Which pots are suitable for home gardening?

How to choose pots? What is the difference between ceramic, plastic, metal or concrete / cement pots? That would be your first step towards gardening in containers.

If you already have pots, it is best to work with what you have. However, if you need new ones, what besides the price is important to know? How can pot material affect the plants?

Plastic pots

Undoubtedly, the most common ones are plastic pots. They are easily available in a wide variety of colors and sizes, most importantly they are lightweight.. There are ordinary ones that have an outer bowl while others come with a built-in space for draining water. There are even some fancy ones with alarm systems when the plant needs water.

The main characteristics of plastic pots is that they are light, do not absorb moisture from the soil and practically reduce evaporation. That is, they are good if you want to water your plants less often. On the other hand, care must be taken not to over-water. If the plant is in a plastic pot, the risk of roots rotting is higher. Plastic is a good thermal insulator, so it protects plants from temperature extremes.

Their main disadvantage is the fact that they are airtight. This makes them not so good for some plants that require increased root aeration, such as anthurium and dracena.

Trick – how to determine the quality of the plastic pot?

The pot should be thick-walled and slightly elastic, but should not bend easily.

Metal pots

Metal pots are strong, practical and can be very beautiful. However, they heat up a lot when placed in direct sunlight. This can lead to excessive drying of the soil and thus damage the development of plants. If you need to place metal pots probably for decorative purposes, place the plant in a plastic pot which is placed in the metal pot. Otherwise if you want to use them stand alone make sure you are available to regulate the time they spend in the sun.

Concrete / cement pots

Concrete pots are usually produced in larger sizes and are more suitable for planting parks and gardens. They are also suitable for planting shrubs and ornamental trees. However, their heavy weight can be a problem in home gardening. These pots are a good insulator and, like plastic, protect plants from large temperature changes. The advantage of cement is that skilled people can easily make their own pots. I promise to show you ideas for cement pots in  one of the next Berry Berry Green videos.

Ceramic pots

One of the most preferred options and personally our favorite are the ceramic pots. They are extremely durable and often have beautiful neutral shades. Pots without a protective outer layer (non-glossy) allow the soil to breathe and thus contribute to better plant growth. This property though has its own disadvantage – ceramic pots absorb moisture from the soil and you may need to water more often. However, if you are one of the people who tend to overwater, these are your pots! Another feature of this type of pots is that they retain heat much longer than those made of plastic, which further leads to faster drying of the soil. They are susceptible to mold and should be cleaned regularly in winter. Ceramic pots break easily, so if you have small children or violent pets, bet on a larger size and keep them on the ground. Despite this risk at home, you just can’t resist them.

Pot or flower pot?

Everyone knows the difference between a pot and a flower pot, right? The pot has an opening for water drainage, the flowerpot – no. Please do not mistake these for the extremely small glass vases used to keep flowers.

Flowerpots are beautiful and comfortable, but when used for planting a plant directly in them, the bottom must be drained. The frequency of watering should be less and with less water. Outside, the pots should be kept in a covered and dry place, as rainwater can easily flood the plant.

The main benefit of flowerpots is that they can hide plastic pots that you do not like. Their main drawback for me is that they are usually too small for the size of the pots we use.

Watering tricks

No one likes the ugly dark lines of dark brown soil running down from your window sill. If you want to keep it clean and prevent the soil from washing away, here’s a pro tip. Cover the bottom of the pot with geotextile before you put in the soil and plant. You can buy it from any good garden store. An even easier way is to put a coffee filter or a plain cotton cloth over the hole.

A common mistake a lot of us make is to over water the plants. Some people water until the pot is full. It’s always better to slightly under water the plant than over water it. A relatively universal rule is to water when the soil is dry and until a little water appears at the bottom of the saucer. 

Size of pots

No matter what material you choose for your pots, their size should be consistent with the size of the root system of the plant. Radishes, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, spinach, chard and leafy vegetables are plants with a shallower root system. This makes them suitable for small or medium-sized pots. Tomatoes, carrots and other crops have a deeper root system and if you are going to plant them in pots, it is good for them to be bigger. 

 My personal recommendation is to choose natural materials, it looks very beautiful and fits with any interior. I would love to see photos of the pots you have chosen. 🙂

Next time, we will talk more about mulching as one of the best natural means of protecting and fertilizing plants!

And most importantly – He who creates a garden, cultivates happiness!