What Sorts of Pots Do You Prefer?

I was thinking this morning, (which, as we all know, I keep to a bare minimum so-as to prevent headaches); With Spring so closely around the corner, we'll be ordering all sorts of goodies at work soon, including pots/containers. What to order? What are the most popular types that people like? Well, what better way to find out than get a good all-round idea here?

So, what sorts of pots are your favourites, DG'ers?? Favourite sizes? Shapes? Materials? Colours? Do you like to find "sets"? (example: square dark blue in small, medium, AND large?)

I look forward to hearing what you all have to say, and THANKS for your input, it's really appreciated! =)

I love terra cotta, but only for smaller pots. And bonsai pots! Love the glazed square/rectangular ones.

In larger pots, I like anything lightweight.

I think that the large light pots are best for me also. Kinda like the "hypertufa" that looks like fancy concrete but are very easy for me to move around as needed. Last year I sprayed all the beat up looking ones with an "oil bronzed" finish and they looked great! I use "Preen" in some of my gardens, so I use lots of nursery pots filled with potting soil to direct sow in spring.

ROSES, can you tell me what spray you used? That sounds like a good idea. It might also give some old pots a uniformed look.

For outdoor use, I normally use very large pots of any material as long as they are good looking, although I must admit that the task of cleaning and storing 30" glazed pots for the winter is no fun. The smaller ones (15" or smaller) are mosty glazed.

I like cobalt blue pots (having purple Oxalis blooming in one at the moment) and Chinese blue and white pots.


This message was edited Feb 19, 2014 8:37 PM

I agree on the lighter pressed fiber large decorative pots. Any pot must have good drainage holes and I prefer a strong sturdy rim for lifting and moving same.

I like 'hanging baskets' because they have a handle/hanger for moving and I can remove hanger and just use like a regular pot. I also like them because of the 'drainage' and that plastic screen insert that fits in bottom that keeps soil and roots up from water in bottom. Depending on plant, I can drain excess water or let remain. Also voles, etc have little access to plants inside. (I have a number of my Hosta in hanging basket pots for this reason1) I wish more standard pots offered these same features. I have one set of 5 gal terra cotta colored plastic pots that have a plastic screen at bottom that sits above a water reservoir and depending on the way it is placed in the pot can be a plug for the drainage holes. I use these pots plugged for my EEs and tropical water lovers.

I have been looking for 'dish garden' planters for my mini succulent collections (hen and chicks, etc) I'd like 20 inch diameter about 4 - 6 inch deep with very good drainage so I could play and make my little scenes.

There are also some hanging basket containers that cities use for street displays that have plants planted not just on top but all over sides so they form a giant ball of color.

I think we will see a lot more innovation and availability of vertical gardening options.

Sets of pots in graduated sizes--the small is generally too small to work well for many plants as an outside container in our climate.

Any thing that would let home gardeners achieve those wonderful 3 D displays we see at nurseries and garden centers would be nice! So. smaller scale 'staging' of some sort?

I just love blue pots, they are my favorite color in the garden I think they go with just about any color combo. Generally I prefer pots that are terra cotta or glazed and unglazed pottery but only in the medium size. I found that I am passing up on some really pretty & cheap large pots lately because of the weight. I really like the long trough type planters but usually they don't have trays that fit them. We need more long trays to sit under those type of planters. I have passed up buying several really pretty ones because I couldn't find a bottom tray. They were marketing these very pretty glazed long pots to grow herbs and sit on a window sill but they had holes in the bottom of the pot and no trays to match. Really just let the excess water run down the wall.

DONNER, I used this:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/22796179?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227016994243&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=35451966996&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=50579226396&veh=sem

Thank you, Teri. Some planters will get a face lift :o).

I used the same thing on a couple of planters that we picked up along side the road. They were out for the trash and nothing wrong with them one was beige and one was terra cotta just cheap plastic but a coat of that paint made me 2 very nice looking matching pots.

Lightweight, good drainage, easy t water. I also like blue or terra cotta color.

What a great idea for you to do this survey. I'm sureit will help with planning.

WOW, you guys are great, thank you! I'm taking notes and keeping a list of things to keep in mind (and keep an eye out for) when ordering. You guys have great ideas, some stuff I've never thought of.

Have you guys ever heard of, or used, "Pot Toes"? (see photo). I've got these under all the large pots of lemon grass on my deck, and they help "lift" the pot up off a flat surface, to allow for better drainage... however, the water still drains straight out onto whatever surface the toes are sitting on. Do you think this is a worth-while idea, or pretty much a waste of time/money? Be honest!!

Gonna take your ideas thus far and share them at work today... keep the ideas rolling in, I would love to hear ANY and ALL of them y'all can think of! =)

Oh, and thank you, again. =)

Speedie, I use pot feet for all of my succulents, both indoors and out. I've used several different kinds, but those Pot Toes are great!

I don't use them I use trays inside and I don't have wooden decks with pots sitting on them, outside. My outside pots sit on brick or stone.

I don't use them, but I have pots sitting on gravel on humidity trays when they are inside. Those pot feet can be very useful for replacing the gravel. Will buy some when shopping next time :o).

About matching trays for pots, yes. I like them. Only 3 of my glazed pots came with matching trays. Other pots, when inside, just sit on whatever trays I could find for them, looking a mess.

Pot feet or toes
IMHO if a pot needs feet or toes it should come with them or be part of them.

A real pain when pots are moved around as toes have to be reset and like 'little pieces' they are easy to loose. I have used plastic bottle caps as a substitute and have considered super gluing them in place.

Another opinion of mine is that decorative pots/containers should hold a standard size nursery pot so one can switch out plants by switching out inner ugly pots. A 3 gal deco pot should hold and disquise a 3 gal nursery pot.

Trough platers/window or deck boxes are often too shallow and too narrow to sustain plants there in more than a day or two without watering.

I wish that every really large container came with a screen that fit about 10 - 12 inches down in the pot to support soil and plants so the bottom wouldn't have to be filled with soil or 'packing peanuts' and add more weight.

Some pots (though blue and gorgeous) are unstable when planted and plants grow up are easily blown over.

Still thinking that Gro-Bags are OK but that using my grocery sture $.99 reuseable bags would do same thing.

As others said, cobalt blue are my favorites to look at. But have you seen how beautiful black pots can be?

I like pots that age and drain well too, like terra cotta and concrete.

That's my least favorite thing about the pot feet! They're a pain to move around. I wish the terra cotta pots came with little risers.

Donner, I end up having a default humidity tray with the pot feet. The water that drains out stays in the saucer, but the pot stays dry with the pot feet. I've thought about getting pebbles instead, but I'm afraid I won't keep them clean enough.

Typ, I've never seen a black pot. I'm afraid to get dark colors since that might get the roots too hot.

I wish I had pot toes on my wood deck. Sometimes, I set them on bricks. Have done damage to deck by letting pots sit right on the deck.

We definitely go for the glazed ones, particularly in cobalt. I agree with coleup that the ceramic pot should be a good fit for the nursery pot that it is to hide. Several sizes in the same style is a nice option. Also, though, I think it is fun to repurpose something into a planter. We use a different type of feet to raise the pots off the deck to minimize staining, and yes, it is a pain when moving one of the pots.

I did invest in some of those wheeled planter dollies for the large ones on the deck. It makes moving them around to clean up very easy.

http://www.simplyplanters.com/gardening-accessories/planter-wheels/1816+3541+4295014827.cfm

SSG: This one is on my pinterest page. I think the color of the pot may actually be more of an eggplant, but wow.
http://www.finegardening.com/assets/uploads/posts/26815/todd_holloway_xl.jpg

I have a black glazed pot that I purchased at the end of last season. I don't know about if it gets hot but I'll report back. I plan to put tropicals in it, so I don't think heat will be too much of a problem. In fact, if I put Elephant Ears in there, it might help the soil warm up earlier so that the plant will start growing earlier!

Roses, YES!!! Those wheeled plant dollies are a really great idea!! I started last year on a list of stuff that I think would sell well, and those are one of the things I put on the list.

Judy, you are absolutely right about the pot toes being a pain due to having to re-situate them each time the pot is moved. I also have some of my pots out back (on the benches) with the toes under them, and every time I move them around, it's a real chore to have to re-station those toes. Will keep an eye out for containers that have built-in "build-ups" at the bottom... if ya know what I mean. And I've already mentioned the idea of mesh inserts into pots to Scott, ... keeping an on-going list of y'alls GREAT ideas. I also agree with decorative pots that can fit nursery pots, BRILLIANT.

I love the look of black containers. We have none for sale at work, but I wish we did. Good food for thought on the colours and heat absorption, thank you!

This is so much fun, you guys are AWESOME!!

My favorite pots are terra cotta, azalea style pots, although keeping them watered in high summer can be a problem. We use plant dollies for all our large house plants, they make cleaning much easier. I just love the pot feet, many are so cute and add a subtle accent.Like 3 little turtles holding up a pot.LOL A small spot of silicon caulk will hold them in place for quite awhile. We also have quite a few cobalt blue glazed containers up to 6-7 gallon volume.

Azalea pots, that's a great idea Ric, thank you! What else can be grown in those? Great idea about the caulk also, I bet that's something a lot of people have anyway. (I know I do!)

Gosh, the blues really have it, huh? I heard today that owls are really "in" this year. Are any of you in on that too? (saw some really cute owl pots in a new catalog at work.. oh boy!)

Lots of great opinions here already, and I can't add much if anything.
I do like Azalea-pot proportions in any material. I do LOVE finding a nursery pot and glazed pot combo that fit well. I can get qwuite anal about that. Terra cotta, black, and cobalt are great pot colors; none of those colors happen naturally in the garden, for the most part. I own NO cobalt pots, and just one black, that I get completely crazed about finding the right nursery pot and plant combo for. And then it cannot sit in the sun because it will get so hot. So I really end up with terra cotta, and a small assortment of other random pots. Somebody could buy me all these McCoy pots , and I would be oh so grateful..
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_kw=VINTAGE+MCCOY+POTTERY+FLOWER+POT

I don't like glazed pots with flowers or colorful stuff painted on them- the plant should be the focal point, so why?

Owl? hm, well, why not? If all the nurseries sell them this year, I guess a lot of people will end up buying them.

Good point Sally, I have noticed that the "colourful/flowery-decorated" pots that we've already got are the slowest-movers of all of them; people tend to want something that will "accent" the plants inside, not over-power them, or take the focus away from the plants. Those very-decorated pots that we've already got, we've had for a couple years now, they just don't move.

I saw some cute owl pots in one of the catalogs that came in yesterday; they're sorta along the lines of the photo attached. Not painted, but the material is gently "shaped" like an owl. (more gently than the photo, but ... you get the idea)

Sally, I had never heard of McCoy flowerpots before. I love vintage and the prices seem pretty reasonable. I don't know whether to thank you for showing us that or not - I can see myself starting another "collection" LOL.

Speedie, I haven't weighed in on this topic yet. I think I am pretty much aligned with the others. I like glazed pots that are just the right size to fit/hide a nursery pot, for all the same reasons every one has stated. I looked at the pots I already have, and the majority of them are medium green. I guess I naturally gravitate towards a subtle color palette. I like the idea of an accent color though - the color of choice here seems to be a cobalt blue. I love that color in and of itself, but I think it is a little too bold and/or clashes with my green foliage, pink/purple/white cool color scheme shade garden. I'm going to be looking for light/medium purple glazed pots to use as my accent color - not sure I've seen much out there in that color range.

The other pot that I was having trouble finding last year was something big enough for a container lotus or water lily garden. Needs to be light weight and not overly expensive too. The "big" ones at the box stores may be fine for water lilies, but need to be just a little bit bigger for lotus. Jill and my friend Cheryl found the perfect size at Costco, but by the time I realized that mine from HD was a little bit too small, the inventory from Costco was gone. Really big pots probably move slow from inventory, but market it with photo posters of them filled with lotus or water lilies and include Jill's DG article, and they'd probably go like hot cakes.

Oh, I like the owl planter - I'd buy one if I saw it.


This message was edited Feb 21, 2014 7:13 AM

Great Idea Terri, A display with large pots used for a patio water garden would look good and sell pots, Speedie do you sell many water plants, or marginals?

Big Lots has some owl flowerpots along with a huge amount and variety of other pots yesterday

Let's all go to speedie's nursery and rearrange their displays.... No wait, we'd go broke buying half the stuff, LOL

LOL Sally sounds like a fun time to me.

The owl planter is great!

Terri, There is a place in Leesburg on Catoctin Circle that has had some great ceramic pots in more muted colors. They were very helpful when we were getting them, and got more in for us in the colors/sizes we requested.

I like the Owl planter, too. You get something a bit different without it being painted on. I got a leaf planter last year that was the same type of idea.

This is our frog planter from that nursery. Greenthumb gave me permission to use it.

Pat, that frog planter is really nice planted with those violets. I think I know the place you are talking about - is it in the shopping center across from the post office? I've been in there before, but it was many years ago.

That looks so cute, It really is about the right plant for the right planter when you have an accent piece like that.

Thank you both. Yes, across from the post office; it is between the barber shop and the electric supply store. Didn't know if I'd remember to tell you about it when we see you. He perches on a large rock overlooking a very shallow pond we created out of the catch basin thing that you can put under your water heater.

I also find that there's a real dearth of pots with matching saucers; they should all come with saucers IMO. I don't use the saucers when plants are outside, but I usually have some plants that are indoor/outdoor plants and I want saucers when they're inside.

I like clay pots with a solid color glaze on the outside. I prefer dark blue.

I like big (12-15") pots that can be left out year-round,but think most of them are over-priced and so would love to see less expensive options.

Most of my indoor plants are in ceramic white pots in different shapes and styles. I have ones without drainage holes, but prefer the saucer option because otherwise I tend to over-water and end up with fungus gnats. My favorites are the ones with attached saucers.

I would like to see a wider variety of plant stands. Our house doesn't have any window ledges, so I have to put pots on furniture or stands if they're not big enough for the floor. I've ruined the finish of an antique table.

Love the ideas.

Speedie, do you think those decorated pots could be painted so you could market them that way?

Flash of inspiration- use those flowery ceramic pots as storage in the house for something boring. Like, roll up washcloths. A ceramic magazine holder. I use a small ceramic pot with attached saucer in the kitchen to hold my sink sponge.

I may end up having to print out this whole thread to bring in to work to show the new BossMan; so many wonderful ideas! It does seem to be the general consensus that solid colours for the garden are preferable, but a few "decorative" ones might be nice for "creative uses" like Sally pointed out. Terri, I totally hear ya about the colour/shade; sometimes ya want the pots to just meld into the landscape and become sort of 'invisible'; let the plants themselves be the display.

I've thought for YEARS that we needed to carry plant stands of varying sorts, and MORE TRAYS... but, I wasn't "in the loop" for ordering, so it never happened. We shall fix that now!

How totally cool it would be to have y'all swarm us one day, to help rearrange the place (after the goodies arrive!!) and make a general fiasco! < =D

Muddy, were you able to save the finish of that table?? =( I'm so sorry to hear that happened!!

Pat, I absolutely LOVE your frog planter, and that is a GREAT choice of plant for him!! Sounds like a perfect location too, he can sit and watch over his pond. :)

We had never carried what could be considered "house plants" (at least in this zone) at work, but people ask for them all the time. It's time to change that too. Should I start a new thread for that, or do y'all wanna chime in here?