How To Pick The Right Pot For Your Plant
Most plants that you’ll buy aren’t pre-potted in fancy planters. They’re usually in growing pots, so you’ll have to pick the right pot for your plant!
I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of growing pots before – they’re kind of flimsy and usually made of cheap plastic that your plant has spent most of its life in before you bought it.
Time for a new home!
Although those plastic starter pots are okay as a temporary solution, they aren’t very pretty or very durable.
If you’re anything like me, you have to have décor match a certain aesthetic and plastic planters are not that style. You’re also probably very budget-minded, so you’re not going to want to break the bank on the pots your plants live in. After all, every dollar saved on the planter is a dollar toward the next new member of the plant family!
I always try to seek out the best deals on my planters and pots, but I refuse to sacrifice quality while doing it. Let me show you some of the characteristics of my favorite planter purchases so you can look for the same things when seeking out the right pot for your plants!
Picking The Right Pot Size
When you’re picking out a new pot for your plant, the most important thing is to make sure you get a pot that is at least as large as the pot it’s currently living in, if there are no signs of root bounding. The same size pot is completely fine, but going a few inches larger will give you some longevity out of your purchase.
Why is that?
Well, if you get one that’s the same size as your current pot, you may find yourself repotting sooner than if you got a larger one. Just like newborns grow out of their clothes, your plant babies are going to grow out of their pots if they’re not left with some extra space.
Depending on the plant, you may end up needing to repot within a year or two – it really depends how fast your plant grows. Some plants are slow growers and there are some that want to stretch out and take up additional room as quickly as possible.
If you want a plant to get bigger, give them a bigger pot. It’s as simple as that.
At the same time, don’t waste your time putting a tiny plant in a huge pot. It won’t grow THAT fast and it’s going to look a bit silly for months on end until it does.
Take it step-by-step.
Whenever I repot my plants, I do it in cycles. I’ll rotate my smallest plant to the next biggest pot, the plant that was in that one goes up a size, and so on until I get to my biggest plant. She usually ends up needing a new planter, and I’m able to get away with buying just that single pot knowing all of my other plants are living comfortably in their new homes.
Finding the Right Style
Pots come in all shapes and sizes.
I’ve currently got round ones, square and even geometric ones spread all throughout my house. But they all fit into a central theme/style that I’ve set out when decorating my home.
I love neutral colors and black/white accents in my home. My style is a good mix between bohemian and modern. I combine a lot of blacks and whites with gold, silver, and wood accents for variety.
But you don’t need to follow my palette – everyone has his or her own style. I often seek out ideas on Pinterest and get inspired by how others display their planters. Because of those designs, I’ve done tons of DIY projects to paint and customize my planters in ways that I never would’ve thought of otherwise.
Other inspiration comes from my thoughts as I browse the shelves at plant shops and home décor stores. I’ll find a good planter at the store but won’t always love the color of it. Well, guess what? You can paint it! And you can paint it in any color that fits your style and palette.
Get creative!
I also like to match my plants to containers that enhance their colors and shape. For instance, I have a tall and skinny bunny ear cactus. A tall, sleek planter will compliment its size better than a short, wide one. Sometimes picking the right pot is even easier than that – I have a pink succulent that looks perfect in a pale, pink planter.
Consider Your Plant’s Needs
To keep your plant happy and comfy, you need to make sure your planter has a drainage hole. A drainage hole will keep your plant from drowning due to excess water pooling up on the bottom. Planters that have drainage holes can be messy if overwatered, so consider a saucer or a plate to put under it to catch the drainage.
But what if you find an awesome planter that doesn’t have a hole?
You can make one… but only if you or someone you know is handy with a drill. One small mistake and you can damage your pot by cracking or shattering it.
I’m not an expert with power tools, so I go with a fallback option. Any planters that I just can’t pass up without drainage holes get a solid layer of rocks on the bottom before I add soil.
By making this small adjustment, any excess water has a place to drain to below the roots of your plants. It ends up trapped in the rocks instead of over saturating the soil your plants sit in it.
This method is a quick, easy solution, but it does have drawbacks. You’ll need check on it now and then to make sure your plant isn’t getting moldy and the soil isn’t soupy from the months and months of watering.
To check, just tilt your plant on its side, carefully, and make sure there isn’t any water coming out.
If there is, simply drain all the water out by removing the soil and plant and you’re back in business!
Considering your plant’s needs is an extremely important step when finding the right pot for your plant, as you can imagine. Not thinking about things like drainage can quickly cause root rot, or worse, kill your plant.
Where to Buy?
It seems like just about every store these days has a plant section, so where do you go to find the best quality planters and deals on your pots?
You can honestly get planters just about anywhere. My planters have slowly been acquired from all over the place.
My favorite places to go planter hunting would have to be TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, and Marshalls, to name a few. They always have good prices and a surprisingly good selection if you’re near one that’s stocked regularly.
I’ve also got planters from craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby too. Most craft stores usually have sales and coupons too, which is a huge bonus when trying to save some money.
Beyond that, just about any place that sells plants will have planters as well; places like big box home improvement stores and local nurseries. Some online plant shops offer their higher-end pots included with their plants, which is super convenient for someone who doesn’t have time to hunt down a planter.
And when you can’t find a planter out in the wild or are making an effort to more earth-conscious, never discount repurposing household items as planters! I have a few planters that had a past life as candle jars and candleholders – you’d never know just by looking at them.
Planters don’t have to be traditional. I’ve potted plants in cute Japanese-style bowls and containers designed for storage. Like I said before…
Get creative!
The “Perfect” Pot Is Always Changing
There are many things to consider when it comes to picking the right pot for your plant, but don’t stress and have fun with it. It’s okay to change up your style as you go and build up a collection that fits your goals at that time!
My planters rotate often as my aesthetic changes and as the plants grow. I think that’s part of the fun of it – you never know what inspiration will hit next!
Where did you find your favorite planter? Have you ever repurposed anything to make a container for your plants? Share your experience in a comment below!