As a gardener, you’re probably always keeping an eye out for new ways to keep your garden fresh. While your existing plants may need repotting now and again, you also might have a habit of collecting new plants from the garden centre too! If so, you’ll never run out of the need for attractive planters to home your plants in. But different planters offer different qualities. How do you find the right one?
Here’s what you need to know about each.
Ceramic
Ceramic planters have a protective layer of lacquer. This glazing gives the pot a pleasingly shiny finish but also serves a practical purpose: it stops the water from draining from the soil too quickly. This makes it an excellent choice for plants that need a lot of moisture. It’s also very durable and can withstand decades of extreme heat or coldness. They can be quite effective for certain vegetable seeds due to their good moisture retention.
Terracotta
Terracotta is similar to ceramic because both materials come from clay. However, terracotta is unfailingly rusty red in colour and unglazed. Terracotta is iconically natural in appearance but it does need to be handled with care, as it’s easy to break. These planters also encourage faster drainage, so plants that prefer dry soil will thrive.
Fibreglass
Fibreglass planters are light and transportable. Even so, they are also quite hard to break. They can be painted in any colour, too so they’re a nice, all-round straightforward option for your garden.
In production, fibreglass is much easier to mold to different shapes than many of the alternatives. This means that you will find no shortage of creative and contemporary fibreglass pots when you are shopping around. Whether you need a small houseplant-sized pot or something bigger for the garden, there are loads of choices out there.
Though they are a little bit more expensive, they come with an unusually wide range of benefits. They’re durable, aesthetically pleasing, versatile, insulating, and high-quality.
Concrete
These sturdy pots have a classy, minimalist appeal. They are rather hard to move though, so consider how happy you are for them to stay in the same place long-term.
Concrete contains lime, so the soil in your pot is likely to be more alkaline. Therefore, make sure that the plants settling into this new home are varieties that like these conditions. Morning glory, begonias, or even broccoli could get by quite happily here.
Plastic
Plastic planters are probably the lowest-budget option. They degrade in the sunlight and are only intended as a temporary solution.
Metal
Metal planters are usually made of aluminum, specifically. They perform better indoors or in shady parts of the garden, as they can overheat in the sun. This tends to dry out the soil or harm the plant itself.
In cold weather though, they perform very well indeed. You’re highly unlikely to see a metal planter cracking when the temperature nosedives.
Wooden
With a wooden planter, you can get the ultimate natural look and enjoy decent drainage. You can choose from all sorts of beautiful wood varieties, like teak and red cedar.
To make wooden planters a success for you, you’ll just need to line the inside appropriately and treat the whole thing with a non-toxic, stain or paint. This helps to prevent rot.
Keep an extra keen eye out for pests too, as they can sometimes be attracted to wooden materials.
Closing thoughts
So there you have it, a breakdown of most planters you’ll see on your garden centre wanders. Looking for high-quality with no budget limitations? Fibreglass might be your best bet. Going natural? A treated wooden planter might be for you. Ultimately, it depends on your style and the conditions your plants need.