You or your customers have picked out a new plant and its pot to be welcomed as a part of the home or business. A couple of months pass and the botanical buddy is bursting from its original pot. That was fast! Your customers are likely thinking. Should I have gone with a bigger option?
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Pot Size And Plant Health
Container gardening suggests that a plant’s success depends on what’s available in its pot. To keep plants healthy, it’s necessary to provide them with enough nutrients and enough space.
Potting soil serves a fundamental purpose in the life of a plant. It supplies a plant’s roots with much-needed nutrients and stores water for the plant to use over time. Smaller pots have less soil, which can mean fewer nutrients, faster dehydration, and stunted growth for a plant that’s too big.
The Root(s) Of The Problem
When you leave a plant in a smaller pot, it tends to have more root growth. The root system digs deep into the pot, searching for water and nutrients that may be missing.
Soil is a sponge, but when it’s covered in roots, it can’t retain moisture. Frequent watering can help keep the plant and soil hydrated, but it can’t replenish nutrients lost or remove overgrown roots.
A plant’s roots in a small pot can become tightly packed, maybe even sneaking through the bottom of the pot. The roots of a malnourished plant can grow rapidly in a desperate effort to survive.
When a plant is root bound, the roots coil around each other. The pot is so densely populated that the plant can’t absorb nutrients and starves. If you see roots growing through the bottom of the plant pot, it’s long overdue for a new pot.
Small Pots And Small Potted Plants
Don’t worry. Smaller pots aren’t a death sentence for your plants! Some small plants, like succulents and cacti, thrive in drier conditions and have naturally slower plant growth. These are a great option for tabletop pots and allow you to explore interesting shapes and designs.
Seedlings also prefer a smaller pot. It’s easy to overwater seedlings in a big pot, making it difficult for strong roots to develop.
Gardeners use a seed starter potting mix in a small pot to successfully germinate seeds, but it can’t feed seedings long term. After a few weeks, even seedlings must be moved to a bigger pot to provide better nutrients to the soil.
Wide and shallow pots with good drainage are ideal for ornamental grasses and can make a great addition to any windowsill, countertop, or walkway.
Small pots are made for smaller plants. As long as the new pot is a couple of inches bigger than the current pot, a small size can still be a perfect fit.
Why Do I Need Bigger Pots For Plants?
Repotting a plant to a larger container is an inevitable step for every plant owner. Growing plants are healthy plants, after all. To support plant growth, you need a new container.
A bigger pot is essential to avoid a crowded root system and a root-bound plant. Generally, larger pots result in more elaborate roots that can absorb more food for your flora. Adequate food gives your plant the means to make those beautiful leaves or flowers.
Often, freshly repotted plants will experience a burst of growth in the following weeks. The increased volume creates just the right environment for a plant with expanding roots and growing foliage.
Trees, bushes, and other large plants have thick roots that require plenty of space to grow. Maintaining large plants can be intimidating at first, but with the right pot, they can flourish all the same. If you want to build a successful set of potted trees or shrubbery, bigger pots are a must. You need to allow room to accommodate those hefty roots. Deep planters are the best at providing tree roots with enough space and avoiding premature repotting.
Investing in a larger pot can also ground your plant and prevent it from becoming top-heavy. A precarious pot that keeps tipping over is a nightmare for any plant caretaker or passerby.
Don’t sacrifice the health and aesthetics of your plant by choosing the wrong pot. Planters are designed to add beauty to a space. High-quality planters are used by countless industries, allowing you to appreciate that beauty around the world.
Better Pots For Growing Crops
If you or your customers grow plants that produce fruits or vegetables, a large plant pot can also result in a large yield. Flower pots with multiple different plants also need a larger pot to accommodate competing root systems and their need for rich soil.
At only 3 inches tall, fast-growing crops like tomatoes are already yearning for a bigger pot. Tomato container size is a major factor in the yield and success of the plant. A small container will create a crowded root system, while an oversized container will reduce leaf growth.
If you’re interested in organic gardening, know that organic plants can also have a smaller yield than their non-organic counterparts. A bigger pot for your organic plant can possibly give you more fruits or vegetables at the end of the day.
Using Oversized Pots
Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean you should buy an oversized pot for plants. Overpotting can lead to slow growth and wilting. An extremely large volume of soil can end up staying wet for a prolonged period of time, drowning the plant and causing root rot as documented by the Royal Horticultural Society.
We know that small pots can negatively affect plant development by keeping the soil too dry. On the other hand, a small plant in an oversized pot can be equally frustrating.
When your plant grows out of its pot, it’s important to regularly move it to bigger pots over time, rather than choosing the biggest pot immediately.
Extra soil can mean excess nutrients for a small plant, but this doesn’t mean the plant will grow any faster. Water can sit in the pot, taking too much time to dry. It saturates the soil and introduces the risk of root diseases. If overwatering occurs, the plant won’t get the oxygen it needs from the soil to absorb nutrients and the constant moisture will infect the roots.
Small plants can still survive in big pots, but keep an eye out for signs of overwatering. Yellowing, wilting, and discolored roots are all signs that a plant is being watered too often. Avoid overwatering by using the right size pot and checking the soil moisture before watering. As a general rule, don’t water a plant if the first one or two inches of soil is still wet.
Encouraging Plant Growth
It’s crucial to avoid overwatering a big planter by choosing a pot with a drainage hole.
Drainage is key when it comes to container gardening. In large pots with drainage holes, water can flow freely. The soil dries adequately, meaning a lesser risk of mold growth and a higher chance of plant growth.
No drainage holes? Use lava rocks at the bottom of your planter to absorb excess water.
Can’t find that perfect pot? Use a custom planter and choose your own style and size, or even create a whole new planter brand!
You can include the drainage holes or simply add them yourself later. This is a perfect option for greenery of any shape or size, especially atypical ones.
Location, Location, Location
The plant’s location plays an important role in choosing a large pot.
Indoor plants are protected and tend to grow much faster than outdoor plants, which endure harsher conditions. For fast-growing plants, a bigger pot will be needed more frequently.
In the great outdoors, weather-resistant pots are always a great idea. Go with a more UV- and frost-resistant option to protect your plant and pot.
A big outdoor pot can prevent a plant from falling over in a windy space. It can also help the soil retain water in the day’s heat. In intense heat, soil in a small pot dries quickly, increasing the risk of dehydration and yellowing or browning leaves. Plastic pots can become fragile, cracked, and discolored from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Choosing sturdy fiberglass planters over plastic pots, and large pots over small pots, is your best bet to keeping your plants safe outside. Nothing is worse to a plant owner than finding soil, vegetation, and a shattered pot scattered across your patio.
Choosing A Pot Size That’s Just Right
Finding the best pot size helps keep plants healthy while preventing diseases. For those looking for bigger plants, scientific evidence suggests that doubling your pot size can make plants grow up to 40% larger (Society for Experimental Biology).
In general, growing plants will reach a point when they need to be repotted. Using a pot that’s too small and your plant can grow a root ball, starve, and dehydrate. With a pot that’s too large, you may see root rot and less foliage growth. The right pot provides the means for a healthy root system and soil.
Repotting is the key to healthy soil. Many plant owners agree that the right container should be about one to two inches larger in diameter than the previous pot.
Are Bigger Pots The Key To Container Gardening?
Remember, successful container gardening happens when potted plants have the right conditions. Nutritious soil, healthy plant roots, adequate water, drainage, and correct pot size are the ingredients for a happy plant.
The appropriate pot size depends on the size of the plant growing within the pot. Plant size matters just as much as pot size, and a pot should be one to two inches larger than its plant.
Most potted plants should be repotted every one to two years. This suggests that plants should see multiple pots in their lifetime.
Repotting and finding bigger pots can seem tedious, but by choosing the right product, it can be nearly effortless. Find a pot that’s tailored to both your plant and your style.
Don’t know where to start? Companies like Vietnam Creative Design Manufacturing offer that personal touch and ensured quality that so many other planter manufacturers lack.You can finally feel assured that the planters you supply will have a long, beautiful life.
Plants are always growing, and as a reward for tender love and care, the time will come for a bigger pot! Don’t waste your client’s money with the wrong size pot!
Get in touch with Creative Design Manufacturing today to request a free quote to supply your next planter project, or check out our current products.