MAINTAINING YOUR PLANTS:
POTS
What kind of pots you use, can have a large impact on the success of
your plants. Species, size and habitat of the plants have to be taken
into consideration, but there is more.
Like
others, I have gotten away with growing plants in pots, 20% the size of the
caudex. But it is a tricky balance, and it can cost you a
plant from time to time. You will have to water quite often, and real
sunny days might cause problems, as the soul heats up too much, along
with drying out fast. The amount of water and nutrition is limited. On
the other hand; it allows you to have so many interesting plants within
a limited room.
Some species will stop growing in size, when they have filled the pot.
The most safe would be huge pots, as long as you don't overwater
them. With some exceptions, wild plants will spread their roods over a
large area, giving them access to
Water, Nutrition
and oxygen. To copy that, beds are the only right way - but not many
have room for that!
Big, shallow pots get you a bit of the way, but they take up so much
room. At the same time, they dry out so fast, and the plants don't get
to use a good part of the top-soil. At least, they don't fall over.
Tall pots, which are watered from the button give the plants a
great opportunity to grow its roots in the area, where the moisture
suits it. On the other hand, it can be difficult to get air to the
roots, and the pots might tip-over.
The type of material is
another issue. It is not so much about the plant species, more about
where and how you like your plants to look. I have experimented quite
some, and given you use the right Soil,
the pot material do not have a big impact.
Plastic pots are cheep, easy to clean and come in any
colour you like. But they
 age fast, and surely don't "breath". Look is
another, personal preference.
Raw clay pots, which are not painted have a rustic appearance,
and at least when they are new, the let the roots breath a bit. Their
weight help stabilising the plant. Downside is, besides from the price
that then tend to get pretty dirty and crack.
Glazed clay pots is easy to clean, come in any colour you like, and
stabilizes the plant. However, they don't let the roots breath.
Amplers actually work well, as they let the roots breath.
Downside is that they dry out fast, get to look scrappy fast - and have
to hang.
Steel pots
have worked well for me, although they don't let the
roots breath, are expensive and don't stabilize that much.
The choosing of pot is more about how
you grow your plants and which soil you use. Given you choose the right
soil, and are careful with the water, most plants can be grown in
anything.
If you have a more sloppy approach, beds or large pots are the right
choice. |
Bihrmann's
CAUDICIFORMS