In the last couple of days, I have received several inquiries through my Facebook Page, requesting more information regarding how to transplant or re-pot a Curry Leaf Plant or Kadi patta in a new pot.
Here’s what you need to do, once you buy a new baby Curry Leaf Plant (Check out this page: 3 Things To Consider When Buying A Curry Leaf Plant), or want to transplant an existing Curry Leaf Plant to a new container.
Being native to humid jungles of South East Asia, Curry leaf plant likes warm, humid weather. Curry Leaf plant will not survive below freezing temperature. If you live in an area where the temperature goes around or below freezing during winter, you should consider planting your Curry leaf plant in a pot or container which you can bring inside your house or move to a sheltered space.
Here is a complete Curry Leaf Plant Care guide.
When to Transplant/Re-pot a Curry Leaf Plant:
Early spring is the best time to transplant a curry leaf plant into a new container. If for some reason the middle of the year transplant is required, make sure to do it on a cloudy day during morning hours.
The Curry Leaf Plant doesn’t like its roots disturbed too frequently. Every time the plant is transplanted, it will go through a shock period, when it will stop growing for a while. For this reason, it is best to transplant a curry leaf plant only when needed. For example:Early spring is the best time to transplant a curry leaf plant into a new container. If for some reason the middle of the year transplant is required, make sure to do it on a cloudy day during morning hours.
– To transfer a baby Curry Leaf Plant from a starter pot to a bigger container.
– To change the current container soil of a mature plant- every two years is recommended.
– When you see the roots coming out of the drainage hole of the container- a bigger pot is needed.
What size pot is best for Curry Leaf Plant?
Any ceramic, resin or terracotta plastic container would work for Curry leaf plant. However, since most likely you’ll have to move the plant back and forth inside and outside the house seasonally, lightweight resin container is the best.
Whatever the material you choose for the container, make sure it has an adequate amount of drainage hole in the bottom of the container.
Picking the right size container for the curry leaf plant is essential. You do not want a huge container for a small plant.
When you transplant a Curry leaf plant in a new pot, the plant will divert its energy in growing the roots. Once the roots start touching the side of the container, the plant will focus energy on growing vertically by producing more leaves. For this reason, the container size should be in proportion to the plant size.
The newly transplanted Curry leaf plant can stay in this container for one to two years. In the spring after the transplant, you should consider whether the plan requires a new pot.
As a general rule of thumb, if the plant topples over in the windy conditions, the pot is too small for the plant. It’s time for a bigger pot.
Here’s my secret for keeping the Curry Leaf Plant happy and well watered:
Keep a shallow plastic dish or an empty takeout container under the Curry leaf plant container to catch the excess water. In the summer months, during a dry spell or heatwave, the curry leaf plant will soak up the excess water stored in the dish. That also reduces the frequency of watering the plant.
Best potting mix for Curry Leaf Plant:
The Curry Leaf Plant likes slightly acidic (Soil PH between 5.6 to 6 ), loose, and well-drained soil. After watering, the access water should run away from the drainage hole below the pot to prevent roots from rotting.
Any kind of potting mix available in the big box stores will work for the curry leaf plant. I recommend Cactus Potting Mix or Citrus Potting Mix. Make sure to buy the ‘Potting Mix,’ not the ‘Potting Soil.’ Add 1/2 amount of compost or cow manure to the potting mix for the best growth. Mix the potting mix and cow manure well before planting the curry leaf plant.
I do not recommend putting garden soil in the container. The garden soil has many bacteria, parasites, and insects that can infect or harm the growth of your Curry leaf plant. Additionally, when you bring the container indoors during colder months, you do not want to bring garden pests in that can infect other indoor plants.
Some people like to fill the container halfway with pebbles or plastic bottles before adding the soil, effectively reducing the soil required and making the container light when filled. I personally don’t implement this trick.
Okay, let’s gather your container gardening tools, and get started.
How to transplant a Curry Leaf Plant:
Step 1: Fill the container halfway with potting soil.
Step 2: Take out the Curry leaf plant from the current container. Gently ruffle the roots, if the roots are growing in the circular direction. Put the plant in the new container.
Step 3: Fill the container with the rest of the potting mix and compost mixture up to 1.5” to 2” inch below the edge of the container.
Step 4: Gently press around the base of the plant to take out any air bubbles trapped under the Soil.
Step 5: Sprinkle fertilizer like Blood Meal on the top later. Mix the top soil well.
Step 6: Pour water gently around the base of the plant until you see the water running out from the drainage hole of the pot. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes and then water again.
Step 7: Put the container in a warm, sunny spot. Make sure the plant receives 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day.
How often to water a Curry Leaf Plant:
The Curry Leaf Plant does not like to be over-watered. If the plant gets too much water, the roots will start rotting. It is best to water the curry leaf plant infrequently but deeply. Water the plant when you see the topsoil is dry to touch.
Scratch on the top surface of the potting soil. If the soil below 0.5” of the surface is dry, it’s time to water. Water near the base of the plant until you see water running out from the bottom. Wait for a few minutes, and then water again.
Here is another secret tip:
Leaving the plant thirsty for an extra day makes the root grow longer. Over-watering does not help, but under-watering does!
Of course, use your best judgment during the hot summer months.
Best fertilizers for Curry Leaf Plants:
Apply Blood meal to the top layer of soil at the beginning of spring. Gently shuffle the top 2 to 3 inches of soil. Follow a regular schedule of liquid fertilizer like Neptune’s Seaweed and Fish Fertilizer. Continue until late summer.
Check out related article: Best Fertilizers For Curry Leaf Plant- Natural and Organic Options
If you have any question about planting your Curry leaf plant in a new container, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Want to know more about growing a Curry Leaf Plant?
- 3 Things to Consider Before Buying a Curry Leaf Plant
- Curry Leaf Plant Care Guide
- Best Fertilizers For Curry Leaf Plant- Natural And Organic Options
- How to prune a curry leaf plant to make it bushy
Ask your questions:
If you have any question regarding growing curry leaf plant or any other vegetable gardening matter, connect with me on Pinch of seeds group on Facebook. You can ask questions, post a picture for photo consultation, get personalized response and interact with other gardeners.
Last updated: 11/11/2020
Hello, very informative article. Last year, I got a plant from my sister that was about 8-9 inches tall. It grew up to be 15 inches tall. This spring, I moved it outdoors after the last frost. And that same day, I saw brown spots on the leaves. I sprayed neem oil, I changed the spot thinking it may be too hot for the plant. Now there are no more brown spots however the leaves look droopy(closed up) – not limp. Leaves are still green. And soft – not crispy. I don’t know what the problem is and how to fix it.
Hi Gopi,
I have been having Curry leave plants for several times in past 7-8 years in NJ. During winter I bring indoor but every time, after few months indoor, it develope somekind of sticky residue on the leaves and later plant dies. We have change homes, position of plants ( near door with lots of sun or back of teh room with indirect light) but evry year curry plant dies in winter inside the home. i do have other tropical plants including Mango, Chanpaka, etc inside the home and they all are doing well except curry plant. Any suggestions?
I live near New York and got curry plant seeds. I have put them in starter tray. How many days it will take to see the plant. And after it sprouts out what must be the ideal plant pot size. And I plan to use miracle grow potting mix. After I transport the sprout to a pot, again when must I change the soil again and repot it.
Thanks a lot.
Hello Sandhya,
– The seeds will take anywhere from 14 to 30 days to germinate. I had a few seeds germinate after 40 days!
– Once they germinate, transplant them to a small, about 4″ diameter pot. I reuse the containers from the starter vegetable/herb plants you get from HomeDepot/Lowes.
– When the plant reaches height of 6″ – 8″, transplant in a larger pot with diameter of 10″ to 12″.
Hope this helps!
Thank you. Can we have more than one plant in one pot?
Yes but only if the pot is big enough for two plants AND you do not plan to separate the plants later.
Hi, I live in Chicago, recently I was given baby curry leaf plant so according to your instructions, I have potted on cloudy morning & used cactus potting mix couple of days ago, while I removed the baby plant didn’t see much of the roots hanging but still I have potted. Will this work & grow?
Hi Daksha,
It is hard to tell without seeing the roots. But be patient and wait at least 6 to 8 weeks. It may put out growth later, once it has grown new roots.
Best wishes!
Thanks, should I put plant outdoor for summer or keep it in the house?
Since this is a young plant, you can keep it outdoor in a party sunny place.
Hi, very nice article. I bought a curry plant which is around 6 inches from top of the soil. How big a pot should I use to transplant it into? Thanks
Hi Ritu,
A pot with a diameter of 10″ to 12″ would be okay, since this is a start of the season and the plant will grow quickly during the heat.
Hi,
I have just messaged you regards to my curry plant,
I forgot to mention that my curry plant is in a 7 cm pot and I was thinking of potting it into 16cm pot- is that seem okay or does it need To be smaller ,
Please let me know ,
Many thanks
Kind regards
Archana
Hi Archana,
How tall is your plant? Most likely 16mm pot should be okay.
– Gopi
Hi ,
Many thanks for your reply
My plant stem is 4 inches from the base of the stem to the tip ,
It is in a 7cm pot
Please let me know if I can plant it in a 16cm pot
I am planning to pot it in citrus compost , hope that’s okay
Also one more question , if there is no rain , can I water it with regular water can it be cold or does it need to be tepid in temperature ?
I am now feeding it with seaweed fertilizer and with buttermilk too so thanks for your advice and your time
Thanks so much for your help
Archana X
Hello!
I have these tiny lil brown plants growing next to my curry leaf plant. They almost look like really thin tiny mushrooms. Are they baby curry leaf plants? I’m hoping you can help me figure out if these are weeds or not.
Thanks much!
Hi Vidhi,
The baby curry leaf plant sprouting near the root of mother curry leaf plant should be green, not brown. The brown plant may be some kind of weed or fungal growth growing. Is the pot inside the house or outdoors? If it’s inside, may be the soil has too much water, combined with too much organic matter in the soil. That may cause the small mushroom like growth, which in most cases harmless. Let the soil dry out for a few days. It should go away.
Hope this helps!
– Gopi
When would be the best time to order a curry plant through the mail? None of the nursery plant stores around here carry curry plants. I know I will be able to grow one in my sunny home.
Thank you,
Trina
Hi Gopi,
My curry leaf plant is 3 foot long and recently transported to a little bigger pot and went on transplantation shock I believe since all the leaves shredd. Please help me if I can do something ?
TYI.
Hi Sravani, After transplanting the curry leaf plant, it should be kept at the partially sunny location, not in the full sun if the temperature is very high. Also, have you added any fertilizer to the potting soil? Brown leaves might also mean plant burn. Just leave the plant at partially sunny location and keep watering it so the soil does not dry out. It will take a few weeks for the plant to recover from the shock. Don’t lose hope even if all leaves dry out and fall off, it will grow new leaves in a month or so. Let me know how it does in a few weeks.
Hi,
I actually have 3 tiny plants. One is a foot long but I already harvested most leaves not knowing that I wasn’t supposed to. The next two are about 6 inches and may be 4 inches tall. The taller one was always close to the window which might be why it grew well. Can I prune the foot long one? I think we last fertilized it a few months ago when we moved it in during the winter. Would you recommend doing that again?
Okay, I will answer the questions one by one:
1. For the foot long plant: Yes, you can prune this plant, only if there will be 4 to 5 leaves remain on the plant after pruning. Are there any leaves left on the plant? If yes, are they at the top of the plants (towards the tip), or at the base (near the root)?
2. I would not prune the 6″ or 4″ plants until they are about 10″ to 12″ tall.
3. Once you put the plants outside in Spring, you should fertilize the plants. I use the first two products at the bottom of the page to organically fertilize my plants.
Hope this helps!
For the foot long plant, I have some leaves remaining at the top, some are at the base and some in the center.
I’ll definitely add fertilizer soon.
Hi
I have ordered a small curry plant via mail order and am planning to pot it in a container indoors , I live in the Uk
As you have recommended a citrus potting mix, I will be ordering a citrus potting mix for repotting it, but in terms of fertiliser I wasn’t sure if the organic seaweed and fish fertiliser might smell a bit fishy , so am I okay to use the baby bio citrus fertiliser or would you recommend any others ? Also I have heard that curry leaf plants need iron and Epsom salts to supplement the growth, is that true and if so how often Is that necessary ?
Thanks so much for your help,
Kind regards
Archana
Hello Archana,
I have answered your question in detail in the newest post here: https://pinchofseeds.com/best-fertilizers-for-curry-leaf-plant/
Hope this helps!
Please let me know if you have any follow up question.
– Gopi
Hi.
Thanks for the info that’s very helpful. I’ve had Curry leaf for a year now and it has stopped growing since. Could you share info on how to prune it?
Thank you, Pavani! How tall is your curry leaf plant? Pruning the plant too early can slow down the growth even more.
Curry leaf plant slows down the growth during colder period. So it would be natural if it has not gown in the last few months. When did you last fertilized the curry leaf plant?
I have explained how much growth to expect from a young curry leaf plant in this post: https://pinchofseeds.com/buying-a-curry-leaf-plant/.