Whether you have an expansive yard or only a small porch, potted plants are a super easy way to dress up your outdoor space. From herbs and vegetables, to colourful flower displays and even small bushes and fruit trees – the range of container plants is only as limited as your imagination. With that being said, the range of plant pots is pretty wide as well, and choosing the right ones will help enhance the beauty of their contents and bring life and joy to your outdoor space.
The Size
For a successful display, you need to make sure the size and shape of the plant pots are suitable for the type of plants you’ll be planting. For instance, a hydrangea requires a much larger pot than a geranium. In general, it’s always smart to choose a larger pot than the one the plant already comes in. This ensures the roots get the much needed space to spread further and encourage growth, and also saves you from having to re-plant in the future. On the other hand, some herbs and seasonals with smaller root systems thrive beautifully when they’re closely crowded, so it’s best to consider smaller pots for those types of plants.
Materials
Plant pots are most commonly made of terracotta or plastic. Terracotta plant pots look exceptionally elegant and thus tend to cost more. They are very porous which makes them suitable for plants that thrive in dry or well-aerated soil, like for instance succulents, orchids, bromeliads, and cacti. The only downside to terracotta plant pots is that they tend to weigh a lot which makes them hard to move around. On the other hand, if you plan to mount your pots on the wall or suspend them from the balcony, make sure to pick a lightweight material, such as plastic. Plastic pots are also low cost and can come in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Drainage
It’s true that plants need water to thrive, but flooding them with too much water will only cause decay. To ensure your plants grow healthy, the soil needs to drain water properly and have enough space for air. For this very reason, it’s important to look for drain holes when choosing your pots. But if you’ve simply fallen in love with a pot without any drainage holes, you can still use it for decorative purposes. Just make sure to first plant the plant in a terracotta or a plastic pot which you can just put inside the decorative container.
