Orchid Pots - Three Most Common Types of Orchids Pots

Choosing the right orchid pot is crucial to your orchids overall health

. If the wrong pot were picked, the orchid's roots could rot and die. Nowadays, many variations of orchid pots have been custom-designed. Some orchid pots are patterned for air to flow freely and others are translucent to allow the process of photosynthesis to transpire spontaneously within the plant. However, the size and type of pot to use need to be carefully considered depending on the orchid type and the growing conditions.

There are three types of orchid flowerpots commonly used, the plastic flower pots, clay orchid pots also called terracotta pots and the basket orchid pots.

Plastic Flower Pots

These types of orchid pots are ideal for those varieties of orchids where it is important to prevent the drying out of the growing medium. Plastic orchid pots are lightweight and come with numerous drainage holes to serve the needs of the orchid plants for moist but not waterlogged compost. If there are not enough drainage holes one can easily puncture the pot according to the needs of the plant. Plastic plant containers are often used in the home, but the disadvantage is that the potting mix tends to retain water for longer periods than clay containers.

Terracotta or Clay Orchid Pots

This type of orchid pot is a great choice for the drought-tolerant epiphytic orchids like Cymbidiums that are inclined to thrive better in larger pots. Terracotta or Clay pots come with a drainage hole at the bottom and the porous clay material allows water to evaporate making them perfect for growing these varieties of orchids that are highly susceptible to being adversely affected by a water-clogged environment. Terracotta orchid pots have the advantage of being heavier than plastic pots thus providing a more stable pot when growing orchids in an outdoor environment.

Orchid Baskets

Basket pots made of wire, mesh or wood are excellent for all sorts of orchids especially heavy-rooted and sprawling orchid types like Acineta Stanhopea and Gongora which have pendant flowers. The basket orchid pots ensure better air circulation and allow more sunlight to reach the roots which is essential for the blooming productivity of these orchid varieties. However, baskets tend to dry out more easily so proper care should be taken in respect to watering them. Basket pots come in a variety of shapes and sizes and materials. Orchid baskets are almost always hung from a support structure.

All of the above orchid pots are suitable to plant your orchids into. However, before choosing a pot, it is recommended to research your particular types of orchids for what their growing container preferences are. Different orchid plants typically require different types of pots and different growing conditions. Doing the research first will eliminate any trouble that could possibly be caused by using a less suitable plant pot and ensuring your ultimate success in orchid cultivation.

Orchid Pots - Three Most Common Types of Orchids Pots

By: Grace Caley

POST COMMENT

Is it Orchid Types Or Species? Easy way To Orchids Repotting How To Water Your Orchids So You Don't Kill Them How To Choose Orchids Lights For The Best Results The Different Kinds of Orchids Orchid Growing Lights – Setting up Your Orchid Growing Area How to Choose the Right Orchid for You How To Prune An Orchid Why Are The Leaves On My Orchids Turning Yellow? A Little Geography Can Give Us Clues to Watering Orchids The Right Way Caring for Orchids To know about Orchid and its types How to deal with your orchids repotting