A plant pot is so much more than just a place to grow your flowers. And they are more than a mere accessory to make your home or garden that little bit more stylish.
The pot that you choose is going to become an important part of the habitat you are creating for your plant and as such, should you choose the wrong kind, it could not only hinder your plants growth potential, but actually kill it.
Selecting your garden pot is an exciting experience. Every gardener knows how much fun it is to visit the local garden shop, and browse through the various textures, colours, shapes and sizes that garden pots come in.
Naturally the prices, which depend on the size and the material used to make the pot, will vary as will the pots ability to provide good drainage.
Pot Selection Basics
To help you find that perfect pot, you need to start by figuring out the basics, which include how to select the right size, finding the perfect all-year round lighting, and drainage.
Size
Size is a big deal.
Too small and your plant will be stunted in its growth with the roots either becoming knotted or breaking out of the bottom. But size will also have an effect on the space in which you want to place the pot. If it is going to be inside, you need to make sure that it will not take over the room.
One rule to stick to, when making the size decision, is to make sure that the plant is at least as big as the pot you are considering. The other easy rule to keep in mind is the number of plants you wish to place in the pot. You don’t want to overcrowd it.
Short stubby plants can look stunning in a big, wide pot, so long as you don’t place too many plants in it. Short plants don’t belong in a tall pot, you can reserve that for the longer plants, such as ferns.
Light
For indoor plants in particular, light is often one of the elements that people tend to forget about. Light can be underused or overused, with both ending up damaging the plant.
To figure out how much light your plant will get, you can start by spending some time paying attention to the amount of light hitting the spot you are considering placing your pot. Since light moves throughout the year, you might end up having to move the pot to ensure the plant is properly nourished by the sun.
Should the plant require full sun, choose a spot where it will get at least 6 hours of light a day. For plants needing partial light, 3 to 6 hours will do. And finally, for those shade loving plants, just 3 hours should be more than enough.
Drainage
If the pot is to be used outdoors, basic drainage (i.e. the holes in the pot) should suffice. More holes can be created if the plant you choose requires more drainage than the pot provides.
Should the pot become an indoor accessory, drainage will become a little more of a concern, as you won’t want water spilling all over the place. Luckily, indoor pots will generally come with a tray to catch water, which you can then empty out so that the plant doesn’t become over saturated.
While drainage is really important, it is possible to buy a planter without drainage, but whether or not this is suitable will depend entirely on the plant you intend to pot.
Drainage can also include placing rocks beneath the soil. This will help the excess water to filter through the soil, making it easier to drain away.
Keep the above in-mind the next time you are deciding on a pot for your plants.
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