Whether you’ve brought a new plant home and want to get it out of its nursery pot or you have a plant outgrowing its original pot, you’ve probably wondered, “but how do I choose the best plant pot?” Well, the answer can vary. Ceramic planters, terracotta pots, and plastic plant pots, all have their time and place. Here's a step-by-step guide to choosing the right plant pot for you.

What to consider before you repot?

There are five main points to consider when choosing to repot a plant:

• Timing. You want to make sure you pick a season that plants thrive in like spring or summer to move your plants’ homes.

• Size. The size of the pot should correlate with the size of the plant or what you’re planning on doing with the plant. More on that later.

• Drainage. Does the planter have drainage? If not, a nursery pot inside a planter may be a quick fix.

• Material. Ceramic pots, terracotta pots, plastic pots, hanging baskets, each can affect your plant's growth in different ways.

• Design. Are you looking for that pop of color or something more neutral? How do you find the perfect pot for a statement plant?

Pot size

It matters! Generally, you want a pot that fits the size of your plant and its roots, by diameter and by depth. If you accidentally pot a plant into something too small or too large it can affect the aeration of the plant either leading to suffocation of the plant’s roots or root rot.

Although, in some cases, you may be moving your plant to a bigger pot in order to let its roots grow out and grow the plant to a larger size. We recommend only sizing up one pot size at a time (about 2.5cm) and paying attention to how long moisture tends to linger in the soil.

Planter drainage

Drainage is always recommended. Then what about those glossy, designy, ceramic pots? Can we never use those? No. At Plantclub we use a semi-hydroponics method which includes lining our plots, applying volcanic substrate, and monitoring moisture with water level indicators.

Choosing your plant pot’s material

Plastic pots can be a good choice for houseplants as they are usually lower in cost and come in a wide variety of shapes and colors to choose from. The one downside can be that they are not porous so your plant may not dry out as evenly as it would with a terracotta or ceramic pot.

Terracotta pots are a good match for plants that are drought-resistant or don’t require constant moisture because they are good at soaking up water and keeping the soil dry. Think succulents and other cacti. Hanging baskets are another option that offers lots of drainage but limited choice in what types of plants can go in them.

Pot design

Once you’ve crossed all those other bridges, it’s time for the fun part. What kind of design would work with your plant and the rest of your interior? Big bold statement pots fit well with standing plants and roomier spaces. We recommend not crowding a statement pot and letting it speak for itself.