Category: Succulents

All posts relating to succulents.

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Garden Tips Plants Succulents

Pots

Why do Pots Matter?

Plants have very specific needs. Like any other living thing, their needs vary based off the type of plant. However, generalizations can be made that will suit the majority of species. For example, you don’t want a pot that is too small, just like you don’t want to put an indoor plant in extreme heat. Read on to learn more about proper size conditions and materials for different types of pots!

The Size

A pot’s size is probably the most important aspect to consider when you purchase a new plant. You don’t want it to be too large or small for your newest green addition. The general rule of thumb is to choose a pot that has a diameter two inches larger than your plant. This way, the plant has enough room to grow comfortably and the root to soil proportion will be proper.

The root to soil proportion is crucial for deciding the proper size. If the pot is too large, the plants roots won’t be able to absorb moisture as quickly. Since there is so much damp soil, this could eventually lead to root rot which is a devastating plant disease. On the other hand, if the pot is too small, then the plant can become root bound. This is when the roots fill the entire pot and have no more room to grow. Luckily, the fix for this is much simpler than root rot, just move the plant to a larger sized pot!

The last thing to consider for size is the is the shape and depth. If the pot is too tall, plants may struggle to grow out of it and it could lead to some weird growths. On the other hand, if the pot is too shallow, many plants like flowers or trees will have a difficult time establishing a strong base. Each shape has a different benefit, but I generally stick to deeper, circular shaped pots, regardless of what I’m planting. If that doesn’t work for you, you can always repot it!

The most common type of pot that I use.

Materials

Pots can be made out of a wide variety of things. From your common terracotta and plastic pots that you find in stores or online, to 3D printed filament pots and glass jars, almost anything can be made into a unique pot!

Not all of these pots are made equally, however. For example, terracotta (or any clay-like pots) absorb water. This means that your plants will more than likely need some more maintenance compared to other plant types, but it will also help prevent over-watering. This is an amazing benefit for many succulent species.

Plastic, on the other hand, has no such features. The material doesn’t absorb the water and as such, you may not need to give your plant so much water at once. The biggest downside to plastic is the way that they manage heat. The black plastic absorb heat and that heat transfers to connecting surfaces, which in this case, is the soil and plant. This dries out the soil which in turn dries out the plant and could potentially kill it.

What Pots Should I Use?

The best way to figure out what you like is to experiment. I use a wide variety of containers and, at the end of the day, they aren’t all that different from one another. Metal rusts, terracotta breaks, plastic holds heat but is inexpensive. All types have their own pros and cons and the best way to learn is by getting hands-on experience with all of them, so get to gardening!

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Deep Water

What is “deep water”?

Deep water is a method that gardeners use to water their plants. Water is essential for life on the planet and plants are not excluded, but people have differing opinions on how to provide that water, especially for succulents.

Simply put, deep watering is watering the plant enough so that water flows through the drainage holes. Another way to measure this is to check inches. If the water saturates the soil approximately eight inches, the plant has been watered deeply. This allows less watering for more growth, a great positive exchange for your garden. If that’s all you needed to know, great! If you want to know why deep watering is important, read on!

Why does deep watering matter?

When people think about succulents, they think desert plants. The first plant that generally comes to mind is a cactus. Due to this, there is a false impression that succulents do not need a lot of water. However, succulents, at least anatomically, are similar to other plants. They require water so that the roots will grow, which lends stability and strength to the plant itself.

Stop for a second and think about roots. The roots provide nutrients to the rest of the plant, and as such, grow towards where those nutrients are provided. When water (arguably the most important nutrient on the planet) is provided, the roots will of course grow towards that water.

You’re here to learn about deep water, but to understand the true benefits of this method, you have to understand the pitfalls of shallow watering. Shallow watering is giving water to the plant where just the topsoil layer appears saturated. This causes the roots to grow outwards and near the top of the soil, rather than down towards the bottom of the pot.

This doesn’t sound awful and in practice, the plant will survive. It can still get nutrients and will be mostly stable. However, there are glaring issues after that. The plant lacks the stability provided by deep roots. If the plant is hit, due to an accident or even high wind, it could go flying out of the pot, causing extreme damage.

The fix is simple. Deep water! When the roots grow down to reach the water rather than to the side, more stability is created. Wind is less of an issue since there is so much soil holding the roots inside the pot (or ground). The fix is easy and provides many benefits. However, like everything in life, there are downsides.

Cons of deep water

While deep watering provides lots of benefits, there are risks, at least to those who are unaware of them.

The number one cause of death in succulents is root rot. Remember how I mentioned earlier that people think succulents don’t need a lot of water? That misconception comes from root rot. Succulents are extremely prone to this disease. To summarize root rot quickly, it’s the deterioration of the root system of a plant. General soil holds water extremely well, but it sacrifices breathability. This creates the perfect playground for root rot. Roots are stuck in soaking wet soil that won’t dry for a long time, allowing the infection to run rampant.

Does this make deep watering bad? Not in the slightest. Instead, make your own soil! The process is easy, fun, and you know exactly what you’re planting your plants in. By doing this, you control the breathability of the roots, allowing you to deep water your plant while minimizing the chances of root rot; a win-win.

Conclusion

Overall, deep watering is a skill that can provide huge benefits, as long as it is applied correctly. You get to water your plants less and they’ll grow better because of it. Best of luck with your garden! Below are ways to learn more about deep watering or plants in general.

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