Which pot should you use?

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Some plants do better in a certain type of pot. As you probably know there are a lot of types of pots.  There are three main things I look at when deciding on a pot for my plant material, drainage holes, and size. First lets talk about material. 

Some of the most popular types of pots are plastic, terra cotta, and ceramic. Plastic pots are usually cheap and come in a variety of colors. They tend to retain moisture meaning you shouldn't have to water as frequently. Plastic is a great option when needing a hanging basket or a light weight pot. On the other hand terra cotta pots tend to be more expensive, but are porous. This means you will need to water more frequently. Terra cotta pots are ideal for succulents and cactus, since they do not like their roots to stay wet. Terra cotta pots are also heavier, and will provide more stability for larger plants. Ceramic pots are made of clay like terra cotta pot, but they glaze makes them similar to plastic pots. Ceramic pots hold onto moisture and would be great for plants that like moist soil. If you tend to underwater your plants a glazed ceramic pot would be a great option. They also come in many beautiful designs and colors making them popular with houseplant lovers. 

As you can see there are benefits to each type of pot. Picking the right pot for you plant depends on the type of plant you own as well as your watering habits. If you tend to be an over waterer then terra cotta would be a better option. If you tend to be an under waterer than plastic or ceramic pots would be better. 

Another option to consider when buying a pot is whether it has drainage holes or not. Drainage holes allow excess moisture to drain from the pot.  Most houseplant prefer a pot with drainage holes. Pots without drainage holes will keep the soil to wet which could lead to root rot. Root rot will kill your plants if not caught in time. If your pot doesn't have drainage holes you can use a drill to make drainage holes. You can use any type of drill bit with plastic pots, but a diamond drill bit is recommended for ceramic pots. Another option is to use your pot as a cachepot. Stick your plant in its current pot inside the new pot without drainage holes. when it is time to water you can take the plant out of the cachepot. After the water is finished draining from the drainage holes you can put it back in the cachepot.

Size of the pot also matters. The rule of thumb is to only go up 1"-2" in pot size when repotting. Planting a plant in to large of a pot can cause the plant to become unhealthy. The excess soil will not be able to dry out quickly enough in a pot that is too large. Houseplants tend to grow slowly and a large pot will make your plant look out of proportion. A lot of plants will focus on growing roots before they grow new growth when placed in too large of pot.