Container Plant Types /which pot type is for you?

Container plant types /which pot type is for you?

By Paul Mundweil

    An important part of gardening on terraces, patios or apartments are the pots we use.
The main types of pots that can be found are porous and non porous pots. Another choice that can be found is peat pots.
Porous pots are usually terracotta pots or glazed pots, made from materials such as clay and concrete. The advantage of these types of pots is because they are partially porous it allows airflow from the side, as well as the draining from the bottom.

While this can be an advantage in cool climates and indoors in hot dry climates it is not such an advantage.

Non porous pots such as those made from plastic are good for outdoors in warm climates and for indoors plastic pots can be a good choice when they come with easy refill watering wells inside the pot.

Also, depending on the style plastic pots are usually cheaper than porous pots.
Peat pots are made from compressed peat bog, are usually small and are good for seedling sized plants. Once the plant has outgrown this pot it can be simply potted with the peat pot into a bigger pot.

    Once you have decided on the pot that bests suits you the next criteria on pot type is to choose a shape based on the type of plant you intend to grow.
Herbs especially low growing ones don’t have large root zones, so a shallow pot is best for them. If you get a longer rectangular pot this can be good to plant a few herbs together, and you can create a companion planting of herbs. Also herbs can be placed at the base of larger plants.

Fruit trees and ornamental shrubs-trees are best placed in larger pots, with the width more or less the depth of the pot. This helps their larger root ball expand to its full potential, and the choice of pot size depending on how large or small you actually want it to grow.

For flowers and smaller sized plants usually a smaller pot with the same width as its depth will be enough.

Now that we have shed some light on the why of pot choices, it’s time to get out there and start potting.

Happy gardening from Paul

You can visit Paul at his website the Green Millenium

Container Plant Types