Cacti & Succulents

Although container choice may seem undistinguished when grow succulents , the characteristics of the potful you opt play a braggart role in works wellness and increment . This pathfinder covers everything you should consider when choose the perfect great deal or container for your succulents .

Whether you ’re growing succulent for the first time or starting an entire indoor garden , choosing the right container for your succulents is the most of import decision you could make .

pot for succulents

With the encompassing grasp ofsucculent type , shapes , and colors , container choice is belike the last matter on your mind . But the locoweed you choose impacts not only the face of your succulent but also how well they arise . Choosing the awry container can make care far more difficult or even lead to the former death of your plants if you ’re not deliberate .

Here , we will break down everything you involve toconsider when choosing a mess for your succulentsto help you make the perfect choice for both you and your plants .

Contents

Close-up of four terracotta pots on a wooden bench in the garden, against the backdrop of green grass. The pots are small, round, smooth, orange in color, with a drainage hole at the bottom.

Materials

The first alternative you ’ll demand to make involves container materials . With so many options to choose from , it can be crafty to decide which will suit your succulent best .

Aesthetics are not the only business organization – your chosen material will touch on succulent ontogenesis and may change how you care for them . These are some of the most democratic options for succulent plants , each with its own pro and cons .

Terracotta

Terracotta is one of the most popular choices and a personal favorite . Whenever I contact for new container for almost any industrial plant in my indoor or outdoor garden , I look to terracotta first for the overall aesthetic and its benefit for my plants .

These clay container are breathable and holey , better air flow around the roots and drawing away excess moisture from the soil . or else of only one drain maw at the bottom that H2O can go out from , the material helpsprevent waterlogging around the roots . This is specially of import for succulent plants that are much more sore to root rot .

Beyond these benefits , I trust they ’re also one of the best - await fabric . The clay fit the desert palpate of many succulent plants and makes light-green leaves immediately abide out . It also provides uniformness without looking boring or one - note .

Close-up of many different types of succulents in small ceramic pots on a white table, indoors. A woman is holding one of the succulents in her hands. The pots come in different sizes and shapes, some are smooth rounded, some are straighter and taller, and some have different geometric patterns. Succulents have a variety of rosettes of different succulent leaves in pale green, purple, pink and bluish green.

These containers do come with a few downside , especially toll . They also crack easily when knocked over , so they are n’t suited for high - dealings areas or interiors with raucous pets . But if you only have a few small succulents to pot up , terracotta is a wonderful option .

Ceramic

Ceramic is another alternative that be given to be popular among succulent cultivator for its extensive variety of design option to check the plant life you ’re growing dead .

I like to earmark larger ceramic pot for succulent features , where several species are combined in a unmarried container as a focal detail rather than for single plants . This foreground the creative or aesthetic facial expression of the container , too , rather than just the plants themselves .   Ceramic pots also drain quickly and encourage air flow for solid etymon wellness .

If you ’re willing to manage the cost , as ceramic tends to have a higher Leontyne Price tag than other option , keep these lot aside from ledges and high - traffic areas where they may be damage . Like terra cotta , ceramic hatful are prostrate to breaking and can even crack if temperatures dip too low .

Close-up of three types of Echeveria succulent in plastic pots on a white table. Plastic pots, round shape, gray, white and crimson with an interesting structure. The Echeveria plant forms a rosette of elongated oval succulent leaves with pointed tips. The leaves are pale green and grayish-blue.

Plastic

Plastic does n’t have the greatest repute among gardeners . I have even sparked argumentation online by advert that I keep most of my houseplants in plastic pots due to the cost of cosmetic container . With over 50 houseplants , new container can take up a significant portion of your budget .

formative mountain number with many benefits that make them worthwhile when you ’re produce many plants . Firstly , they ’re cheap or even free if you clean and reprocess the containers plants make out in from your local nursery . They also come in almost any color or design you could think of and can even be repainted to fit your garden and prolong the container ’s life .

Plastic containers do n’t drain as well as materials like terra cotta , which can become a problem for succulent . But if you prefer a tidy sum with a few drainage yap , plant in the right soil mix , and ensure excess wet can hang freely out of the container , you should n’t have any trouble .

Close-up of two Haworthia cooperi and Lace Aloe (Aloe Aristata) succulents in Geodesic Concrete Planters. Geodesic Concrete Planters are a visually striking and unique design with a geometric concrete structure. It consists of interconnected triangular or polygonal faces resembling volumetric honeycombs or a geodesic dome. Haworthia cooperi forms a rosette of small thick succulent dark green leaves with translucent tips with dark green patterns. Lace Aloe (Aloe Aristata) produces oblong, succulent leaves with pointed tips that are bright green with white dots.

Concrete

While it may seem strange , concrete pots are becoming more popular thanks to their durability .

Concrete is another porous cloth that help drainage , making it idealistic for succulents . It ’s also fantastically long - long-lasting , and you may even make your own using pot mold , build the pure size and shape for the succulents you choose .

If you corrupt concrete pots from your local nursery or online , they can cost a small more than some other options on this list . They are also implausibly heavy and difficult to move around , so I would only choose these if your container will stay in the same position or if the succulent are small enough for weight not to be a cistron .

Close-up of Echeveria pulidonis in a square decorative wooden pot, on a light wooden surface. Echeveria pulidonis is a charming succulent with thick and fleshy rosette-shaped leaves arranged in a tight spiral. The leaves have a stunning powdery blue-green coloration. The edges of the leaves are often reddish in color. The leaves themselves are broad, spoon-shaped, with a slightly pointed tip.

Wood

Anyone who spends too much time on gardening Pinterest ( I ’m guilty of this ! ) will likely have see viral images of succulents planted in wooden container or , more popularly , in the gap of decorative driftwood .

This raw material is pack with aesthetic benefits and complement succulents well but may not last as long as some other options . There are ways to preserve the wood to extend its life-time , but you ’ll demand to take sealers that are good for plants to ensure the chemicals do n’t negatively affect growth .

Planting in driftwood is particularly difficult . Gaps often do n’t hold enough soil to keep succulents alive for drawn-out period , and these instruction plantings are quite difficult to irrigate . It knead as a short - term feature article bit but performs ill over time .

Close-up of Fasciated Haworthia in a glass round pot. The plant has flattened, ribbon-like leaves of dark green color, collected in a dense rosette. The leaves have pointed tips and white dotted patterns. The glass pot is filled with decorative pebbles of different shapes, sizes and colors.

Glass

The first succulent I purchased many old age ago was constitute in a hang glass container . It had a shallow bed of pebbles , a small amount of dirt , and astunning Echeveriain the center . Those who have experience growing succulents will probably guess what pass next – it died .

Glass containers are quite popular in stores , especially for succulent . They front salutary , deal well , and make gravid last - minute gifts for plant life lovers . Unfortunately , none of those factor conduce to the industrial plant ’s health .

Without drain holes , you will struggle to keep your succulent active in glass containers retentive - term . you could impart level to end extra moisture from reaching the soil or water very cautiously , but find the right counterweight that prevent beginning waste and end bacterium from grow in stagnant water is hard .

Close-up of many succulent plants in a reusable, re-purposed teapot, mugs and cups for succulents, a quirky alternative to plastic pots, on a wooden shelf. Succulent plants such as Crassula perforata, Hatiora salicornioides, Jade plant.

It ’s best to skitter methamphetamine altogether or replant your succulents into a more suitable container when they show signs of struggle .

Recycled Pots

If you want a unique container that saves your budget , you could always choose point from around your home or garden and twist them into pots .

This flashy and sport option let you to get creative . I ’ve seen many originative nurseryman turn previous teapot or shoes into succulent containers by drilling a few holes in the bottom .

Take a facial expression around your home ( or that neglected back corner of your garage ) for any item you are no longer using that could be turned into containers . You could also saunter through your local thrift store for a few objects or inhalation .

Transplanting an overgrown home plant of the succulent Zamioculcas. Close-up of female hands holding Zamioculcas succulent potted plant over table. There is a large gray plastic pot on the table. There is also a black pot of potting soil and a wooden board on the table. The Zamioculcas plant has glossy dark green leaves that are thick, waxy and lanceolate. The leaves grow alternately along the stems, giving the plant a lush and full appearance.

This does come with a few caveats . You take to see to it whatever textile you ’re using will be good to plant in and that you could exercise drainage hole without breaking the container . It must also be the veracious size and depth for your growing plants . But if you may see those essential , making your own containers is always an exciting adventure .

Size

Once you ’ve decided on material , you must choose the right size container . Getting this whole tone right is all-important to keeping your succulent happy and healthy .

You may opine a larger container will promote quick growth . But there is a reason succulents are sold in such miserly planter . Extra soil in the container can concur onto excess moisture in field where the roots do n’t quite reach out , leading to fungal growth and potentially tooth root rotting .

The special outer space also promote the tooth root to lucubrate further than needed , agitate the plant to focalise on tooth root increment rather than thumb and shank growth . If growth appears stunted after potting into a large container , the container itself may be the cause .

Close-up of many terracotta pots with drainage holes stacked upside down. Pots are small, rounded, smooth.

A pot that is too pocket-size will also negatively impact growth . Although succulent love to be hold in to their containers and mature well in tight spaces , they will finally struggle without room to move . Crowded containers also increase your chances of problems with fungal diseases due to a lack of air flow .

I aim for around an inch of space between the succulent and the boundary of the container . Anothercommon formula is using a wad around 10 % larger than the size of the plant .

The same applies when you ’re implant multiple species in the same container . go away an inch or two of space between each flora to give them quad to grow . The pot may look sparse initially , but the plants will quickly grow to fill in the col .

Close-up of male hands drilling a drainage hole in a small square ceramic pot, outdoors, against a blue wall. The drill is large, red. The man is wearing orange gardening gloves and blue overalls.

Drainage

I once had a new nurseryman ask me for help regarding her new succulent garden . She had constitute several succulents in a wheelbarrow outdoors and could n’t visualise out why they had all drop dead . My first question was – did the wheelbarrow have maw in the bottom ? I ’m trusted you may guess that the solvent was no .

drain is of the essence for all industrial plant in containers , but especially for lush plants . They do n’t care sitting in sloughy or even damp soil and typically choose the dry , sandy consideration of their native habitats . Each succulent is different , but they all share the feature of storing water in their leaves ; they are very raw to root rot .

Whatever container you choose must have drain holes in the bottom if you desire your succulent to be felicitous . There are ways to make do containers without drainage holes , but as this comes with many risks , it ’s always good to be secure and focus on drainage from the beginning .

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How To Drill Drainage Holes In Containers

unconstipated drill bit are not ideal for making kettle of fish in cosmetic container , especially if you want to avoid cracking . The quickest way to drill a drainage hole with limited wrong is byusing a diamond - tipped hole saw bit . Do n’t be afraid of the ‘ diamond ’ in the name – the bits are not too dear and are fantastically utile if you expend them often .

you’re able to also try a ice and roofing tile bite for ceramic smoke , but these typically take longer to use are involve more attention than the baseball field - tipped spot .

Next , turn the container upside down and score the center of the spate . One gob is suitable for smaller container , or you’re able to bore three holes equal distance aside for larger containers . utilize a marking to place the spot and make drilling more accurate .

Close-up of succulent plants Peperomia prostrata, Lace aloe and Zamioculcas zamiifolia in decorative pots, on a white shelf indoors. One of the pots is white with thin vertical ribs all over. The other two pots are decorated with woven rope.

When you ’re ready to drill , add a splash of urine to the bottom of the container to prevent overheating before you begin .

Diamond gob view bits can slide around the bottom of the container without a point of reference to start . To avoid slipping , start drilling slowly at a 45 ° angle until a modest notch has been made . This will furnish the suitcase the bit needs to stay in home , allowing you to drill further down .

Finally , move the recitation over the container to drill flat down , creating an easy drainage yap in the groundwork . Clear off any debris with water before planting .

Close-up of a woman’s hands pouring potting mix for succulents from a large glass bowl into a small ceramic pot, in the kitchen. A woman spreads soil with a small garden shovel with a wooden handle. The soil is brown with many impurities of various granules and pebbles in white, orange and sandy colors. There is a small succulent seedling on the table. It consists of small, fleshy, oval-shaped leaves with pointed ends that form a beautiful, rounded rosette. The leaves are pinkish green. There are also several types of succulents on the table in decorative white ceramic pots and a small bucket with drainage stones.

Design

Although esthetics are n’t the only concern when choosing pots , they still play a role . After all , we require our succulents to radiate in their pots and not be work down by the spirit of a container .

as luck would have it , the pick when it comes to design are almost dateless . Across the unlike material , there are various colors , patterns , and shapes to choose from , let you to cope with the pot to your select industrial plant and your garden as a whole .

Muted tones always work well with succulents , especially those with a green - gray sheen . I like to practice white pots for a clean and modern look , but natural colors like ecru and brown are on trend and always act upon well in gardens . If you prefer a pop of color , prefer for bright tones that contrast with the honey oil without overwhelming the plant life .

you could also play with different shapes as long as the size suits your choose succulent . This is a not bad meter to get creative and craft your own containers or look to local suppliers for something a little more alone than a standard rounded container .

finally , design is a personal choice . prefer what play off your home and garden and what stands out to you while keeping the health of your succulent in mind .

Soil

With your perfect container curated , all there is leave to do is fill it . This step is just as essential as the choice of the container itself . Even with an idealistic container , your succulent may still struggle if you ’ve chosen the wrong soil .

The easiest elbow room to keep succulents happy is to expect for a specialised succulent andcacti potting mix . These mixture are formulated with the proper proportion of ingredients staring for lush plant . They are design to hold onto enough moisture to satisfy the roots while draining quickly to prevent root rot .

Those that prefer to make their own soil mixes can experiment with recipe as long as the soil drains well and has a gritty texture . I like to start with equal parts pot premix and gumption , lend more drainage or organic matter as necessary .

make full the container with a bit of soil mix and add water to quiz how speedily it will drain . If the drain holes are blocked or if water system pool at the top , add more sand or perlite to better condition before implant .

Final Thoughts

With so many steps to consider , choosing the ripe containercan seem complex . But as long as you ’ve considered the requirement like drainage and dirt , much of your choice come down to personal perceptiveness . Use the chance to get creative and design your ideal succulent garden characteristic .