It is just as important to choose suitable pots for your plants as it is to care for them properly.
When choosing pots for your plants, these are the four main aspects to consider.
- Size
- Drainage
- Material
- Style
They are equally crucial for the health and well-being of your plants.
You must have a good eye and knowledge to choose the right pot for your plant.
But don’t you worry! After reading this article, you can be confident that you will have all the information you need to make the best decision for your plants and your home.
Although I preach drainage holes are essential, I don’t worry about Snake Plants lacking drainage holes. These plants are nearly impossible to kill. These plants require very little water and thrive in low-light conditions. When plants like this one are overwatered, drainage is often satisfactory.
SIZE
Let’s begin with the basics: Size.
It matters what size you choose! We all know this. ).
You want the plant to be in a different pot than it currently is, so you won’t need to report it.
If the plant was not taken care of by its owners, it is scarce that you will need to repot it into a larger pot.
Even if you are changing the pot from a plastic greenhouse pot to a more attractive one, I recommend allowing your plant to adjust to the new environment for a few weeks before repotting it.
Any plant that moves from one space to another with different light and humidity conditions is subject to an environmental shock.
Before you pot your plant, I recommend you consider the season. It might be winter. If so, wait until Spring.
After your plant is settled and Spring has arrived, you can put it in a new container.
You can place the plant in a larger pot if it has grown too large for its current pool. What is the limit? Continue reading!
Repot the plant in the same pot size if it is at least two weeks old and about the same size.
Consider these things when repotting
- The soil should be appropriate for the plant you are working with.
- The right size pot
- A pot that has the proper drainage.
Any big box store will carry almost any type of soil mix.
We will be discussing size here.
For drainage, you will need to wait until the next section.
The pot size is essential in selecting the best pots to support your plants.
It is a good rule of thumb to increase one size and stay under two. For example, if your plant outgrows a 4″ container, you must report it into a 6′” pot. It is best not to place it in an 8″ pot immediately. ).
You could end up damaging your plant if you do not limit yourself. How?
Too much soil can lead to too few roots. Root rot can be promoted by too much ground.
Additionally, the plant will spend more energy growing roots than developing stems or leaves.
You must take photos of the plant you are going to report. Different plants have different needs.
Some plants, like Peace Lilies, love being root-bound (having tight roots in their pots). As such, they don’t need to be repotted long enough, even if their leaves seem to be bulging out of their banks.
Large houseplants may reach a plateau in their pot sizes. For example, Strelitzias can be repotted up to a 14-inch pot size. Once they get this size, you don’t need to report them.
DRYING
The best choices for your plants’ health are made by choosing suitable pots. Proper drainage is why choosing the right pots for your plants is so essential! so important!
Even more, I wrote an entire article about Plant Drainage. It is worth reading to get all the details.
It cannot be easy to choose the right pot, especially when there are so many factors to consider. But, if you can narrow it down to one most important things, I recommend drainage.
Choose a pot that has draining holes.
Your pot may need drainage holes. If this happens, your plant will eventually die.
There are many ways to avoid drainage holes and still be able to use that beautiful pot you fell for.
You can click here for the 4 Methods to Plant in Pots Without Drainage Holle’s article.
My first suggestion is to use pots that have draining holes.
MATERIAL
The material of the pots is another vital aspect of choosing suitable pots for your plants.
All the literature on the subject agrees that ceramic is the best material for pots, with plastic and terracotta close behind.
This opinion is purely based on my experience with INDOOR plants.
This is probably because most articles about planters’ materials are written for outside plants.
My experience with houseplants shows that terracotta pots work best for indoor plants.
Terracotta is porous and can dry soil faster than ceramic and plastic pots. However, indoor environments are controlled, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Additionally, terracotta pots tend to have drainage holes that are more common than ceramic pots.
Ceramic pots have the advantage of being glazed both inside and outside. This allows them to retain moisture longer than terracotta pots.
Plastic pots, on the other side, are lighter and virtually indestructible. They also come in many shapes and colors and have the best drainage. They are also very porous, meaning they retain moisture for extended periods. This can make them more dangerous if saucers or drainage are not used.