How to Choose your Orchid Pots

by bill barber

The orchid pots that you choose to re-pot your orchids in is important to their longevity. Orchid roots have rotted and plants have perished because they were placed in the wrong kind of pot. Many types of orchid pots have actually been custom designed these days.

However there are differences as some orchid pots have been designed to allow for a free flow of air, while others are designed to be translucent, giving the pot the ability to allow the process of photosynthesis to spontaneously occur within the orchid. It is critical, however, to pay attention to the type of orchid you have, as well as the growing conditions it requires, in order to select the right size and type of pot.

Basket orchid pots, plastic pots and clay or terracotta pots are the most commonly used orchid pots. To help you decide which pot is best suited for you here is a brief overview and some of the positives and negatives of each type of pot.  

Plastic Orchid Pots

For plants that require a damp growing medium, pots made out of plastic are the perfect choice. Because orchid plants need the compost they are in to be moist but not waterlogged, plastic orchid pots are perfect because they have multiple drainage holes. If there isn’t enough drainage you can always puncture the bottom of the plastic pot to fit your orchid’s needs.

The major disadvantage of using plastic pots is that the potting mix retains water longer in plastic than in clay pots.

Orchid Pots made of Clay or Terracotta

Clay orchid pots are excellent for epiphytic orchids that are drought-tolerant, such as Cymbidiums, which are also much healthier in larger-sized orchid 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 Basket

Orchids like Gongora which have pendant flowers and are sprawling with heavy roots do well in basket pots made out of wood, mesh, or wire. These types of orchids need a lot of sunlight to penetrate their root systems, as well as good air circulation, both of which are important for producing the beautiful blooms these orchids are known for.  Basket orchid pots are excellent providers of air circulation and sunlight..

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.  You will almost always find basket pots for orchids that are meant to be hung from some type of support structure.

Each of the orchid pots mentioned above are suitable choices for re-potting your orchids. It is simply a good idea to find out before purchasing what the ideal growing container is for a particular type of orchid.  Each variety of orchid plant requires a uniquely different type of growing condition and pot.  Doing the research first will help you choose the right kind of orchid pots to buy.

February 2007 – Urban eco-pioneer, Anais Dervaes, demonstrates an ancient & efficient method of irrigation using ollas (unglazed clay pots) which are gradually making a comeback in our water challenged world. The principle behind the olla is that unglazed terracotta is porous, and when buried in the ground will slowly seep moisture to the surrounding soil and spread via capillary action. Any plants nearby have access to a steady stream of water. Apparently ollas have been used by the Spanish for centuries and were brought to the arid American south-west by the colonisers. The system also developed independently in China, Zimbabwe, Iran and Pakistan, and the Romans were known to irrigate their grape vines using this method. Ollas (pronounced OH-yas) virtually eliminate the runoff and evaporation common in modern irrigation systems, allowing the plant to absorb nearly 100 percent of water. If you would like to purchase an olla for your garden you can buy them in different shapes and sizes at www.pathtofreedom.com/shop For more about their revolutionary urban homestead project urban sustainable living and homesteading check out their website at www.PathtoFreedom.com [Footage courtesy of Larry Frank of LPG Productions a pitch tape for Hallmark Channel's 'New Morning']

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