Repotting guide

When & how to repot Weeping Love Grass (Eragrostis curvula)

Also called weeping love grass, African love grass.

More about weeping love grass

About Weeping Love Grass

Eragrostis curvula · also called weeping love grass, African love grass · flowering

Weeping love grass is a vigorous, warm-season African grass with graceful, arching dark-green leaves and delicate, purplish-grey panicles in summer. Extremely heat- and drought-tolerant, it is widely used for erosion control, roadsides, and tough dry-garden applications. Its rapid establishment and prolific seeding make it invasive in some regions — check local guidance before planting.

Mature size: 60–120 cm tall; clumps spread 60–90 cm wide

Watch for — Poor establishment in shade: Fails to thrive under tree canopy or in low-light spots. Growth becomes open and the erosion-control mat function is lost. Always site in full, open sun.

How to tell weeping love grass needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For weeping love grass, watch for these signs:

Roots spiralling thickly out of the drainage holes or pushing the whole plant up out of the pot.
The pot is so packed that water runs straight through in seconds and barely wets the soil.
It has split a plastic pot, or the rootball is a solid mass with almost no soil left when you slide it out.
Growth and (for weeping love grass) flowering have clearly stalled despite good light and feeding — but remember this plant likes being snug, so a little crowding alone is not a reason to repot.

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 weeping love grass

Only every 2–4 years, when genuinely crowded. Weeping Love Grass is one of the plants that genuinely prefers a snug pot — it grows and flowers better with its roots a little restricted, so resist the urge to repot it on schedule. Dense, clump-forming, warm-season perennial grass with long, arching, drooping leaves giving a 'weeping' silhouette.

What size pot to step weeping love grass up to

Go up only one pot size — roughly 2–3 cm (about an inch) wider in diameter, no more. Weeping Love Grass positively prefers a snug pot: it flowers and grows better when the roots are a little restricted. The single biggest repotting mistake here is over-potting — dropping weeping love grass into a pot two or three sizes up. All that surplus soil holds water the small root system cannot use, stays cold and wet, and rots the roots within weeks. When in doubt, choose the smaller pot.

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 weeping love grass

Early spring, just as new growth restarts, is the ideal window for weeping love grass. 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 weeping love grass

Confirm it actually needs it. Slide weeping love grass out and check the roots. Only continue if it is genuinely packed — this plant prefers a snug pot, so if there is still soil and room, put it straight back.
Pick a pot only one size up. Choose a pot just 2–3 cm wider with good drainage. Resist anything bigger; over-potting is the main killer here.
Ease it out gently. Water lightly the day before, then tip weeping love grass out, supporting the base. Tease the outer roots free only enough to stop them circling.
Repot at the same depth. Add a layer of fresh sandy, loamy, or gravelly well-drained soils, set the plant so the soil line sits exactly where it did before, and backfill around the sides, firming lightly.
Settle it in. Water once to settle the soil, then let it sit. Hold off on more water until the top of the soil dries — fresh soil around a small root system stays wet for a while.

Aftercare

Because the new soil holds more water than the old crammed rootball did, ease right back on watering — let the top of the soil dry before you water weeping love grass again, or you will rot the roots in the very pot you just moved it to. Keep it out of harsh direct sun for a fortnight. Do not fertilise for about 4 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for weeping love grass

Weeping Love Grass wants sandy, loamy, or gravelly well-drained soils. Thrives in poor, sandy, or eroded soils — this is its primary ecological niche. Adaptable to clay if surface drainage is good. Tolerates acidic to slightly alkaline conditions (pH 5.0–7.5). Avoid fertile, moist, or waterlogged conditions. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting weeping love grass — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot weeping love grass?

Only every 2–4 years, when genuinely crowded for weeping love grass. Only repot weeping love grass every 2–4 years, and only when it is genuinely root-bound — it flowers and grows best slightly crowded. Step up just one pot size in spring using sandy, loamy, or gravelly well-drained soils. The key mistake is over-potting: a too-big pot stays wet and rots the roots.

What size pot does weeping love grass need?

When is the best time of year to repot weeping love grass?

Does weeping love grass like to be root-bound?

Yes — weeping love grass genuinely flowers and grows best when slightly pot-bound, so do not rush to repot it. The mistake to avoid is over-potting into a much larger pot: the excess soil stays wet, the roots cannot use it, and the plant rots. Only repot every few years and only one snug size up.

Should you fertilise weeping love grass after repotting?

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