Freelance Writing Jobs | Today's Articles | Sign In

Houseplants Under Lights

Lesson 2: Houseplant Containers & Potting Media

Selecting containers is a very individual thing. You must know where you want the plant to grow and the "effect" it has in your living area.

Choosing Your Container

GOALS: Identify potential plant containers. Learn the disacvantages and advantages of each type of container.

Description: Students will learn to identify appropriate containers for plants based on the physical location of the plant and its growth forms.

Container types

There are many types of containers available for growing plants. Learning to select the appropriate container for your plant and the location it will live in is critical. "Which planter should I use?" is the first question many new indoor gardeners ask. The answer is, "it all depends!"

Look around your home for possible containers. Try thinking outside the “box” so you identify non-traditional containers. Examples: Metal juice concentrate containers might be fascinating planters for the kitchen windowsill. A discarded child’s plastic wagon might be a fascinating container for the recreation or family room.

A visit to a “craft supply” store may present several choices. Take a look at the supplies available. Perhaps you could place an artificial plant in the potential planter to see if it looks right. Use your imagination. I've also found very useful items at local dollar stores. You must know how you want to use any container before making your choice. Will the plant grow directly in the pot? If so, you need to be sure any container selected has at least one drain hole. Is the container simply a container for the pot the plant is actually growing in? Planters without drain holes, treated as a cover for the pot the plant actually grows in is called a cachepot.

Never “overpot” thinking the plant will grow into the large pot. Large pots keep soil wet longer which leads to rotting problems if the plant isn’t large enough to soak up the moisture fast enough. A good rule of thumb is to never put the plant in a planter more than 1" more in diameter than the one you are transplanting it from.