The pot or container you choose for your cactus is crucial and might have an impact on the health of your plant. We will discuss many best and worst cacti pots and containers in this article. We’ll also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various pots and the significance of size and shape.
Cacti and their growth are significantly influenced by the type of container, its form, and size. While some containers are ideal or excellent, others are completely inappropriate.
Importance of cacti pot/container shape
Before we discuss container materials, let’s discuss another crucial aspect. Take care of the container’s form while buying one for your cactus. When purchasing a planter for your cactus, some qualities to consider include the following:
- The size of the container should be similar to that of the cactus. This is so that, if planted in a large container, cacti’s roots, which are frequently not very long, will remain in the middle of the container.
- Cacti grow well in cylinder, short, and square pots. Avoid selecting containers that are overly deep, tall, or small.
- All of the dirt in the container should be “used” by your cactus. Therefore, there shouldn’t be an excessive amount of dirt that the cactus roots can’t penetrate. Only leave enough room around the plant for growth and drainage in the bottom.
Size of pots for your cacti
As we’ve already established, your cactus, and more specifically its roots, should practically be the same size as the pot. The best plan is to take your cactus outside and examine its roots before selecting a pot or container. Remove a cactus from its current container, examine the roots, and measure them.
Your cactus needs a wide container if its roots are short but growing to the sides, and a deeper container if its roots are long and spreading outward. Additionally, you’ll need to give room for drainage, so a pot should be just a little bit deeper than the roots.
To make your cactus comfortable in the pot, while picking a pot, add around 1-2 inches in width (to your plant’s full width). Depending on the type of cactus you choose, the depth of the container should be between 4 and 7 inches. Cylindrical cacti, for example, have lengthy roots, whereas other varieties have shorter roots (such as ball cacti).
Ceramic terracotta or glazed ceramic pots/containers for cacti
Among the advantages of ceramic planters are:
- Pots made of ceramic are sturdy and weighty.
- Ceramic pots come in a variety of styles and colors, many of which are glazed, making them a great option for ornamental settings.
- Ceramic pots’ porous nature prevents water logging or accumulation (provided you have potted your plants in the right soil mix).
- They are lovely and stunning in any environment.
- They are appropriate for the colder months when it is not as heated outside.
Several drawbacks
- Terracotta planters in particular are porous and minimize water buildup, however this can be detrimental to young seedlings and plants. This indicates that the soil will dry up more quickly, especially if you leave your cactus outside and during hot weather. You can forget about it, but frequent watering can also cause the pH of the soil to rise. In the section on selecting soil for cactus, we talked about how the pH of the soil should be acidic. However, larger plants thrive in ceramic containers.
- To avoid having to drill the drainage holes yourself, make sure the ceramic pots include them. Drainage holes are necessary, but they might not be present in all ceramic pots.
- Cactus roots may not penetrate the soil completely and instead focus on the sides. This occurs as a result of the ceramic container’s water evaporating quite quickly and leaving behind mineral residue on the sides. The roots of cacti lean to the sides in an effort to reach these minerals, but they can only burn themselves because the sides of the planters heat up.
- Ceramic pots are more likely to develop mold.
- Ceramic utensils may crack (especially with children or pets).
Make sure to choose the appropriate size and shape when selecting a ceramic planter. This set of three ceramic planters for small plants serves as an illustration of a ceramic pot or planter for your cacti.
Plastic pots/planters/containers for cacti
Plastic planters are another kind of container that is excellent for growing cacti in.
benefits of using plastic containers to cultivate cacti:
- Plastic containers are portable and lightweight, making them simple to transport.
- Less watering will be needed to maintain soil in a plastic container because it will dry out more gradually. In comparison to ceramic pots, this means fewer watering sessions.
- Cacti do well in plastic pots since they don’t overheat easily and can retain heat even after the sun has set. Because most cacti don’t enjoy quick temperature drops, this is a useful feature.
- The low cost of plastic pots offers an additional benefit.
- To avoid waterlogging, most plastic containers feature numerous drainage holes. Additional holes can be drilled if necessary.
- The roots of cactus do well in plastic containers because they spread out uniformly across the soil. This is because roots won’t lean to the sides of a plastic container since water won’t evaporate through the sides. Additionally, the acidity of the soil will last longer.
- The likelihood of mold formation is decreased.
- Both little and large adult cacti do well in plastic containers.
- If you bang on them from a table or windowsill, they won’t break.
Hanging containers for cacti
For your cacti, you can also choose hanging basket pots. Smaller or larger trailing cactus can grow in hanging pots. Additionally, you can use them to indoor or outdoor adorn your home. Make sure your hanging pot has drainage holes and perhaps a saucer to catch any water that may drip from it as many hanging pots lack these features. These particular plastic pots allow you to drill your own holes in the bottom.
Bad containers for growing cacti
Let’s start by stating that growing cactus in glass pots is not recommended. A cactus terrarium is often made in a glass container. This is not the same as letting a cactus develop for several years. Cacti do not appreciate humidity or waterlogging, thus terrariums are not the best environment for them.
Glass cactus containers have several advantages.
- For a special occasion, you may assemble a lovely terrarium with cacti and take the plants out right away (maximum of 2-3 weeks). If you’re making cacti terrariums, only use open glass containers. Plant cacti together only if their requirements are comparable. For making a cactus terrarium, you can add decorations like colored sand, shells, and figurines. Utilizing small, recently-planted cacti is the best option.
Cons of using glass cactus containers:
- Glass containers are very unlikely to have drainage holes, which can lead to water logging and a buildup of moisture. This will result in root rot, which will ultimately kill your plant. You must exercise caution and give your plant some water each day, but doing so runs the risk of preventing water from penetrating the soil completely and reaching the roots.
- Even an open terrarium is susceptible to fogging up and having an elevated humidity level within. Cacti require sufficient airflow and detest humidity.
- Your cactus won’t be able to absorb water from the rocks in the bottom layer of soil if the dirt is layered. Roots cannot obtain water from rocks, and neither can rocks absorb it.
- A glass container’s sides will quickly heat up and may burn your cactus and its roots. Your cactus may actually be cooked to death if you put it in a terrarium out in the sun.
Metallic containers for cacti
Cacti cannot be grown in metallic pots. This is due to the possibility that rusting metallic containers could seriously harm cactus.
Additionally, metallic containers quickly experience excessive heat and cold, and cacti detest abrupt temperature fluctuations.
Conclusion: Ceramic (terracotta and glazed), plastic, and hanging (may be ceramic or plastic as well) pots are the ideal containers/pots for growing cacti. Glass containers should only be used temporarily (or not at all), and metallic pots should be avoided.
Does cactus pot size matter?
Your cactus or succulent plant’s survival depends on the pot size and soil type you choose.
In this section, you will learn how to pot or repot your plant, how to knock out a plant, and how to manage prickly plants, as well as everything else you need to know about properly caring for your cactus or succulent plant.
When they’re young, succulents and cacti can be kept in a dish garden. For a start, the common clay bonsai trays are excellent.
The plants can be moved into their own pots when they become too large. No matter the temperature—45°F or 85°F—the plants will remain the same size if you keep them dry. The plants will rot if you water them in cold weather or when they are dormant.
Avoid overpoting. Rotting roots are frequently caused by overpotting. Put the smaller pot into the larger pot and fill the area in between with gravel if the plant is top heavy. This will provide the plant with a sturdy foundation without putting it at risk of decay.
Pot Size
Cacti and other succulents should be potted in the smallest containers possible. Use a pot for cactus that is just big enough to accommodate the plant. Use a pot that is just a little bit bigger than the root ball for other succulents.
The drainage provided by the holes on the pot’s bottom is insufficient for some plants. Make the hole in a clay pot bigger by using a hammer and a screwdriver. For a plastic pot, use a hot knife or hot ice pick.
In either scenario, take care to avoid burning yourself or breaking the pot. If the clay pot does crack, save the fragments for your subsequent planting endeavor rather than throwing them away.
Soil
The potting material is less significant than excellent drainage. A thick layer of gravel or crumbled bricks should be put over the porous soil. More humus (organic matter) is preferred by spineless succulents in their potting soil.
We typically use the terms “heavy,” “organic,” and “light” to describe different types of soil. These definitions mean as follows:
Heavy. This is composed of clay, loam, or good garden soil with roughly one-third humus. It should contain roughly one-third washed builder’s sand or perlite where good drainage is necessary.
Organic. This is humus-rich soil, leaf mold (decomposed leaves), or some other organic material-rich soil. The drainage will be improved by using perlite or coarse builder’s sand.
Light. This describes a material with an open texture that has great drainage and can be kept damp but never wet. Plants that spend time in trees in the natural world benefit from it.
How to Pot
1. Choose a pot that is not excessively huge.
2. Fill the bottom with enough drainage material.
3. Insert your potting material into it until it is roughly one-third filled.
4. Check the plant’s size (make sure it won’t be too high above the pot’s top or too far down in the pot). Unless the plant prefers to move horizontally, in which case it should be placed at one edge, place the plant in the middle.
5. Fill all the crevices between the plant and the pot with your potting medium while holding the plant gently where you want it to stay.
6. Shake the pot to help the soil settle, then gently press the earth down around the roots. Add extra soil if there isn’t enough or if it starts to pack down. Older plants get more earth packed around them than seedlings do. So that there is room for water, leave a space between the top of the medium and the top of the pot.
7. Give the plant water.
Repotting
The process is essentially the same when working with plants that are already potted, with the exception that you must start by taking the plant out of pot 1.
Sometimes the plant can be readily removed, but other times it can be more difficult. Do not pull on the plant if it is stubbornly refusing to emerge from the pot. The container breaking can be preferable to the plant being damaged or having its top broken off.
How to Knock Out a Plant
If the plant is stuck in its pot, try gently tapping the pot against something hard, like wood or concrete, to see if you can squirm it out.
If it doesn’t work, try carefully slicing the inside of the pot with a knife to see if the plant will now emerge.
If that doesn’t work and the pot is made of clay, use your hammer to smash it with a few controlled strokes that won’t harm the plant.
Take part of the soil around the root ball out once the plant has been removed from the pot. Prune away a portion of the roots if they appear to be overgrown.
You can take a knife and simply chop off the outside of the root ball, including the roots, on some plants where the roots become extremely, extremely thick. If you wish to retain your plant in the same-sized container, you can also utilize this root pruning technique.
You can keep your plant “growing on” in the same container for years by first cutting some of the roots and then portion of the top.
How to Handle Spiny Plants
Handle prickly plants by wrapping them in a narrow band of newspaper. Using the band like a belt or harness, wrap it around the plant. For each plant, use a new band.
Gloves are uncomfortable to handle because the small spines break off inside the glove and the huge spines stab right through the glove.
Actually rather simple to propagate are cacti and other succulents. Learn everything you need to know about successful plant propagation in the section that follows.
Drainage
The cactus plant has evolved physiologically to be able to go for long periods of time without water. When you water it too regularly and in excess amounts, these adaptations also operate against it. As a result, when selecting a pot, make sure it includes drainage holes to let excess water drain. Before using it to plant your cactus, make sure to drill the holes if it doesn’t already have them.
Material
Many people who adore cacti typically think of this initially. When searching for the ideal material, there are numerous options to take into account. There isn’t any good or poor content, though. Your preferences will determine everything. The available materials are listed below, along with some information you should be aware of for each:
Clay (Terra Cotta)
The popularity of clay pots is largely due to how rapidly they drain. The cactus thrives in this climate because of its permeable nature. Additionally, because they absorb water, it is simple to determine the amount of moisture in the soil. This is because clay pots absorb water and darken as a result. Finally, compared to other planters, these clay pots are inexpensive. For uniformity in your home decor, it’s simple to find them in a single color.
On the other hand, clay pots are extremely delicate and break instantly when dropped or struck against something solid. Additionally, the water might dry out quickly in the summer due to their rapid rate of drainage. As a result, when you transplant a cactus into a clay container, keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t dry out. Additionally, during the cold, the clay pots are prone to cracking.
Be aware that repotting clay pots might be difficult occasionally because the cactus roots can break through the clay pot walls. No other variety of marijuana presents this difficulty. Clay, on the other hand, is ideal for those who reside in humid climates, do not have a space problem (they take up a lot of room), and do not need to relocate the cactus.
Wood
Outdoor cacti are ideal for wood. It can keep water for a considerable amount of time and is resistant to cold temperatures. It is therefore perfect for outdoor cacti. Overall, wood is a lovely substance. It can alter the interior design. Additionally, it’s simple to find exquisitely made wood containers for your cactus.
The primary issue with wood planters is that they are susceptible to rotting. The cacti’s health may be impacted by this. Put a plastic bag inside the planter to prevent this from happening.
Additionally, by doing this, the wood planter’s ability to drain is compromised. Therefore, make sure to puncture the plastic lining with a few holes to allow for drainage.
Plastic
Some of the most practical planters you may utilize are plastic pots. It’s because they’re inexpensive, easily accessible, and reusable. They come in all different sizes, shapes, and colors.
Because they are more useful than clay pots, plastic pots have gained appeal as a superior substitute. Indoor plastic pots maintain their attractive appearance for a very long period, unlike clay pots that eventually lose their beauty owing to salt buildup after evaporation.
On the other hand, because of their poor draining, these plastic pots must be well-drained in order to prevent the cactus from becoming saturated with water. They are also not the best materials for outdoor use because they are fragile and vulnerable to damage from prolonged sun exposure.
If you want to add color and beauty to your home’s decor but are on a tight budget, you should think about plastic material planters. Thanks to technology, plastic planters can now be molded into various forms and painted to resemble rocks.
Ceramic
A ceramic pot is the best option for you if you’re seeking for a planter that will enhance the beauty of your home’s design. They are perfect for use as inside planters because they come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.
These lovely ceramic containers can be fairly hefty, making them unsuitable for larger cacti that demand larger planters.
Two categories of ceramic pots exist:
- glazed-less ceramic
- ceramic with glaze
Because they are porous and permeable to air and water, unglazed ceramic pots are best for cacti. This enables the plant to grow healthily.
Ceramic pots with glaze are not porous. Because of their poor drainage, they are only suitable for cacti that don’t mind a lot of moisture.
This material should be taken into consideration if you’re seeking for lovely pots to use for little cacti. But be prepared to pay more than you would for other materials in exchange for beauty.
Fibreglass
Fiberglass planters are available in a variety of hues, forms, and sizes. Most of them are colored and molded to resemble clay or wood planters. They are perfect for planting cacti that will be relocated frequently because of their small weight. Your cactus will remain healthy because the material is also incredibly resilient and can endure temperature changes.
These attractive planters, however, have no drainage. Therefore, you would need to punch holes in them to prevent root rot. You might think about planting your cactus in a plastic container with holes and placing the planter into the larger fibreglass container because they are suggested for indoor planting due to their attractive character.
Metal
Since metal planters come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, they can be very aesthetically pleasing. They thus provide a fantastic addition to your interior style. Because metal is so strong, it may be used over and over to grow cacti. Due of its attractiveness, copper and brass are used to produce some of the most fashionable pots.
Metals like iron, however, are prone to rust. Applying a rust-resistant sealant once a year will stop rusting. Metal is also heavy, making it unsuitable for cactus that you intend to move around.
Finally, because metal is a powerful heat conductor, it can get extremely hot during the summer. The cactus can end up being burned. Additionally, the plant may be harmed by the bitterly cold temperatures during the winter. Additionally, the lack of drainage holes in the metal container may make it unsuitable for your cactus.
Concrete and Cast-Stone
First off, outdoor locations are perfect for these planters. They can survive a range of weather conditions, keeping your cactus in good shape. They enhance the aesthetic value of your environment because they may be molded into various shapes.
Due of its porous nature, concrete permits unrestricted air and water flow. Because it avoids root rot, this feature makes concrete pots perfect for cacti. However, concrete generates lime, which reduces the pH of the water. Your cactus’ health may be affected by this. Simply water it frequently to remove the extra lime to avoid this.