Choosing the right size plant pot for your succulent can be a difficult task. It can be even more challenging when you are new to succulent care. However, a container that is too small or too big can have a direct impact on your plant health. Therefore, you need to understand how a pot size affects your succulent growth.
Why Do You Need to Choose the Right Size Plant Pot?
Planting your succulents in small containers can wreak havoc on their health. Besides this, you may need to avoid using the pots that are too large for your plump green. The reason is, succulents have fragile roots, which are prone to damage in inappropriate sized pot. Before delving into the details for why is it essential to choose the right sized pot, let’s find out a bit more about succulents’ roots
Most succulents have two kinds of roots- hair roots and taproots. Hair roots are small and grow around the surface to absorb moisture through dew or rain showers. A taproot grows deep into the soil to access water from lower levels and stores excess moisture. So, if your plump green contains such type of roots, keep this structure in mind while choosing a pot for your succulent.
Types of Pots for Succulent Plants | Click here to purchase
1. A Small Pot Can Damage your Succulent Drastically
Due to its size, a small pot can hold less soil in it, which means your plant will not get enough nutrients to thrive. Moreover, a small container constricts the roots, which eventually disrupts the growth of a plant.
2. Bigger Plant Pots Retain More Water
Usually, novice gardeners give their succulents plenty of space to grow, which leads to a healthier plant. Your succulent may survive in a large pot, but such space does not encourage healthy growth.
Since large pots have much room for the roots, it does not allow the succulent to fill the plant container with roots.
In appropriate sized pot, the roots recoil and hit the bottom and sides of container, which promotes the vigorous growth of the succulent. While roots are more prone to rot in damp soil, pots with small amount of soil will not hold excess moisture.
3. Why Choose a Pot with an Appropriate Depth or Length?
The depth of the container is important to consider for the well-being of your chubby plant. The reason is that pots that are too deep or tall contain a massive amount of soil, which may not be suitable for healthy growth.
Moreover, plant containers with large diameter usually retain too much moisture. Nevertheless, you will need enough space for the taproot to grow but too large space will dry out the soil.
How to Determine the Right Pot Size for Your Succulents
Determining the pot size for your succulents’ healthy growth seems quite difficult. However, many professional gardeners recommend a container that is 10% larger in diameter than the width of your succulent.
For instance, if your chubby green has a width of 4-inches, a pot with 4.5-inch diameter will be ideal for it. Similarly, the height of the pot must be 10% greater than your plants’. Using a perfect size pot will give your succulents enough space to grow healthier, without having too much soil or crowding the roots. However, if you are planting cuttings, make sure to use a shallow container.
What to Look for When Choosing a Plant Pot
Besides selecting an ideal size of the pot, make sure to choose a pot with proper drainage. Otherwise, it will retain excessive moisture and make your plants root to rot. Furthermore, consider the material a container comprises of. Most plant pots are of ceramic and terracotta. However, such pots are likely to absorb much heat, which can dry out the soil.
In contrast, wooden pots retain moisture but stay cooler in sunlight. Metal containers, on the other hand, develop rust over time and, therefore, are not suitable for plant growth. You should opt for the material that’s ideal for your plant depending on your location.
Growing Multiple Succulents in One Container
If you are planning to grow multiple succulents in the same container, you will need to estimate how much space each plant would need. Well, planning it will prevent plants crowding. Keep in mind; most plump greens need enough sunlight. Therefore, make sure each of your succulents receives a good amount of sunlight. Also, make sure to notice if each of your succulents in the same container is growing properly. In case you see some succulents are being crowded, transplant them into the other pot.
Final Word
Choosing an appropriate sized container for your succulent can be challenging. No matter the type of planter you use, make sure it does have drain holes so that a pot does not retain too much moisture. With the information shared here, you can easily choose the right sized pot for your succulents and see them grow happy and healthy.
Watch why pot size and pot material are important in growing succulents in the video below:
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