Repotting guide

When & how to repot Anemone coronaria 'Mr. Fokker' (Anemone coronaria 'Mr. Fokker')

Also called Mr. Fokker anemone, blue poppy anemone, violet anemone.

More about anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'

About Anemone coronaria 'Mr. Fokker'

Anemone coronaria 'Mr. Fokker' · also called Mr. Fokker anemone, blue poppy anemone · flowering

Mr. Fokker is a classic single poppy anemone from the De Caen group, with rich violet-blue petals encircling a black centre ringed by dark stamens. Grown from soaked corms planted in autumn or late winter, it flowers in spring on slender stems and makes an excellent cut flower. Being a buttercup relative, it is toxic to cats and dogs.

Mature size: Around 25-35 cm (10-14 in) tall in flower, spreading 15-20 cm (6-8 in) per plant.

How to tell anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker', watch for these signs:

Flowering has tailed off year on year and the clump has become congested and overcrowded.
Lots of leaf and few flowers — a classic sign that anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' bulbs or tubers need lifting and dividing.
Bulbs visibly bursting the pot or pushing each other to the surface.
It is the natural dormancy window (foliage yellowed and died back) — the only safe time to lift and split.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Tuberous perennial growing from a small knobbly corm, forming a low rosette of ferny foliage with single poppy-form flowers on wiry upright stems..

What size pot to step anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker', set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'

Wait for dormancy. Let anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' foliage yellow and die back completely. Lifting while it is in growth wastes the energy it is storing for next year.
Lift carefully. Loosen the soil well away from the bulbs/tubers with a fork and ease the whole clump out without spearing them.
Separate the offsets. Gently pull the clump apart into individual bulbs or tubers. Keep only firm, healthy, blemish-free ones.
Replant at the right depth. Reset them in fresh fertile, free-draining loam, neutral to slightly alkaline at the correct depth and spacing — not touching — so each has room to bulk up.
Water in and rest. Water once to settle them, then keep on the dry side until growth resumes. Do not feed until leaves are actively growing.

Aftercare

After replanting anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker', keep the soil barely moist — not wet — until shoots appear; bulbs and tubers rot in cold, saturated soil. Once leaves are growing strongly, resume normal watering. Hold off feeding until the plant is in active growth again.

The right soil mix for anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'

Anemone coronaria 'Mr. Fokker' wants fertile, free-draining loam, neutral to slightly alkaline. Add compost for fertility and grit for drainage; raised beds and containers work well. Soak corms a few hours before planting and set them 4-5 cm deep; orientation is not critical. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'. Anemone coronaria 'Mr. Fokker' is lifted and divided, not "repotted". Every 3–4 years, once the foliage has died back and it is dormant, lift the clump, separate the offsets, and replant at the correct depth in fertile, free-draining loam, neutral to slightly alkaline. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' need?

When is the best time of year to repot anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker'?

Do you "repot" anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker', or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Anemone coronaria 'Mr. Fokker' grows from bulbs or tubers, so instead of repotting you wait for dormancy, lift the congested clump, separate the healthy offsets, and replant them at the right depth and spacing. Doing this every 3–4 years restores flowering.

Should you fertilise anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' after repotting?

Hold off feeding anemone coronaria 'mr. fokker' until it is in active growth again. Fresh soil already carries enough nutrients to get it re-established, and feeding disturbed roots too soon does more harm than good.