Repotting guide

When & how to repot Little One Temple Bells (Smithiantha 'Little One')

Also called Little One Temple Bells, Temple Bells.

More about little one temple bells

About Little One Temple Bells

Smithiantha 'Little One' · also called Little One Temple Bells, Temple Bells · houseplant

A compact Gesneriad hybrid prized for its velvety, red-flushed leaves edged in green and nodding yellow-orange tubular flowers. Grows from rhizomes and goes dormant in winter. An ideal size for windowsills and small containers, it rewards warm, bright conditions with a long summer-to-autumn flowering display.

Mature size: 20–30 cm tall; 20–30 cm spread

Watch for — Leaf spotting: Cold water or misting directly on the hairy leaves causes brown or yellow spots. Always water at soil level using room-temperature water and maintain humidity by other means.

How to tell little one temple bells needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For little one temple bells, watch for these signs:

Roots poking out of the drainage holes or coiling visibly around the inside of the pot.
You are watering far more often than you used to because the rootball dries out within a day or two.
Water runs straight through and out the bottom without soaking in.
Top growth has slowed or new little one temple bells leaves are noticeably smaller than older ones despite good light.

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 little one temple bells

Every 12–18 months — sooner if roots show fast. Little One Temple Bells's growth habit — upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial grown from scaly rhizomes; fully dormant in winter — sets the pace. A compact Gesneriad hybrid prized for its velvety, red-flushed leaves edged in green and nodding yellow-orange tubular flowers. Grows from rhizomes and goes dormant in winter. An ideal size for windowsills and small containers, it rewards warm, bright conditions with a long summer-to-autumn flowering display.

What size pot to step little one temple bells up to

Step up one pot size — about 2–3 cm (an inch) wider. Little One Temple Bells grows fast, so it will fill that space within a season, but jumping several sizes at once still backfires: the unused soil stays soggy and rots even a vigorous root system. One size at a time, every year or so, is the rhythm.

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 little one temple bells

Early spring, just as new growth restarts, is the ideal window for little one temple bells. The plant is moving into its strongest growth phase and re-roots into fresh soil quickly. Avoid repotting in winter dormancy or, for flowering plants, while it is in bud or bloom — recovery is slowest then and you risk dropping the flowers.

Step-by-step: repotting little one temple bells

Time it for spring. Repot little one temple bells in early spring as growth restarts so it re-roots quickly into the fresh soil.
Choose one size up. Pick a pot about 2–3 cm wider with drainage holes. One step only — a much bigger pot stays soggy and rots roots.
Ease the plant out. Water lightly the day before, then tip little one temple bells out and gently loosen any roots circling the bottom of the rootball.
Repot at the same depth. Put a layer of fresh light african violet or gesneriad mix with added perlite in the new pot, set the plant so its soil line is unchanged, and backfill, firming lightly.
Water and pause feeding. Water once to settle the soil. Hold off fertiliser for about a month — fresh mix already has nutrients and feeding now burns new roots.

Aftercare

Water little one temple bells once to settle the soil, then let the surface dry before watering again — fresh mix around the roots stays wetter than the old compacted ball, so the commonest post-repot mistake is overwatering. Keep it out of direct sun for a week or two while roots re-establish. Do not fertilise for about 4 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for little one temple bells

Little One Temple Bells wants light african violet or gesneriad mix with added perlite. A well-draining, fine-textured mix based on coir or peat with 20–30% perlite suits the rhizomes perfectly. Good aeration is essential; dense soils stay too wet and cause rhizome decay. Plant rhizomes 1–2 cm deep in spring. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting little one temple bells — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot little one temple bells?

Every 12–18 months — sooner if roots show fast for little one temple bells. Repot little one temple bells roughly every 12–18 months, in early spring as growth restarts. It grows fast and circles its pot quickly, so step up one size (about 2–3 cm wider) into fresh light african violet or gesneriad mix with added perlite. Don't jump several sizes — that soggy excess soil is what rots vigorous roots.

What size pot does little one temple bells need?

When is the best time of year to repot little one temple bells?

Can you put little one temple bells straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing little one temple bells should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise little one temple bells after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 4 weeks after repotting little one temple bells. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.