I'm trying to decide whether to keep my plants in plastic liner pots with multiple drainage holes and place those inside nice ceramic pots, or if I should directly pot my plants into a ceramic pot that only has one large drain hole. Which option is better for bottom watering, or would both methods work? I have several plants currently in ceramic pots, but I feel like they could thrive more.
3 Answers
From my experience, plastic pots keep my plants alive much better than clay. I've switched to using mostly clay now, and all my plants are thriving! I’m still figuring things out, but I definitely see a difference with clay pots.
The type of soil matters too! I’ve switched to clear plastic nursery pots with good drainage because I can monitor the roots and moisture easily. With glazed ceramic pots, they've seemed to retain moisture longer for me. I think visibility really helps, especially since I have low natural light in my house.
I use a mix: Alocasia in plastic pots, while my Anthuriums and Philodendrons go into clay. The latter need a bit of dryness before watering, while the Alocasia likes just a bit of moisture. I feel like I might be overthinking it, but it seems to work for me!
That makes sense! It's fascinating how different plants have different needs.
Yeah, being able to see the roots must help a lot with watering decisions!