You like a pot, which has a pretty shape, or the right colour, but you don’t like one thing about it: the bottom is solid. Unfortunately, this is more important than either the shape or the colour. Because when the excess water doesn’t flow away, it stays around the root ball, keeping the lower part of the potting mix wet long after the top feels dry. Your roots need moisture and air, so a container holding onto water can mean watering becomes a much harder issue to deal with.
Look at the bottom of the pot before you plant in it. There should be holes, big enough to let the excess water out without being covered by the potting mix. Sometimes one hole is enough for a smaller pot, but for larger ones, several might be needed. But it isn’t just the number, it’s the flow. If it’s a decorative cover pot without holes, you can put a flower pot inside it with drainage holes, and take the water out of the outer pot.
A pot that is too big for a small plant also makes watering more difficult, because the roots have too much of the potting mix. So if you are potting on a small plant, make sure you don’t give it a much bigger pot than its current root ball, otherwise it will have too much mix around it, which could stay wet for a long time. The roots won’t be able to use up all the water it stores, so you’ll have no way of knowing when to water again. Find a pot with just enough extra space for the roots.
A pot that lets water out quickly can make things easier. You can check whether a pot has good drainage before you plant into it. Put some potting mix in the pot you want to use and set it where the water can drain freely. Then, slowly pour water into the pot, and see how fast the water comes out from beneath it. You want the water to flow through, not sit there for a long time. If it doesn’t come out quickly, it could be because the holes are blocked, or your potting mix is too compacted. It should be packed enough to be stable, but not packed hard into a ball with no air in it.
Some people say it’s a good idea to put stones in the bottom of the pot, or some gravel. But really, you just want the water to have somewhere to go. The key is drainage holes, and a mix around the roots that is suitable for what you want to grow. And, even then, you shouldn’t assume that a pot with holes means it can’t get over-watered. It could still be too wet. Water it based on the soil moisture and the plant’s needs. If you water it while the roots still have moisture in them, the mix will stay too wet.
So, if you’re looking at two pots, think about the details that aren’t as decorative first. Do they have drainage holes? Will the pot be too big for the root ball? Where will the excess water go? Make sure the pot can drain well before you put a flower in it. It will be easier to take care of healthy flowers if the pot helps you with the water, instead of making it worse.
