If growing succulents is something that interests you, then this is the article just for you as we will be talking about a very important thing – the pot.
Much like other plants, succulents love it when you choose the right size of the pot. Not only that, but they tend to grow more when in the right size.
But finding the right pot size can be more challenging than first thought. Because of that, we are here to give you the 4 tips for choosing the right pot for your succulents.
Don’t go anywhere as this article will make a difference when choosing the right pot size.
With all that said, let’s start.
1. Drainage is Important
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Every pot has some kind of drainage. The important thing is to have multiple holes where water can escape and not suffocate the plant itself.
The holes don’t have to be that big as a bigger hole would make it easier for soil to also escape. Instead, look for minor holes. There is also the chance to find a pot that simply said, has no drainage holes.
If this is the case, then you can make holes yourself. Doing this isn’t a hard task and all you need is something sharp to poke holes.
This can be a difficult task if the pot in question is made out of clay, terra cotta, or ceramic.
2. Type of Material
While we did briefly mention one of the most popular materials used for pots, there are other options besides that.
However, let’s explain all of them.
· Terra Cotta or Ceramic
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The great thing about these two is that they give plenty of breathable space to every plant when put inside one. Because of that, terra cotta and ceramic are excellent materials if you keep your succulents inside.
They also work outside as the breathability also favors plants that you keep outdoors. When keeping terra cotta and ceramic pots outside, do know that exposure to direct sunlight can heat up the pot.
This isn’t a huge problem but you should expect the soil to quickly dry and the pot itself heats up. Succulents don’t like it when they’re too hot, but things never get that hot anyway.
The only real downside to terra cotta and ceramic pots is the fact that they can get quite heavy. If you have a particularly large succulent that needs a pot, then ceramic or terra cotta pots can get quite heavy.
And lastly, ceramic and terra cotta are two materials that break instantly upon impact.
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· Plastic
Plastic is always the cheapest alternative out there. However, don’t let that fool you from the fact that plastic can be an excellent choice.
The reason why plastic is too popular is that it will never be as fragile as ceramic or terra cotta. However, plastic will also never be as breathable as those two.
Plastic pots make it much harder for water to dry out. In many cases, you will notice that areas of the soil are never dry no matter how hard you try.
But this isn’t so much of an issue if you have holes in the bottom of the pot. Since plastic isn’t a breathable material, simply poking holes will create a drainage system and the soil will dry faster.
The great thing about plastic is that it can come in all shapes and sizes and in all colors. When choosing pots, make sure you first know the size of your plant. And to do that, you will need to actually buy a succulent. One place where you can do that is succulentmarket.
· Wood
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Wood is quite possibly the most aesthetically pleasant material to add plants to. The reason why is because it’s quite an unusual method of growing succulents and other plants.
What DIY-ers love the most is adding their succulents inside a piece of driftwood. If the piece of wood has a hole big enough to house the plant, then watch as nature works in miraculous ways to combine both driftwood and succulent into one.
Wood isn’t a type of material that heats up easily. This means that the “pot” will maintain temperature even after direct exposure to sunlight.
Drainage also isn’t a problem as driftwood has plenty of ways for water to escape. Be careful if you keep the pot indoors as the wood can root if the water doesn’t evaporate for longer periods of time. This is why we never recommend wooden pots be used indoors.
3. Appropriate Depth
It’s not only about the size that matters when choosing the right pot, it’s also about depth.
Depth plays an important role when planting succulents and other types of plants as it gives them plenty of space for their roots to grow. Certain plants require a lot of space specifically for the needs of their roots, and providing these plants with an appropriate depth will play into their hand.
4. Choosing the Size
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This is the hardest part of this article. The size really is the most difficult one to look at and ultimately, make a choice based on it. In most cases, we determine the size based on the size of the plant. As a general rule, gardeners and professional florists tend to determine the size by adding an additional one to two inches between the plant and pot.
Since the plant will eventually grow in size, you should always give it plenty of space to do so. If you limit its growth, then it will either die out or grow improperly.
Be careful not to give them too much space as the roots will grow everywhere and that will hinder the growth of the plant. As a subsequence, the plant will not grow in size but rather spread more.
Lastly, you can always add multiple succulents into a single, larger pot. This is something that’s very popular. When doing so, make sure to leave one to two inches of space between each plant to give them room to grow and spread out.
