Question: I’ve notice that when repotting, you will remove a lot of the plant’s leaves as well as roots. Do I need to do this, and if so, how can I tell how much of each to remove?
Answer: There’s no need to do this, especially when potting into a larger size pot. When repotting into the same size pot, however, there are benefits. Though not necessary, by pruning the plant and roots, we’re giving the plant a “fresh start”, so to speak. Our intention in repotting is to encourage new, healthy, growth, not necessarily save old growth. It also means we can go a longer time before having to repot again!
We’ll usually prune the plant down to the center (youngest) four to six leaves, and the root ball to a third to a half of its original size when repotting into the same size pot. There’s no need to be this extrme, though. An attractive, blooming plant can keep its appearance after repotting with only minimal pruning of leaves and roots–removing just enough of both to allow any “neck” to be buried and for the exchange of old soil for new to encourage new root growth. A rough rule of thumb would be to remove approximately equal proportions of foliage and roots, since a smaller root system is able to support less of a plant. Minor pruning of foliage allows for only minor pruning of the root ball, while extensive pruning of the plant allows for more extensive pruing of the roots.