You’ve got yourself a gorgeous plant, worked out where it’ll thrive in a sunny spot, and now you’re staring at the dull plastic pot from the nursery. It definitely needs a new pot. But if you go to any store or open a professional website, you see so many choices that you don’t know what to do. The fact is that choosing the correct planter for your home is not only about visual appeal. In fact, it is what is going to decide if your plant will live or die little by little.
Get The Size Right
More people than you would expect are confused by this mistake. One of those flower pots that is way too big will definitely be able to hold a great amount of water, and as a result, root rot will be the cause of the plant’s death. And if the pot is too small, then the plant will be suffocated and will stop growing.
How to find the easiest way? Just one or two inches larger than the pot of your plant that is currently in. That is all. Your monstera does not require a huge pot just because it may grow tall someday. Plants actually like being slightly snug.
Drainage Isn’t Optional
Indoor plants, in most cases, are killed by overwatering. When you don’t have drainage holes, the water is kept at the bottom, even if the top layer of soil appears to be dry. The roots rot, and it is a situation that is often too late by the time you see yellow leaves.
Have you come across a beautiful pot that doesn’t have holes? You can still use it. Just keep your plant in its plastic nursery pot and set it inside the decorative one. Or drill a hole yourself—it’s simpler than it sounds with a masonry bit.
Material Matters For Your Watering Style
Terracotta pots are porous. They allow air and moisture to pass through, hence the soil dries out quicker. Terrific, in case you overwater or you are growing succulents and herbs.
Ceramic and glazed pots are moisture-retaining. They are good for ferns and peace lilies that like to stay damp. Plastic is a light and less expensive option, but it is not very breathable.
Choose your pot according to your real watering habit, not your ideal watering habit. If you forget plants for weeks, ceramic helps. If you’re a helicopter plant parent, terracotta saves you from yourself.
Match The Planter To The Plant
Plants with a trailing habit, like pothos, are always the ones you see elegantly decorated in hanging planters or in tall jars from where the vines can drop. Wide, shallow pots are just right for cactuses and other similar plants with a spreading root system. Long plants should have a heaviness at their bottom parts so they can’t be overturned. Think about your plant’s natural shape and choose accordingly.
Making Your Choice
Start with the function: proper size, drainage holes, and appropriate material. Then pick something you like looking at. Whether you are buying something in a store or checking out the products of a website, if you keep these basics in mind, then making a decision will be easier.
JustPots has the planters that meet your functional requirements and are visually appealing at the same time, so you can free yourself from the dilemma of which one to choose, your plant’s health or styling, and also you will not have to compromise by picking a boring pot just because it is suitable.