How to choose the right planters for the garden
Plants enhance the beauty and give an elegant look to gardens. Adding plants to your home and selecting the right garden planters takes work. Different types of planters vary in size, color, and style. Plants are living creatures, so keep in mind to provide them with what they want, like air, water, humidity, and temperature. Choosing the right planters for the garden is significant because the planter you pick affects the soil, how fast it dries, how well plants rise, and how vigorous the plants are. There are different categories of pots like metal, wood, ceramic, Terra cotta, and plastic. We will discuss the pros and cons of each category. Water and light are important factors but selecting the right pot for your garden is the cherry on top.
Factors you should consider before selecting planters
There are different factors you should keep in mind while choosing planters for your garden
Shapes for planters
1. Round containers
Round planters are great to choose from and are popular if you want to grow or showcase a single plant. On the other hand, they don't have a better carrying capacity for the soil and water due to their round shape. Round containers are made of concrete, ceramics, wood, metal, fiberglass, and terra cotta.
2. Square containers
Square containers have a more modern and architectural feel than round containers. They are easy to handle, like for watering and for moving. Square planters have more volume than round planters and grow stronger, healthier, and faster.
3. Rectangle planters
They have excellent water and soil carrying capacity and are perfect for hedges. They showcase a row of plants gracefully. These took large spaces, so choose them if you have more space in your garden.
4. Jar, Urn, and bowl planters
The shape of jar, urn, and bowl planters gives an aesthetic, traditional, and rustic look. Modern bowl planters look unique and stylish and give your garden an eye-catching look. One of the drawbacks of placing jars and urns in the garden is they may fell down due to high wind, so implanting trees in them is not worthwhile.
Size for planters
· The size of planters depends on what plant you want to grow. Probably plants grow better in a pot that is 5 gallons or 12 inches in diameter.
· The planter size should be twice deep and wide as the plant's root ball for better growth.
· If you are growing large plants like perennials, vines, or shrubs, then large containers are best to choose from because they support the root system.
· On the other hand, if you are planting small plants like succulents and herbs, choose small planters that size 2 gallons. If you choose large planters for small plants, it will be a waste of soil and money.
1. Small planters
Use rectangular and square pots if you need more space to place large planters. If the size of the planter is smaller than the plant size, then growth may affect and plant growth becomes stunted.
2. Large planters
If you have a large amount of space, use large planters to decorate your garden. Think before choosing extensive planter options because it requires a lot of time and money. More giant planters provide excellent aeration and water to plant roots, and they grow faster or stay alive. .
Best planter materials
1. Fiberglass planters
Fiberglass planters are new and modern in material choice. They are water, fade, and chemical resistant and don't wrap or degrade. Drainage holes are drilled in the bottom end.
1. Durability
2. They are Strong and flexible,
3. Fiberglass planters are Placed in outdoor and indoor places
4. They are light in weight
1. Cost
They are cheap as compared to wood and metal but more costly than plastic and terracotta
2. Plant health
Fiberglass planters protect the plant from UV light, hot climate, and waterproofing.
2. Concrete planters
Concrete planters mix cement with water, sand, and rock to create the final look. They are light gray but can be painted at home with masonry paint.
1. Weight
They are heavy and hard
Concrete planters are made for an outdoor place with large plants
2. Shape and size
Due to the molding process that can come in any shape and bespoke style is famous for a custom order
3. Plant health
Concrete creates lime that leeches into the soil and emits alkaline pH that is good for succulents
Concrete planters are porous, so plants lose moisture quickly
3. Plastic planters
Plastic planters are non-porous; they don't let moisture and oxygen in. So plants' growth is affected, but they retain the moisture for a long time.
1. Cheap
Plastic planters are inexpensive and can be molded easily into any shape and style
2. Weight
They are lighter in weight and can be transported in large amounts. They are popular due to their high weight ratio.
3. Environment
Plastic containers take time to degrade; toxins can leech into groundwater and degrade the ecosystem.
4. Plant health
Plastic causes hazardous toxins, so always choose good quality plastic.
4. Terracotta planters
1. Cost
Terracotta planters are reddish brown color clay and are expensive
2. Durable
Ceramic planters are durable and can last even after exposure to sun and cold months.
3. Appearance
Unglazed from the outer surface can be placed as outdoor and indoor terracotta planters.
4. Weight
They are heavy and can't move easily
5. Ceramic planters
They are the best to choose from because they are porous and grow better than plants in plastic, terracotta, and metal planters.
1. Moisture
Ceramic planters absorb moisture better, the soil remains moist, and the plant grows faster.
2. Cost
They are expensive and can break easily if they fall or something hits them.
3. Weight
Ceramic planters are heavy and can't be moved if full-on soil
4. Durable
They can stay for decades and can be reused.
5. Hanging baskets
·
Consider this for small plants like succulents.
· They provide a lot of drainage for plants
Factors that should be remembered
Always remember three factors that are
1. Drainage
Select that’s containers that have excellent drainage holes; otherwise, your plant will die
2. Porosity
Use porous containers made from unglazed clay, timber, and terracotta, or allow air and water intake.
3. Weight
Always choose the lighter weight planters because when you change the direction of planters, then heavyweight planters cause a problem.
Final Verdict
Planters are added to the garden to enhance the look of the house. If you choose the planters, size, shape, and color should be kept in mind as they will affect plant growth. Above in the blog article, we give a detailed guide on selecting the perfect shape and size and for which plant. We also provide you with different planter types to easily choose the right one for your garden. All are good planters, but fiberglass is an excellent choice for gardens; although costly, it can last for years. Also, they are lighter, so it is the best choice whenever you want to clean them or move them to tend to your pots often. Drainage holes are present beneath the planters and are not porous, so chemicals won't leech into the soil to harm plants. This blog will help to choose the right planters for the garden.