Can you put plants directly into pots?
Putting them directly into a planter also works. I have both. If it’s a plant where good drainage is really important, I use a grower’s pot. I always keep growers pots in a prettier ceramic pot. One of the best things to put at the bottom of a planter for drainage is broken pieces of pot. You can use any unwanted plant pots or chipped crockery for this – simply smash them up into small to medium-sized pieces. Adding a layer of broken pieces of pot like this will prevent compost loss out of the drainage holes.
Can plants survive in pots without drainage holes?
While proper drainage is typically crucial for plant health, it’s still possible to successfully plant and care for your green companions in pots without drainage. No. Rocks will collect water at the bottom of the pot which sounds good in theory, but will only allow for root rot, bacteria, and disease growth.
Do plants do better in pots or in the ground?
Your choice depends on how much space you have, how good your ground soil is and your particular gardening needs. For example, if you live in an area where you need to bring your plants inside in the winter, you will want to plant in containers. The traditional planting and the living plant arrangement. Traditional planting is when you allow enough room between plants that the containers looks full after 2 to 3 weeks of additional growth. Generally, I would use 3 or maybe 4 plants in 10 or 12-inch planters; 5 to 8 plants in 16 to 20-inch planters and so on.
What is the longest living potted plant?
The world’s oldest potted plant is a prickly cycad (Encephalartos altensteinii), which was brought from South Africa to the UK and planted in 1775. The individual growing in the Palm House at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK is considered to be the oldest potted plant in the world, having arrived there in 1775. Other individuals have also reached a great age, with the one in Lednice Greenhouse, Czech Republic estimated to be 300 to 600 years old.