You’ve got the perfect succulent for your home, but what about a pot for it?
This is an important thing to consider because it can make or break how well your succulent will thrive in your care.
Choosing the right pot for your succulents isn’t just about how the pot itself looks, after all!
What is the most important characteristic to look for in pots?
Make sure that the pot you choose has a good draining system as it will prevent water from accumulating in the soil and causing harm to the plant.
You should also consider the material of the pot, as well as its size. So, with that in mind, let’s look at how to choose the best pots for succulents.
Table of Contents
Choose The Right Material For Your Pot
One of the most important things to consider when buying a pot for your succulent plant is what material it’s made of. Here’s a rundown of common materials used in pots so you can find out which one will work the best.
Ceramic and Terracotta Pots
Both of these are beautiful pots in which to keep your succulents, but ceramic and terracotta are also breathable materials.
This makes them work well indoors and outdoors. Since succulents can also handle harsh climates, such as strong heat, terracotta pots work well because they heat up quite a bit.
A good tip if you want to use a terracotta or ceramic pot for your succulents is that you should put plants in them that you don’t want to move around, such as by choosing succulents that can handle the frost better than others so you don’t have to move the pots indoors during the winter.
This is because these pots can be very heavy.
Plastic Pots
Plastic is lighter than ceramic and terracotta, so it’s more convenient to move around. However, plastic isn’t a breathable material and water that you put in it won’t evaporate effectively.
This is why it’s so important to ensure that you use a well-draining soil for your succulents, as well as create a hole in the plastic pot so that water can drain out of it.
Wood Pots
Planters made of wood can be lovely containers for succulents, but you must prevent the wood from rotting.
You should always place waterproof material such as a plastic container or a pond liner inside the planter. This prevents moisture from reaching the wood so that it can’t rot and end up harming your plants’ roots.
Some benefits of wood planters is that they are easy to carry and they prevent your plants from becoming too hot.
Glass Pots
Glass containers give your succulents a contemporary appearance, but since they don’t have any holes in them to drain excess water from the soil it’s of the utmost importance not to overwater your succulent.
It’s said that one of the most common causes of health problems in succulents is as a result of overwatering them.
Metal Pots
While metal pots might look trendy, they’re not ideal for planting succulents. This is because they can rust, which can compromise the health of your plants.
If you have new succulents in a metal container, make sure it’s only a short-term solution as it’s best to move them into a different container for the long run.
How Much Space Should Be In Your Succulents’ Container?
You should always ensure that you have about an inch worth of space between the edge of your container or pot and your succulent plant. This enables it to have enough space to grow.
If you’ve put more than one succulent in the same pot, try to leave about an inch of space between the plants so that they’re not cramped. This is especially important to consider if you want to create a succulent garden or terrarium.
While ensuring they have space to grow is important, you should avoid the temptation to give your succulents too much space as this can actually be a bad thing.
If the succulent’s roots can spread out too much before the succulent has time to grow, it can inhibit the plant’s growth.
A note on grouping succulents together in the same pot: You should always ensure that the plants will receive enough light and water, especially if the succulents are of different heights.
Otherwise, taller plants will benefit the most from the light, leaving shorter plants to suffer from a lack of light.
How Deep Should Your Pot Be?
A mistake you might make when planting your succulents is to put them in a deep pot. This can cause them to not get enough light.
If you see that your succulent’s lower leaves are looking unhealthy or are rotting, setting them into the pot too deeply could be the culprit.
So, how deep should your succulents go?
Make sure that your plants can sit in the soil deep enough so that their lowest leaves are level with (or higher than) the pot’s rim.
Of course, an exception to this rule is if you have planted your succulent in a glass container as this ensures enough sun will reach the plants even if they’re lower down in it.
Think About The Succulents’ Roots
When choosing the right pot for your succulents, make sure you consider their roots. There are two main kinds of roots:
- Hair roots – these are smaller roots and they tend to grow on the surface of soil where they absorb moisture.
- Taproots – these tend to move deeper into the soil, where they scrounge for water.
If your succulent has taproots, then you’ll need to give it a deeper pot filled with nourishing soil.
DIY Pots For Succulents
If you have a beautiful new succulent but no pot for it, you can make your own! Here’s how to make a rectangular planter out of wood. It’s a fantastic way to use any wood you have lying around your shed.
What You’ll Need:
- 3 pieces of wood that are about 18 inches long (it can be shorter if you want a smaller-sized pot or larger if you want a bigger pot)
- 2 smaller pieces of wood for the sides, so you’ll have to cut these to be the right size depending on the size of the larger piece of wood you’ve chosen
- Wood screws
- Drill
- Sandpaper
Instructions
- Start by sanding down your pieces of wood.
- Once that is done, drill one large piece of wood onto one of the side pieces of wood. This will start to form the base of the planter.
- Then, do the same on the other side with the other small piece of wood.
- Attach the other two large pieces of wood to create the sides of your rectangular planter.
- If you like, you can also glue or nail other small pieces of wood to create a design on the outside of the planter, but that’s optional. Another idea is to paint your wooden planter to make it look more attractive.
- Don’t forget to put a layer of waterproof material or plastic inside the planter to prevent the wood from rotting! You could also apply varnish to protect the wood from the elements if it’s going to be outside.
There you go! Making your own planter for your succulent plants doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Remember, you can also use items that are lying around the house for your succulents, such as Mason jars, plastic pots, and glass bowls.
Related Questions
What pot is right for succulent cuttings?
If you have succulent cuttings, you should plant them in shallow containers. This is because they can get harmed if they’re put too deeply into the soil. In addition, they will get too much moisture if the soil is too deep.
When should you repot your succulents?
You can tell your succulents need a bigger pot when their roots are sticking out of the soil because they require more space or the plant is hanging over the rim of the pot.
Conclusion
If you own succulents, you’ll know they’re low maintenance plants that look good and stay healthy with minimal effort on your part.
Related post: How To Care For Succulents Indoors: A Beginner’s Guide
However, choosing a suitable container for your succulent plants is essential so that they can grow in a healthy way. The correct pots also influence how much light and water your plant will get.
In this article, we’ve looked at how to choose the correct pot for your succulents as well as featured some important tips to follow when it comes to containers. Happy planting!
Lindsey Hyland grew up in Arizona where she studied at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. She continued her gardening education by working on organic farms in both rural and urban settings. She started UrbanOrganicYield.com to share gardening tips and tactics. She’s happy to talk about succulents and houseplants or vegetables and herbs – or just about anything in a backyard garden or hydroponics garden.