It may seem like not a big deal, particularly if you have just started to develop an enthusiasm against succulents. However, never underestimate how much can a carefully chosen pot help you out keeping your succulents alive!
Shop Succulent Pots on Amazon!When choosing a pot for your succulents, you need to look for drainage holes, the material that will not hold water and the proper size that will give roots enough space and air for optimal growth.
What is the Deal With Pottery?
Succulents look remarkable when they are matched with a pretty pot. But wrong pot can cause rotting or disease on your plant. So you shouldn’t just buy a pot because it looks beautiful.
Don’t worry. Once you learn a few small tricks about finding a suitable pot for your succulent, you will have no difficulties. In fact, there are not many aspects to consider, but each one of them creates a huge difference.
As much as I love to buy or propagate new succulents for my collection, I also enjoy a lot while shopping for the pots. You find countless options with every color, texture, pattern, shape, and size that your succulent will look awesome in it.
Aside from how much fun you can have going through all these large ranges of options, here are “what”s and “why”s of the basic issues you need to take into consideration on selecting a pottery or planter.
1) Finding a Pot that Provides a Good Drainage
Succulents grow the best condition when the water is well drained. This particular point can be achieved by using a soil that lets the water go through its pores and placing the plant in a pot with drainage holes.
Both worth the attention because if succulents sit in the wet soil for too long, rotten roots and fallen leaves will mean an immediate death to them. You can find deeper information about watering the succulents here in my watering guide.
Please remember that excess water will drive the succulents to irreversible damage. Drainage holes are crucial to dry the soil as quick as possible.
Larger the drainage holes, the better! If you are concerned of the holes are too big that the soil will mess everywhere, meshes or landscaper’s clothes which are used to cover the holes and keep the soil inside the pot.
Let’s say you find a pot that you are totally in love with, but unfortunately has no drainage holes. Then it is possible eighter drilling holes on the bottom, or placing a second smaller pot what we call nursery pots.
It is a very easy logic. You find a plastic nursery pot with draining holes that will fit inside the pot you actually want to use. When you want to water your plant, you take it out and let the drainage holes do their work.
2) Choosing the Material
I see so many variants of planters made of using different materials. Besides the conventional clay, ceramic or glass pots, there are also very unusual ones such as cement and wood. Let’s talk about what kind of issues you need to keep in mind while choosing one of them.
Clay or Ceramic Pots
Going natural is always a good idea. A clay or ceramic planter which is made of raw earth is the simplest and the best way to plant the succulents if you ask me.
First of all, are permeable to air. That means the soil and the roots allowed to breathe. This will be healthier for the plant in case it stays in an environment where does not get much air flow.
The one negative side of those kinds of pots is their weight. Especially when I buy large sized pot, I have a lot of struggle while carrying it to my home. And think what if it is full of soil and a large plant. Sometimes it seems not so possible to carry it even around the house.
Another thing might be problematic about clay or ceramic pots is that they tend to heat-up. They keep the heat caused by the sunlight and the heated-up soil dries so much faster. Just be careful about the clay or ceramic pots which left under the direct sunlight for a long time.
Plastic Pots
Plastic pots do not have such breathability, as a first thing to say. It is a strange matter for the plants. But no worries, an easy solution to this downside is to use a good draining soil and to be sure that the pot has drainage holes.
What I particularly like about plastic planters is how colorful they are and how many options you have. Pick a couple of pretty colors and create your own harmony.
Plastic is also really lightweight material when you compare to the other planter options. And I must add one more thing. Plastic pots always work better for you if you have pets running around the house. Just a precaution.
Wooden Pots
Wood is started to be used as a planter material very recently. They are everywhere. And I can not claim that they are absolutely beautiful. The rustic wooden pots look so good when paired with succulents.
Actually, the wood pots work really well when it comes to insulation because it keeps the soil cool when the plant placed under the sun.
The thing is, wood will be rotten quickly in a situation where there is a lack of sun or air flow. This makes it less durable compared to other kinds of materials. You will have to change the wooden pots in a shorter time period.
Glass pots or terrariums
Despite how beautiful the see-through glass containers look with the plants, I wouldn’t say I recommend you to use one.
The glass is not permeable to water and air. So this will lead you up to a planter that has evaporation and drainage issues. Besides, the bent glass will cause glass effect and the roots of your succulent will be in a dangerous situation where they might get burned.
If you are extremely careful about watering, it is not strictly impossible to use a glass container, but it is not the best option for beginners.
3) Finding the Right Size
The roots and the leaves of your succulents are going to want to spread, after a while once it is planted. On contrary, too much space is also not good since the roots will grow larger and faster than the leaves.
The balance of the size between the succulent and its pot is not a plain formula. But as I see from many resources, 1.5 – 2 centimeters of a gap is enough. Let’s say you have 3 centimeters wide of a succulent, so you need a 5 to 6 centimeters diameter for a pot.
When you plant the succulent in its pot, fill the gaps around with a good type of succulent soil. If you are not familiar with the special succulent soil mix, I explained everything about it already. Here is my Succulent Soil Guide.
Also, don’t forget to give a little space between the succulents if you are into making arrangements inside wider pots. The plants do not like to be stressed by the other ones around.
My Handpicked Succulent Pots That you can Buy Online
Now you know all about the pottery, have fun with the numerous options that you have. Mix the pots, match them with your succulents, make arrangements with your favorite succulents in all shapes and sizes.
Although there isn’t any reason to not to go crazy, my all time favorites are the ceramic pots in the minimalist style. Most of the time just a plain white ceramic pot is the best look for the succulents. I prefer not to shade the beauty of them.
Minimal Ceramic Pots
Modern Plant Stand with a Succulent Planter
White Ceramic round Succulent Planter
For more of a natural touch, uncolored clay pots are going to speak with the minimal taste.
Terracotta Clay Garden Planter Pot
Simplistic Clay Pot
Lately, I find lots and lots of concrete pots online. It is good if you want to DIY your succulent pot if you are not willing to pat too much for the designed ones.
Round Concrete Succulent Pot
Mini Concrete Pot
Another Concrete Planter
Marble planters are very widely sold around Amazon or Etsy. You may also like them if you have the similar taste of me.
Modern Marble Planters
Marble Cactus & Succulent Pots
Finally, I searched for the most unusual pots for the ones who like to have fun. They are so unique, I would be lying if I say I did not have so much fun too!
Ceramic Ferris Wheel Shaped Planter
Another Modern Pot
Bottle Shaped Planter
Animal Geometry Planter
Succulents are so much enjoyable to both grow and care. Before starting to care for the succulents, all you need to do is giving them a carefully set up environment.
Find the soil they will like and a pot that they will want to grow in. Place them to the window side where your house gets the best sunlight. That’s all!
Shop Succulent Pots on Amazon!
