Plant Pot Guide: Which Pot Is Best When?

Spring is the time to begin planting bulbs and sowing seeds, but where do you put them? Nowadays there are so many different types of plant pots in different shapes, sizes, colours and materials, that it can be difficult to know which one to pick. Certain types of plant pots will be more suited to different plants, and will create a different look and feel in an outside space.Whether you are struggling to decide which plant pots to use because you feel spoilt for choice or because you simply feel overwhelmed, these guide could help you.

Which Material Is Best?

Plastic plant pots are great because they are cheap and it is almost guaranteed that a plant will not dry out when planted in them (providing that you water them sufficiently, of course). However, because they are inexpensive, they do tend to get damaged by extreme weathers, which means they are likely to need replacing year after year. They are ideal, however, to use to line wooden plant pots as they are more sturdy than simple plastic lining. Terracotta plant pots are a traditional choice, and they do look lovely, but you should ideally only use them for larger plants. Terracotta seems to soak up the water in the soil, which means that smaller plants are likely to dry out more quickly, sometimes quicker than you can keep up with if the weather is warm.

Does Size Really Matter?

You may have fallen in love with the perfect plant pot and believe that it won’t matter if it is a little small for your plants, but you should try to avoid using plant pots that are even slightly too small. This is especially important if you are growing root vegetables, and many of them will need to be moved to larger pots as they grow. If the roots of your plant are beginning to grow out of the bottom, you should move them into a larger pot. However, you should not plant them in too large pots too quickly, as this can cause soil to simply bulk into soggy clumps.

How Deep Should The Pot Be?

This depth of your plant pot will depend on the type of plant you will be growing in it. Tall flowers with weak stems may benefit from pots with slight higher sides. Vegetables that spread their roots horizontally will benefit from wide planters that are a minimum of 15 centimetres deep.

Can They Be Practical And Beautiful?

Just because your plant pots meet your needs, doesn’t mean they can’t look pretty, too. In fact, often the most practical of planters end up looking the best because they mean your plants and flowers grow to their best potential. If your plants have flowing foliage, a cascade planter will look great, as the flowers can be displayed properly. Similarly, if you have a variety plants that require different soils, but look great together, divided tiered planters will give the best effect.

This is by no means an extensive guide to which plant pot is best for your specific plants, but it does at least give you an idea of what you should keep in mind when you are selecting the pots for your garden.