Matching plants to pots really shouldn't be hard! In an ideal world, growing pot sizes would be standardized and all potters, ceramicists and manufacturers would conform to these standard measurements. You could even dispense with cm in favour of small, medium, large etc.
Alas, we live in a nonsensical world where growing pots come in all different shapes and sizes; differing in terms of depth, width and thickness, as do the ceramic pots and baskets that purport to fit them.
Luckily, we've devised a system to help you suit and boot your green friends without perfectly every time.
A quick aside: one of the major benefits of having a plant subscription is that you don't need to bother with this at all. Bloombox Club subscribers don't just get a curated selection of plants, the pots that accompany them are also painstakingly matched in terms of style and fit.
To find out more about our plant subscriptions, click here.
As long as you follow these instructions, you should have no trouble suiting up your new green friend.
Step 1
Check the dimensions of your plant’s growing pot (the plastic pot with holes in).
Step 2
Look for a ceramic pot or basket that is at least 1cm taller and 1cm wider than the growing pot.
We always give the inner diameter of our ceramic pots & baskets, and the outer diameter of our plastic growing pots to give you the best chance of finding a good match.
Step 3
For example: if you have your eye on a plant with a growing pot that is 12cm wide and 10cm tall, you will need a ceramic pot that is at least 13cm wide and 11cm tall.
Why should I repot my plants directly into the ceramic?
We recommend keeping all your plants in their original growing pots if you can.
There are a few reasons for this: it’s easier to check on the roots, they have some give, and you’re less likely to let your plant sit in water.
However, as long as you keep an eye out for these issues, and use the pebble technique outlined below, you should be just fine.
What if my pot is too small?
If the plant pot you’ve chosen doesn’t fit the plant, you could consider re-potting it directly into the ceramic pot. To do this you will need appropriate soil and a couple of handfuls of pebbles or broken pottery to absorb excess moisture.
What if my pot is too big?
It’s better to risk buying a decorative pot that's slightly too big, than buy one that's slightly too small. The main danger is that you're unable to see all of your plant's lovely foliage ... and that your plant has a bit of a wobble!
Check out - A Failsafe guide to repotting plants