Everyone knows that a healthy appearance and long flowering of indoor plants can only be achieved with the right care. I'm glad that everyone more people uses professional advice regarding watering, replanting, fertilizing home flowers, and so on. But there is one aspect that is often neglected, although its role in the health of the flower is by no means unimportant. It's about about choosing a flower pot.

How to choose a pot: general notes

The first thing to remind all owners of indoor plants is, this is that the vessels in which flowers are sold in the store are not suitable for them further cultivation, they are temporary. Some plants, for example, can be left in such a temporary pot for some time after purchase; in general, it is suitable for her. But after some time, you still need to move it to a larger and more convenient flowerpot.

On the other hand, do not rush to remove the plant from the pot immediately after purchase; it may become stressed. It is better to wait for the so-called dormant period, that is, the phase when the plant rests and does not bloom.

Second Golden Rule pot: for each transplant, take a vessel slightly larger than the previous one. A plant's root system is constantly developing, and over time the roots may need more space. For small flowers new pot should be literally 1-2 cm larger, but for large plants like palm trees - the width of the palm. But too large pots are also not good: excess water in them can lead to rotting of the roots.

Finally, third important rule concerns the shape of the pot. The root systems of plants develop differently: agave, dracaena and palm trees have roots that grow in depth, so they need deep flowerpots, while begonias and arrowroots grow in breadth and wider flowerpots are suitable for them.

Flower pots: what are they?

To better understand what kind of pot your flower needs, let’s get acquainted with the main types of containers for indoor plants:

• - the waterproof container into which the pot with the plant is inserted serves only decorative element;
• - unlike flowerpots, it is the main vessel for plants; usually has drainage holes and a tray;
• containers(vases, bowls, clay bowls, baskets, etc.) - used as vessels for placing plants or planting them; are waterproof.

When choosing a pot, you should not be guided only by its appearance. Always pay attention to whether there are holes in it.

Plastic, ceramics, glass - which is better?

There are several common myths regarding what material is best for a plant. For example, that plastic pots are the most harmful. Yes, plastic is an unnatural material, but this does not mean that it absolutely cannot be used. It has its advantages, like other materials:

When choosing pots for cacti, it is worth remembering that these plants do not tolerate stagnant liquid. Therefore, the answer to the question of which pots to plant cacti in suggests itself - those in which the root system will be warm and dry. Flower pots for cacti must have good drainage capabilities and retain accumulated thermal energy during the night period. These consumer qualities They have ceramic containers with thick clay walls. If necessary, you can use plastic pots for succulents, but you need to make sure that they are always in a warm place. For example, consider placing plants on a windowsill under which a central heating radiator runs. Or place it in a sunny window during the day, covering the green part of the plant from direct ultraviolet rays.

Look at the proposed photos of cacti in a pot - they clearly illustrate all the described principles for choosing dishes:

Choosing pots for cacti

Plant containers, commonly called "flower pots", are used for the growth of cacti great value, since it determines the volumes of soil mixture available to plants, and at the same time the amount nutrients and water.

Flower farms and flower shops sell cacti most often in very small pots, since they take up less space and cheaper. This applies primarily to miniature clay pots with impressive looking “mini cacti”. However, these small pots for cacti are completely unsuitable for further cultivation of plants, since they cannot provide them with a sufficiently large living space and conditions for growth.

In the sun, a small pot heats up very quickly, and when the sun goes down, it cools rapidly. In warm weather, the soil dries out very quickly, so the plant is constantly between two unfavorable poles: “very damp” (immediately after watering) and “very dry.”

And since cacti are extremely hardy plants, they do not immediately show that they can hardly tolerate such conditions.

In other words, it is impossible to satisfactorily cultivate cacti in these small pots intended for plant sales in the long term. Gardeners have it in these pots. Very often they are grown in large beds in greenhouses and transplanted into mini-pots only for sale, or small clay pots with plants planted in them stand buried in large desktop boxes with peat or beds in optimally regulated climatic conditions of the greenhouse, that is, they have more living space with equal climatic conditions. Therefore, we choose more suitable containers for growing succulents.

What size pot should I plant a cactus in for active growth?

The size of the pot for cacti is of priority importance, therefore, after purchasing new cacti, a cactus grower most often needs to immediately transfer the plants from small pots to a larger container that is suitable for their further cultivation. There is no clear answer to the question of what size a pot should be. Each gardener decides which pot to use individually, depending on the possibilities of choosing a flowerpot.

The new pot should provide the plant with the opportunity for normal active growth and development for one to two years, and the earthen ball in it should be completely penetrated by roots after a certain time.

On the other hand, it is also wrong to plant a small plant in a very large pot. Otherwise, in the substrate, where the roots do not entwine the entire earthen ball for a long time, unpleasant rotting processes may begin. Therefore, it is better to plant several very small plants together in a larger pot or bowl.

Pots for cacti and succulents

When growing a crop, clay pots for cacti, traditional dishes for all indoor plants, have both their advantages and disadvantages. Their characteristic feature there is a certain evaporation of moisture through the porous walls, and the more, the drier the surrounding air and the more sunlight and heat in the place where they stand.

Thus, the soil in the pot dries out much faster than would be expected based on the plant's water needs. On the one hand, the evaporation of water through the walls of the pot leads to a certain cooling of the earthen clod.

On the other hand, when all the salts dissolved in water evaporate, they form an ever-increasing layer on the walls of the pot. white plaque. Particularly strong limescale deposits form in regions with very hard water, and when watered, the soil in clay pots eventually becomes alkalized. And since almost all cacti prefer slightly acidic soil mixtures, their root system gradually dies off, which leads to the death of the plant.

However, along with these disadvantages, clay pots also have their advantages. Firstly, ceramic planters for succulents retain their shape better; when choosing large dishes - this circumstance is often the decisive argument in their favor compared to plastic or plastic pots.

In addition, due to their own weight, they are more stable, which is especially valuable when growing tall cacti or species with drooping shoots. Sometimes strong evaporation of water can also be an advantage: namely, when the plant is watered abundantly at the wrong time.

As a result of the rapid evaporation of moisture through the porous walls of the pot, the soil will dry out faster. You can avoid the formation of limescale on the walls of clay pots if you use soft or artificially softened (distilled) water for irrigation. You can even completely eliminate the evaporation of water through the walls of the pot by painting the inside of it with waterproof paint (for example, special paint used for painting the inner walls of drinking water containers).

There are clay pots for succulents in a wide variety of shapes, although small flower shops most often sell ordinary round ones. For many cacti, especially species that form entire clumps, low, flat pots are more suitable.

Plastic pots for succulents, often colloquially called plastic, also have both their advantages and disadvantages when cultivating cacti. Firstly, plastic pots are available in a wide variety of qualities.

An amateur cactus grower should choose for his plants not disposable plastic pots, which are preferred by floriculture farms due to their low price, but better-quality dishes. These pots come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. There are round, low and wide pots that are especially suitable for growing clump-forming cacti; very tall flowerware is more suitable for plants with a long turnip-like main root. Both ordinary round pots and square-shaped pots, which are especially popular among owners of greenhouses and conservatories, are made from plastic.

Plastic pots are cheap, lightweight, and easy to stack. Thanks to their smooth walls, they can be washed thoroughly and thus prepared for reuse. Due to the fact that the walls of the plastic pot do not allow moisture to pass through, the plants need to be watered less often.

True, this advantage for inexperienced amateurs often turns into a disadvantage. Plants in plastic pots need about 1/3 of the water that plants in clay pots use.

Therefore, there is a danger of cacti in plastic pots becoming waterlogged. In addition, even when the surface of the soil in a plastic pot is dry, the substrate may still remain damp in the depths of the pot.

However, cacti require regular watering only when the substrate is sufficiently dry; as mentioned above, they do not tolerate constant soil dampness at all. Over time, plastic pots also age, become brittle and break easily. And this primarily concerns the cultivation of cacti, since it is in this case that the characteristic feature is strong solar radiation and relatively high temperatures.

As a generalization, it can be noted that when growing cacti in separate pots for more small plants plastic utensils have certain advantages. In small clay pots standing, for example, on a windowsill, it is difficult to maintain the humidity and temperature of the soil at the required level, since the pots heat up very quickly, and the substrate in them dries out completely. In such cases, it is better to use plastic utensils.

On the other hand, large cacti need larger pots. However, in this case, a larger volume of soil ensures a more uniform temperature and humidity of the substrate, also when using clay pots.

In addition, when using large-sized dishes, durable clay pots have advantages over plastic pots that bend and break easily (for example, if you lift a plant carelessly). In addition, if a plant in a large plastic pot is watered too much, that is, flooded, it may take a very long time for the soil to dry out again, and meanwhile a fungal infection can spread in the soil and infect the plant through the roots.

Look what succulents look like in pots - the photo shows different options for containers made of ceramic and plastic:

Square pots and bowls for cacti

Taking into account all the disadvantages that the cultivation of cacti in small clay pots brings with it, with their poorly tolerated plants, sharply changing conditions, you very soon come to the idea of ​​whether it is not necessary to plant many plants at once in large bowls for cacti, thereby creating for they have a freer living space. Indeed, amateurs who grow their plants in their rooms are increasingly finding very attractive and well-growing landscape compositions from cacti in bowls or low flower boxes. And, on the contrary, cactus growers. Having a greenhouse or greenhouse in which they can create conditions favorable for the growth of cacti, they prefer to grow their plants in separate pots - if they do not plant their large cacti directly in the soil.

If an amateur has a desire to try using a bowl, then first you need to choose a suitable utensil for this. Flower shops often offer arrangements made from bowls.

This in itself does not cause any objections if the bowl has drainage holes to drain excess irrigation water - and if the amateur is not tempted round shape to the point that he puts the bowl in the middle of the table in the room. Because it’s definitely too dark for cacti there.

For closed flower windows, depending on their design, lovers have at their disposal special square pots for cacti of various sizes, but for growing on a windowsill, on the contrary, it is necessary to give preference to flower containers in the form of balcony flower boxes. For cultivating cacti on an external windowsill, ethernite boxes, which today are produced from asbestos-free materials, are best suited.

If you plan to grow cacti in a room, then it is best to choose plant boxes that are more attractive in appearance, for example, made of plastic. In any case, the flower box should have drainage holes at the bottom through which excess irrigation water can drain.

On an outside window sill this dripping water may not cause any problems, but in a room the flower box should be placed on a tray made of galvanized sheet steel or plastic. Since the right size pallet is often very difficult to find, it is necessary to buy the flower box along with the pallet from the very beginning.

Further, in such boxes it is necessary to plant only approximately equally growing, strong cacti that require similar maintenance conditions. A particularly well-growing species should not be allowed to grow rapidly and suppress with its growth a slowly growing rare specimen in the neighborhood.

This overgrowth can also occur in the soil, when the roots of a fast-growing species increasingly restrict the living space of a slower-growing species, causing the plant to wither away.

In addition, the "white" looking species, which require bright sunlight and lots of warmth, are never planted next to green species that have fewer thorns, which, although they prefer a lot of light, need protection from direct sunlight during the midday hours. And since in the general substrate of any flower box all root pests living in the soil can spread unhindered

However, it is possible to combine the advantages of growing plants in individual pots with the advantage of cultivating in large containers if cacti growing in clay pots are placed in flower box and fill the free space with a mixture of sand and peat.

Then, thanks to the porous walls of the clay pots, the humidity is equalized through the filler substrate, and the soil in them does not dry out too quickly. In addition, with such cultivation of those species that prefer not completely dry conditions in winter, by lightly moistening only the substrate-filler of the box, the soil in the pots can be kept slightly moist. If individual cacti grown in plastic pots are placed together in a bowl, this will not provide great advantages in the culture, since in this case there is no moisture exchange through the walls of the pots.

However, thanks to this, a certain equalization of soil temperature in pots is still achieved, and cacti collected in one bowl are easier to move, for example, when it is necessary to open a window.

If individual square cactus pots are collected in one flower box, then later you can easily remove a particularly overgrown plant and replant it in a larger pot. Several well placed in a bowl decorative stones will allow you to disguise the edges of the pots protruding on the surface of the filler substrate and create an attractive landscape with cacti.

Flowers in the house are wonderful. For a long time I have been breeding various types of flowers, and, analyzing the optimal conditions and their habitat, I concluded that the choice the right pot plays an important role.

Choose: ceramics or plastic

When you go to a hardware or flower shop, the variety of pots is amazing in its quantity. At first glance, you want to get a beautiful, stylish pot that complements the decor. And here manufacturers please, offering pots made of metal, ceramics, plastic, glass. Each of these types has its own characteristics and is intended for specific type indoor plants.

1. Plastic.
I’ll say right away that I prefer this particular type, because they are inexpensive and you can always choose the desired color and shape. Especially since I'm doing seating large quantity flowers, so I can buy up to 50 pots at a time.

Plastic pots are convenient to use, they are good for replanting plants, but there is a risk of damaging root system remains minimal.

Plastic pots today can be not only colored, but also transparent, which makes it possible to solve the problem of replanting orchids.

But such pots also have their drawbacks. Very often they are knocked over by children, since the plastic form is not stable on the surface. Such pots are not recommended for flowers that require evaporation of moisture through the root system. The structure of the plastic does not allow moisture to evaporate below, which leads to stagnation of water.

In my flowers, I solve this problem quite simply; I use professional peat and perlite for planting. These components prevent rotting of the root system.

2. Ceramics.

Such pots always amaze with their beauty, but their price is also not cheap. By choosing a ceramic pot for your flower, you can always add a stylish twist to your interior.
The most important advantage of such a pot is its porous structure. It allows the root system to breathe freely, moisture to penetrate inside and be evenly distributed over the substrate.

I use ceramic pots extremely rarely, because it is difficult to pot large plants in them, and transporting them or moving them around the apartment becomes problematic due to heavy weight.

Ceramic pots It is imperative to disinfect it when reusing it, since diseases are perfectly preserved and live on such surfaces.

Which pots are best to use in your home?

From my experience I would like to offer a few practical advice on choosing a pot for your home.

1. Choosing a pot should begin with determining the type, shape and color range. You cannot use pots that, with their design shapes and colors, will overshadow the beauty of the flower. A pot is just a container, and a flower is a decoration for the room.

2. The best shapes for any flower are round pots. They make it easy to replant the plant, while damage to the root system is minimized.

4. The pot must have a saucer or tray for watering. A lot of house flowers require irrigation of the root system. The presence of a pallet allows you to avoid rotting or mold formation.

5. If you need to choose a pot for transplanting, then its diameter should be a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one.

6. If it is necessary to plant a plant and divide it into parts, then the diameter of the pots should be 2-3 centimeters smaller than the previous one.

7. If you need to propagate a plant with children or plant children, then I do not recommend buying pots at all. Small ones are suitable for this method. plastic cups. In order for the plant to feel comfortable in them, you need to cut several holes in the bottom for water to pass through.

8. For violets, it is better to use cone-shaped pots. They allow the rosette of the plant to form correctly, the leaves of the flower in such plants will be lush, and the flower cap will spread freely over the entire surface.

9. When choosing a pot for large plant, its height must be taken into account. The pot should be 1/3 - ¼ of the height of the plant. If the flower will have a large crown in the future, then the pot should be wide.

10. When choosing ceramic pots, you need to pay attention to inner side. It must be covered with glaze.

Almost all of us have house plants. Green pets give us their beauty, improve health and mood, and purify the air. But, in order for the flower to look great and delight the owner, you need to take care of creating the most better conditions for its content.

Choosing a pot for a home plant is one of the very first and most important steps in home floristry. This is exactly what we will talk about in the article. You will learn how to choose flower pot and what to look for Special attention, buying a container for a plant. So let's get started.

Pot or planter

For experienced flower growers, the question of what is the difference between a flower pot and a flowerpot is completely obvious. But many novice florists sometimes cannot distinguish one from the other and, as a result, acquire something completely unnecessary to them.

The most important difference between a flower pot and a flower pot is their functional purpose. A pot is a vessel in which a plant is planted. A flowerpot is a decorative container, its the main task hide an unattractive flower pot.

[!] Translated from French, cache-pot means hidden pot

It is very easy to distinguish between a pot and a flowerpot when purchasing, despite the fact that at first glance they are exactly the same. The pot has one or more drainage holes at the bottom and a separate drainage tray excess water. A flowerpot is a solid vessel without a tray or holes.

If you need a container specifically for planting a plant, your choice is a flower pot. If your plant has already been planted and you just need to decorate unattractive flower dishes, pay attention to the flower pots.

How to choose a plant pot

So, you have decided that you need a flower pot in order to plant the plant directly in it. Let's start choosing a pot.

At first glance, it seems that this is not at all difficult, but when you see how many options the stores offer, you can easily get confused and buy a container that is not suitable for your plant. What do you need to know when purchasing a flower pot?

When choosing floral dishes, first of all you need to remember that a flower pot is a home for a plant. That is why a flower pot must combine both beauty and benefit. First, let's talk about the benefits.

Flower pot sizes

Dimensions, namely the height and diameter of the container for the plant, are one of the main criteria when choosing a pot. It's simple: the larger the plant, the larger capacity it needs.

To plant young plants, purchase small containers.

[!] If you plan to replant the sprout frequently in the future, you can use plastic cups

When planting adult flowers, choose pots larger than the previous container: mentally add 2-3 cm in radius and below to the size of the old pot. The new container should completely accommodate the root system of the plant, drainage about 2 cm high and the required amount of substrate. Universal formula choosing a flower pot suggests that the height of the container should be a third or fourth of the total height of the plant.

There is no need to buy flower pots for growing: usually houseplants do not like overly spacious containers, and some of them, for example, spathiphyllum, even feel good and bloom only in cramped conditions.

Flower pot shape

It is no secret that the root system of each plant is individual - these are long roots going deep into the soil (cacti, palm trees, different kinds citrus fruits) and fibrous, branched roots located near the surface of the earth (geranium, chrysanthemum).

In order for the plant to grow and develop normally, it is necessary to select dishes in strict accordance with the shape of the root:

• for plants with long roots - high and narrow containers
• for plants with fibrous roots - wide and shallow

If it is not possible to choose the ideal bowl, choose a universal option - standard pots (the height and diameter of the upper ring are the same) are suitable for most plants.

Various shapes flower pots

Materials

Currently, florist shops offer a huge selection of flower pots from the most various materials: ceramics, plastic, glass, metal. Each of these materials has both pros and cons, which a novice gardener may not even be aware of.

Ceramic (clay) flower pots- it's a classic verified time. Planting of plants in clay bowls first began in Ancient Egypt, and then this tradition was picked up in other countries. Clay is an almost ideal material for planting, and clay pots have a number of undoubted advantages:

• variety of shapes and designs, due to the plasticity of clay and various options its processing
• stability and optimal weight
• the possibility of evaporating excess moisture and ensuring the flow of oxygen to the roots of the plant due to the porous structure of the clay

But, despite the obvious advantages, there are also some disadvantages of ceramic pots, for example:

• fragility
• high price

Ceramic flower pots

Plastic containers for flowers — fashion trend recent years. Store shelves are literally littered with plastic bowls and an increasing number of flower growers are choosing them. What attracts house plant lovers?

• low price
• variety of shapes, colors and sizes
• practicality in use and care

The disadvantages of plastic pots include:

• light weight and instability
• lack of breathable properties of the material: the flow of air and evaporation of water in the substrate is difficult, which can lead to the appearance of root rot

Plastic flower pots

Glass pots have not yet received mass distribution, since glass is not the most suitable material for planting plants: it breaks easily, just like plastic does not allow air to pass through. However, due to the transparency of glass, such pots are well suited for placing orchids and other plants whose roots participate in the process of photosynthesis.

Metal containers for planting plants, an even more exotic option, rarely found in flower shops. Despite the high decorativeness, such floral dishes have too many disadvantages: they do not allow air to pass through and retain moisture, certain types of metal easily rust when in contact with water, and in addition, one can note the high cost of these products.

Glass and metal flower containers

How to choose a flower pot

We have already found out above that the plant is not planted directly in flowerpots, which is why there are no strict criteria when choosing flowerpots. There are only two parameters that can be noted: worth attention: dimensions of the flowerpot and the material from which it is made.

Pot sizes depend only on the size of the container directly into which it is planted home plant. In order to choose a suitable flowerpot, before purchasing, use a ruler to determine the height, diameter of the lower and upper rings of the flower bowl, and then add 1-2 cm to these measurements in each dimension. The resulting numbers will be the size of the flowerpot you need.

Concerning materials from which the pots are made, then here you can focus on their utilitarian properties and your taste. So, for example, a flowerpot made of plastic is light and durable, while a flowerpot made of glass or ceramics is heavy and fragile.

Flower pots and flowerpots as an interior element

One of the most important factors when choosing flower pots and plant pots is the compatibility of the design of the plantware with the design and style of the interior of the room. Such a seemingly small thing - a flower pot - can decorate your living room, bedroom or kitchen, and vice versa. To ensure that the container with the plant does not look like a foreign object in your interior, follow a few simple rules:

1. Pots or flower pots with flowers must fully match the style of the entire room as a whole. For example, a flower pot with a laconic and strict design fits perfectly into a room decorated in Japanese, hi-tech or minimalist style. A richly decorated bowl with monograms and reliefs is perfect for classic interior or baroque interior. And bright pots with cheerful designs would be appropriate in a nursery.

2. In order for the container with the plant to fit successfully into the existing interior, it is necessary to pay attention to its color design. If you want plants to be an accent spot in the interior, choose pots in rich, contrasting colors. Alternatively, the color of dishes with plants may overlap with other bright details: sofa cushions, posters, textiles and so on.

In contrast to contrasting compositions, there is nuance. The technique is suitable in a situation where there is no need to highlight the floral dishes. In this case, the color of the bowls should match the main interior color, for example the color of the walls.

3. If plants are arranged in groups or in a row indoors, the containers in which they are grown must be compatible with each other. This rule applies to all flower containers located in the same room.

The simplest and most win-win option, applicable if the plants are the same in size, is to use pots of the same shape and size.

However, if you want variety, some combination is possible. For example, in the case where plants in a room are of different sizes, pots of different capacities, but of the same color, would look good. You can also place several multi-colored flowerpots of the same shape. At the same time, the palette of floral dishes should organically fit into the palette of the existing interior. Flower pots or flowerpots from one collection are easy to pick up in specialized florist shops or supermarkets.

More complex combinations of shapes and colors require a professional approach and consultation with an interior designer.

4. When decorating the interior of a room with plants, do not forget about non-traditional solutions, such as hanging or free-standing pots or cache-pots. This option for placing flowers is perfect if there are not enough horizontal surfaces or you don’t want to clutter them up too much.

For hanging and free-standing pots, ampelous (climbing and hanging) plants are usually recommended, but, in fact, almost any type of houseplant fits perfectly in containers of this type. The only exceptions are, perhaps, very large and massive specimens (palm trees, ficus, monstera, zamioculcas, etc.).

5. When choosing the palette of a flower pot, you need to take into account the color of the plant placed in it. For example, non-flowering plants can be placed in pots bright colors Conversely, bright dishes, the rich shade of which conflicts with the color of the flower, look inharmonious. In this case, flower pots would be appropriate neutral shades, which perfectly emphasize the beauty of a flowering plant: white, gray, beige, terracotta, coffee.

If you still want a riot of colors, pay attention to the combination of shades of the flower of the plant and the pot. A few examples of what designers consider unsuccessful combinations:

• soft pink flowers and a bright red, yellow or orange pot
• delicately colored silver-green or pink-green foliage and deep green pot
• plants with a pronounced pattern on the leaf blade and a green pot

High technologies at the service of florists. Unusual flower pots

As in all areas of our lives, progress does not stand still, so in floristry more and more new materials and technologies are constantly appearing. This is especially true for dishes for house plants. Original flower pots with additional functions can now be purchased not only in specialized places, but also in supermarkets or small shops. What do inventors offer us?

Pots and flowerpots with automatic watering

Such containers for house plants are very convenient for busy and forgetful people, as well as for those who often leave home. Using auto-watering technology, you don’t have to worry about frequently watering your flowers and only occasionally replenish the water in a special tank.

There are several options for pots and flowerpots that use self-watering technology:

Ceramic pots with automatic watering.

One of the properties of clay - its porous structure - is used for flower containers with automatic watering. In the middle of the pot there is a reservoir into which water is poured. If the soil dries out, the reservoir allows enough water for the plant to pass through. If the ground is well moistened, water does not enter the soil. This version of automatic watering was developed and implemented by industrial designer from the USA Joey Roth.

Plastic pots with automatic watering.

Plastic bowls with automatic watering usually consist of two containers inserted into one another, with the plant being planted in the smaller one (inner container). There is a fairly large gap between the containers into which water is poured. Through the bottom there is water in required quantity goes directly into the soil to the roots of the plant.

Manufacturers of such dishes promise that plants planted in them can be left without watering for two weeks to three months. The only drawback is that the automatic watering system only works if the plant is mature and has a voluminous rhizome (if the root of the plant is not developed and is located at the surface of the soil, it will not receive enough moisture, since the water for irrigation comes from below) Young plants must be watered in the traditional way .

Automatic watering technology in flower pots

Florariums, paludariums

Florariums (glass containers for growing plants) and paludariums (florariums) are becoming increasingly popular among exotic lovers large sizes, suitable for several groups of plants).

Plants in florariums look very impressive and are a real decoration of the interior. However, there are several limitations that an experienced florist should keep in mind:

1. There are only a small number of houseplant species that can grow in a glass container. These are mainly succulents, anubias, some mosses and ferns
2. The glass walls of the florarium greatly enhance the power of sunlight and can cause leaf burns. That is why it is not recommended to place such compositions in direct sunlight.
3. Florariums and paludariums – enough complex systems and require increased care

One of the most spectacular new products of recent times is interior flower pots with lighting. Typically, such flowerpots are made of matte translucent plastic, between the walls of which there are luminous elements. The power source for the pots is electricity or built-in batteries. Inside the flowerpot you can place a container with a plant.

Illuminated planters look great both indoors and outdoors. open terraces, being at the same time an element of landscaping and additional source Sveta.

Silicone pots

The idea of ​​​​creating silicone containers for growing flowers came to the mind of the young Italian designer Emanuele Pizzolorusso at a time when he was observing the process of collecting garbage in plastic bags. The designer noticed that to make it easier to fill the bags, workers bend their edges, thus changing the volume of the plastic container. The artist decided to translate this principle into the production of containers for house plants and created silicone pots that can change size as the plant grows.
Thanks to the flexibility of silicone, the edge of the pot can be bent and the height of the bowl can be reduced. When the flower grows, you need to return the edge to its place and the pot will become tall again. Since the silicone used to make the bowls is quite dense, the container holds its shape well and does not deform.

Symbiosis of plants and interior items

Why use free-standing pots when you can integrate them into tables, benches, shelves and even wall tiles - this idea has occurred to many designers. The result was very interesting and practical pieces of furniture and interior design, combining several functions.

Perhaps the only disadvantage of such systems is the difficult planting and care of plants, which is why you should choose only the most unpretentious specimens for planting.

How to make a flower pot or flowerpot with your own hands

If you prefer things made by yourself, try your hand at the art of making flower pots and plant pots.

Making a pot at home is somewhat more difficult than decorating a flowerpot, but it is quite possible, and the result will certainly please you.

Pots made of plaster and concrete, made with your own hands, will become a real decoration of the terrace country house or dachas.

What you will need: cement-sand mixture or plaster, water, two plastic or wooden molds of the same shape, but different volumes

Thoroughly mix gypsum or cement-sand mixture with water, in a ratio of 1:1 (gypsum-water) or 1:3:2 (cement-sand-water). Prepare plastic (wooden) molds - lubricate the inside larger capacity and the outside with less oil, grease or green soap. This step is necessary so that the mold can be easily separated from the cement or plaster later. Pour concrete (gypsum solution) into the bottom of the larger container, let it harden a little, then place the smaller container on top and lightly press it down with your hands. Carefully pour the remaining concrete or plaster into the gap formed between the walls of the molds. Wait for the mixture to completely harden and carefully remove the plastic molds. At the bottom of the resulting pot, drill several holes for water drainage.

Pots made of vines or brushwood. Wicker weaving is a real art, sometimes only accessible to professionals. But also a common person can try his hand at wicker weaving, making, for example, a flower pot.
What you will need: dry thin twigs (vine), base mold, thin wire, burlap, glue
Clean the twigs, remove excess shoots. Take the base and, following the shape, braid it in a circle with the prepared branches. You don’t have to adhere to a strict pattern; intertwine the twigs randomly, from time to time fastening them with wire for rigidity. Then remove the mold, inside finished product glue thick burlap. The resulting container can be used both as a flowerpot and as a pot for orchids.

Coconut Pots. These pots are perfect for small house plants.

What you will need: coconut, hacksaw or grinder, awl or other sharp object

Choose a round coconut if you want a stable shape or an elongated oval nut if the composition with the plant will be hanging. Make holes with an awl in the places of three small depressions on the “butt” of the coconut and remove the liquid. Subsequently, excess water will drain through these holes when watering the plant. Saw off the opposite end of the coconut with a hacksaw, stepping back about one-third from the edge. Thoroughly clean the inside of the nut, removing the white edible mass. The pot is ready. If you drill additional holes on the sides of the nut, you can thread a cord through them and hang it.

Vinyl record pots. Original and functional pots are made from old vinyl records.

What you will need: vinyl records, gas or electric stove, rope, thick cotton gloves, acrylic paints, plastic primer

Thread a rope through the existing hole in the plate and secure it with a knot or metal nut so that the plate hangs freely on the rope. Preheat the stove and hold the plate above it for several minutes at a distance of 20-30 cm. Hold the plate by the rope and use gloves - hot air can burn the skin. After some time, exposure to hot air will make the plate soft. At this point, you can give the vinyl disc any desired shape, either by hand or by placing it on some kind of frame. After the vinyl has cooled and hardened again, you can paint the resulting pot. acrylic paint. For better adhesion of paint to the plate, you can use plastic primer.

As you can see, there are many ways to make a flower pot with your own hands, you just need to show a little imagination. Well, in the next article we will talk about decorating plant pots.

Keep in mind that if you immediately transplant a flower from a small pot to a very large one, it will not benefit it. He may start to get sick and his growth will slow down. To pick up right size container, insert the old pot into the new one. The size is chosen correctly if there is a very small gap between the walls.

Traditionally houseplants They are grown in ceramic pots, but stores also offer containers made of plastic or glass. Let's look at all their pros and cons.

What is the best pot to choose for a houseplant?

Clay pot- the most ideal home for your green pet. Clay is hygroscopic, that is, it has the ability to allow moisture and air to pass through small pores. As a result, excess water evaporates, the roots breathe, and the flower feels most comfortable.

Optimal gas exchange is ensured by the classic proportions of a clay pot: its height is usually equal to the upper diameter, and the area of ​​the bottom is one third less than the area of ​​the upper hole. Among other things, this form ensures timely drainage of moisture and prevents root rotting.

So as not to lose useful qualities clay, do not under any circumstances wrap the pot in paper, film or paint it oil paint. If you want to add aesthetics to its appearance, simply place the pot with the plant in a larger pot.

Ceramic pots They differ from clay ones in the increased density of the material and the absence of pores, therefore, when replanting a plant in ceramics, do not forget to take care of a good drainage layer and a hole for draining excess water. As a rule, ceramic dishes come in a wide variety of shapes, so for some plants (especially for ferns or compositions) you can use flat ceramic bowls. It should be remembered that the glaze covering the ceramics can release substances into the soil that are hazardous to the life of plants, so the root system should be isolated with film before planting.

Plastic dishes for flowers has a huge variety of shapes and shades. But it has the same problem as ceramics - the roots in it don’t breathe. In addition, plastic is quite short-lived and pathogenic microorganisms often develop on its surface. Therefore, when choosing plastic pots, keep in mind that the plants will have to be replanted more often than usual, and disinfection will also be useful.

And one more thing: plastic - lightweight material, therefore large plants with massive aboveground part It is not recommended to plant in them: the pot may turn over.

Glass in floriculture Usually used in the form of spherical aquariums, at the bottom of which tropical flowers, sensitive to heat and humidity levels, are rooted. They can form beautiful compositions if the composition of the soil and “neighbors” is chosen correctly. I will tell you how to do this in the chapter on choosing colors. But glass pots are quite rare. Agree, observing the life of roots through transparent walls is not an interesting activity.