wait and hope for the best! However, if you want more ZZ Plants in your life, division is an economical way to achieve that, and your plant is tough enough to handle it. “ This plant can live in its nursery grow pot for up to a year,” Tariq explains. ZZ Plants are generally slow-growing plants, but there are a few reasons why they should occasionally be repotted. simply to take leaf cuttings! How to care for ZZ plant: grow the Zamioculcas plant in well-draining potting soil and only water the plant when the soil is partly dry. If the soil is loose or the roots have filled the bottom of the pot, it’s ready for a bigger space. 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