How to Choose Succulent Pots

Do you always get confused about how to choose succulent pots? We know that it’s a little bit tricky and that is why we came up with a guide that will help you to choose succulent pots easily for your beloved plants. 

Choosing the right pot for your succulent is not an easy task. It can be even more challenging when you are new to succulent care. But you need to understand that the right pot for succulents will help in keeping your succulents healthy and happy. Many cute planters come in all sizes and shapes; how do you know which one to pick?  

In this article, we will talk about how pot size affects plant growth. And once you choose the right size pot for your succulents, it will make a lot of difference because so much of their health depends on it. Therefore, choosing a container with the right size and drainage will positively impact the baby plant’s life.

So, let’s dive into the post that will help you to choose the right succulent pots so that you will never get confused.  

If you love having succulents in your home, we are sure you would love to start bonsai gardening at home.

Why Give Importance to the Pot Size?

Pot size is important for succulents because the plant’s health depends on the pot size. Planting your succulent in a small pot will cause havoc to the root’s growth. Then the plant may not increase as it should. Also, smaller pots will hold less soil; this means they will have only a few nutrients to absorb. However, if you plan to create living walls or picture frames, a smaller pot is ideal for you. 

If you want to propagate your succulents, do not forget to click on the link explaining how to propagate succulents the right way.

Besides this, you may want to avoid planting succulents in large pots because an inappropriate-sized pot will likely hold more water in the soil over time, leading to root rot resulting in dead or unhealthy succulents. So it’s essential to maintain the frequency and amount of water used for succulents other than choosing the right succulent pot. 

When choosing the succulents pots, you need to consider one of the factors: the pot’s depth because pots are too small or large regarding the amount of soil in them. Moreover, the depth of the pot determines the well-being of the plant as pots that are too small may have few nutrients to absorb in the soil. At the same time, pots that are too large in diameter will retain more moisture in the soil, which damages the plant’s growth.

Though the plant may need enough space for its taproot to grow, too much of it will lead the soil to dry. Generally, succulents and cacti prefer to grow in shallow containers with drainage holes because the soil will dry out quickly, leading to healthy plant growth. 

Btw, do you know purslane is a succulent too? Yes, it is right and many people eat purslane in various parts of the globe. Check our guide on how to grow purslane and what all you can do with it.

Why Small Succulent Pots are Not Good?

A small pot can damage your succulent drastically because it will hold less soil which means your plants will not get enough nutrients to thrive. However, small pots are perfect for mini-succulents like cuttings or plugs. 

For example, if you have a 2 inch succulent with roots and a 1.5-inch pot. Depending upon the root growth, your succulent will be healthy for only a week in this pot. Because when the roots take over the pot, you need to pull out the plant, which will look like one of the straw baskets. But it would be all roots that damage the plant growth over fewer nutrients in the soil. 

How Large Pots or Deep Pots Not Good for Succulents?

Like how small pots affect plant growth, large pots have an equal effect in damaging succulents’ growth. Though your plant may have plenty of space to grow, it also has equal chances of getting rot due to the large pot’s ability to hold excess moisture in the soil. 

Even if you have well-draining soil and no plant roots to drink up, what’s the use of moisture there? 

Also Read: A Complete Guide To Grow Money Plants

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the roots will continue to grow in the correct size pot until it hits the bottom of the part. 

What Would be the Ideal Size for Succulent Pots?

Many gardeners recommend choosing a pot size with 10% wider space than the plant itself. Suppose you are confused about whether it is a shallow or deep pot, we recommend you prefer shallow ones. If you want, you can also choose a deep pot, but the depth of the pot should be 10% bigger than the plant. 

For example, if your succulent is about 2 inches, then grab a pot that is about 2.5 – 4 inches for best results.

If the succulent is about 4 inches at its widest point, grab a pot about 4.5 – 6 inches for maximum results. This parameter includes both below and above portions of the Plant. 

Do you know you can also choose coconut coir as a soil medium to grow succulents?

What Size you Should Choose to Plant Multiple Succulents in a Pot?

Suppose you choose to plant multiple succulents in the same pot. Make sure it has enough room so that the roots will grow and plants thrive. As the plants grow, you may notice a section of plants getting crowded. It’s time to transplant these plants into a new container. Though succulents grow slowly, allow each plant to have enough space to grow at its rate. 

Make sure you plant between half-inch to one-inch spacing for better results because it will fill up the spots quickly during the spring and summer months. 

How to Choose Between Different Types of Material for Succulent Pots?

The next thing to consider while choosing the right succulent pots is the material it is made of. Common pot materials include terracotta and ceramic pots, plastic pots, wooden pots, glass pots, and metal pots. Y

You can choose the type of material according to the location you stay for the healthy growth of succulents. 

Also Read: A Complete Guide on How to Propagate Snake Plant

So, let’s not waste further time and have a look at all the materials available for you to choose succulent pots. 

1. Wooden Succulent Pots

Wooden Pots are a good option if you look to plant your succulents unusually. However, they are great containers that are more eye-catching. There is some chance of getting rot. So Make sure to stop your wood from rotting.

If your plant is not too large, make sure to change its place from the direct sun. It will prevent the plant from getting sunburned. 

How to Use

If you plan to use a wooden pot, always add a plastic liner or a container inside it. It will help from getting the wood rot and stop the plants from getting damaged. 

2. Terracotta and Ceramic Succulent Pots

Terracotta and ceramic pots are ideal for both indoor and outdoor succulents. These materials offer breathable airflow to the soil. This will help deal with intense climate conditions like harsh weather or excess heat. Typically Terracotta pots quickly soak up the heat and reduce the chances of your succulent drying from overwatering or root rot. 

How to Use

While planting your succulent, choose a plant that handles the frost better. Because in this way you don’t have to move around your succulent in Winter conditions. Once succulents are planted, it becomes hard and heavy to move. 

Plastic Succulent Pots

Another pot option to choose for your succulent is plastic pots, as it’s easy to move around and not fragile like either Ceramic Or Terracotta pots. The only downside of this pot is that it’s not breathable like Terracotta. Thus, it becomes more challenging for the water to sweep away or evaporate.

How to Use

You can make sure to have a sound draining hole that can drain away from the water as succulents don’t like the sticking water. Plastic pots come in different colors and shapes, making it fun to shop for them. 

Glass Succulent Pots

Succulents can look aesthetic and sound in a glass pot. But they lack draining holes which leads to dead succulents. Moreover, glass pots are not breathable due to low airflow, which means the soil won’t dry quickly. These are the two reasons why glass pots are not ideal for succulents.   

Metal Succulent Pots

Though metal pots may look trendy and cool, they are ultimately not the best options for long-term succulents because metals are prone to rust which leads to plants getting damaged. Moreover, metal pots change the temperature quickly, which causes the soil to heat too soon. 

You can prefer metal pots for short-term use and then choose new succulent pots after a while. However, long-term use of metal pots for succulents is not recommended. 

These are the types of pot material that you can buy for your succulents. We have tried to cover the pros and cons of each succulent pot material so that you will choose the best one. 

Buying Guide for Cactus and Succulent Pots

Just like how the right size and material for succulents determine their growth, the pot’s features also play a vital role in succulent growth and help to determine how long it will live.

So here are the standard features in a plant pot to prefer when you are planning to buy one. So let’s get started to help you find the best succulent pots!

1. Enough Drainage Holes

First thing when finalizing the pot for your succulent is to consider the drainage holes in the pot. How many holes does the pot have? Can you drill more holes in the pot if you need to? These are the questions running back in mind when searching for the right pot. So the answer to this question is yes, a big Yes! 

Suitable drainage holes in the pot will allow excess water to drain. It will stop the plant from suffocation. If the pot doesn’t have enough drainage holes, you can ask the shopkeeper to drill some holes in the pot for you

2. Size

Already you have gone through in this article about how a plant’s pot size plays a significant role in succulent growth. So don’t skip this part when you search for a pot for your succulent and cacti plant.

3. Ideal Shape

Opt for a sizeable container-type pot if your plant is in the garden to plant a few Cacti and Succulents together. Whereas if you plan to place indoors, opt for a small-sized pot, where you can plant your mini-succulents. 

Before shopping for your plant, measure the area for the pot to be placed because it is essential to purchase the correct shape that can fit in your indoor spaces. 

4. Enough Breathable 

On the remarkable growth of succulents, a pot should be made up of breathable material. For example, terracotta pots are made from breathable material. It usually comes in brown-reddish color and in all sizes, shapes, and designs. Terracotta can remove excess water from the plant’s soil. Thus helping in the plant’s growth which is convenient for both cacti and succulents. 

On the other hand, plastic pots are also a good option if the pot has suitable drainage holes for the excess water to drain away. But if you are planning to grow your succulents in plastic pots, then don’t prefer long-term use. So it would be best if you considered quickly re-potting it to another container like a Terracotta pot. 

Find the Best Succulent Pots!

With this, we came to an end by discussing how to choose the right succulent pots for your plants. 

Choosing the right size pot for your succulent can be a challenging task. But in this article, we have mentioned a few important things to keep in mind that will help you choose the one when you purchase one.

For any succulents, picking the right pot is necessary no matter which planter you use. It should have better drainage holes so that the pot does not retain its moisture. Pot size and material are two critical factors that play a vital role for succulents to thrive and see them grow healthy and happy. 

Everything we have mentioned will help you to choose the right pot for your succulents. Finding a perfect succulent pot could be a little tricky but not after you read our guide. Right? 

Do tell us about your thoughts when you go to purchase succulent pots? 

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