Repotting guide

When & how to repot Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' (Buddleja davidii 'Tobudchip' (Blue Chip))

Also called Blue Chip butterfly bush, Lo & Behold Blue Chip.

More about buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'

About Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip'

Buddleja davidii 'Tobudchip' (Blue Chip) · also called Blue Chip butterfly bush, Lo & Behold Blue Chip · flowering

'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' is a dwarf, mounding butterfly bush smothered in blue-purple flowers from summer to frost. Bred to be near-sterile and non-invasive, it suits containers and small gardens and rebllooms without deadheading. Give it full sun and free-draining soil, and tidy it with a hard spring cut for the tidiest, most floriferous habit.

Mature size: 0.6-0.9 m tall and wide (2-3 ft)

Watch for — Crown rot in wet or winter-wet soil: Dwarf buddlejas are prone to crown rot in heavy, soggy ground, especially over winter. Plant in sharply drained soil or a free-draining pot.

How to tell buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip', watch for these signs:

Roots growing out of the drainage holes, or the rootball lifting the plant proud of the rim.
Soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides and no longer holds water.
The pot is unstable because the plant has grown top-heavy.
Old, compacted, broken-down mix that stays wet too long — for a succulent that is a rot risk, so refresh it even if the pot size is fine.

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 buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip''s growth habit — dwarf, dense, mounding deciduous shrub flowering continuously on new growth from summer to frost without deadheading. near-sterile, so very low self-seeding and considered non-invasive. — sets the pace. 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' is a dwarf, mounding butterfly bush smothered in blue-purple flowers from summer to frost. Bred to be near-sterile and non-invasive, it suits containers and small gardens and rebllooms without deadheading. Give it full sun and free-draining soil, and tidy it with a hard spring cut for the tidiest, most floriferous habit.

What size pot to step buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' stores water and rots in a large pot of slow-drying soil. A tight terracotta pot that dries fast is far safer than a generous plastic one. Never up-pot a succulent by several sizes.

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 buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'

Spring or summer, while buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' is in active growth and warm, is best — roots recover fastest then, and the plant is not sitting in cool damp soil. Avoid repotting a succulent in winter dormancy.

Step-by-step: repotting buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'

Repot dry. Do not water buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' for several days first. Working with dry roots and dry mix dramatically lowers the rot risk for a succulent.
Pick a snug, fast-draining pot. Choose terracotta one size up at most, with a drainage hole. Have gritty well-drained, moderately fertile soil ready.
Tip it out and clean the roots. Slide the plant out, crumble off the old soil, and trim any black, mushy or dead roots with clean snips.
Pot into dry mix. Set buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' at its original depth in dry gritty mix, firming gently. Do not bury the stem deeper than it was.
Wait a week before watering. Leave it completely dry and out of harsh sun for about 7 days so any damaged roots callus. Only then water lightly.

Aftercare

Keep buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' completely dry and out of fierce sun for about a week so any nicked roots callus before they meet moisture; watering a freshly repotted succulent is the classic way to rot it. Then resume the normal lean, dry rhythm. Do not fertilise for about 3 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'

Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' wants well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Adaptable to most soils with good drainage; thrives in lean ground. In pots, use a free-draining, gritty potting mix. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soil. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'. Repot buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' every 2–3 years into a snug pot of well-drained, moderately fertile soil, ideally in spring or summer. Let it sit in dry soil and do not water for about a week afterwards so any nicked roots can callus. Over-potting and watering straight away is what rots succulents.

What size pot does buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' need?

When is the best time of year to repot buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?

Should you water buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' into dry mix and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots callus over. Watering a freshly repotted succulent is the single most common way to rot one.

Should you fertilise buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 3 weeks after repotting buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.