Why Handmade Flower Pots Make The Best Gifts & How To Shop For Them

Handmade flower pots make excellent gifts for your friends

, family, or even as a special treat that you buy for yourself. Of course, you could go to a garden center and find plenty of machine made pots, but handmade pots are a better option for most people because they can be custom ordered to be any size and color you want. The sheer variety in terms of color, style, and shape is always going to be much greater with handmade pots. It's also a wonderful idea to support American artists by buying handmade pots that are made right here at home, rather than shipped in from overseas, which is what most garden center and mass retailers carry.

There are a few things that you will want to look for in your handmade pots. First, make sure that the pots have been glazed and fired in a kiln. They will last longer and be better able to withstand temperature changes than clay pots that have not been fired. A transition takes place in clay when it is heated to approximately 1100 F or higher. At that temperature, chemically attached water molecules are separated from the clay particles. These clay particles are fused together and the ceramic object is permanently changed. Prior to the transformation, when clay objects are re-introduced to water the clay particles will slake (fall apart) and re-dissolve into the water.

Secondly, you should look for pots that already have drainage holes cut into them to allow moisture to escape. This is important for the health of your plants, since planters without drainage will tend to hold water and create overly wet conditions that can lead to root rot, a fungal condition that is usually fatal to most plants.

Third, look for a designer that specializes in flower pots. Chances are, that person will be especially attuned to making pots that are functional as well as beautiful to look at. A flower pot specialist will have the greatest variety in glazes and finishing details to offer and will know how big or small to make pots that can easily fit on a windowsill, deck, or patio.

Flower pots come in all shapes and sizes. It is recommended that you look for pots that are as wide or wider at the top as they are at the bottom. Should you ever need to repot your plant, it will be easier to remove the plant without damaging the pot if this basic rule is followed. Pots with a narrow opening at the top tend to create a bottleneck effect that traps the plant's roots and makes removing them later on extremely difficult.

If you keep your flower pots outdoors, you may not need to be concerned with placing a saucer beneath them, since any excess water usually just goes out through the deck or patio surface material they are placed on. For indoor plants, however, you should look for pots with saucers. The saucer can either be made as part of the pot, which is a neat effect that a potter with a wheel can easily create, or come separately. If unable to find a matching saucer for your pot, consider buying a clear plastic saucer that is unobtrusive and not very noticeable.

by: Amber Freda

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