The Best Indoor Plant Pots To Upgrade Your Home

Once you have got your houseplants in order, it is easy to forget about indoor plant pots and which ones are the best too really suit your house. We rounded up the best on the market right now and spoke to the Director of horticulture at Petersham Nurseries, Amanda Brame, to get her expertise.

'Plants have taken us by storm - we’ve seen a massive increase in the variety of house plants offered on the market over the last couple of years and whilst the flowering varieties are certainly beautiful and can certainly add a pop of colour here and there. For me, it’s the calm green giants with textured leaves that win every time. '

Do I Take My Plant Out Of The Plastic Pot?

'In nearly all cases I would leave the plant in its plastic pot and place it inside a suitably sized container with a little gravel or Lecca (clay stones) at the bottom. This keeps laying water away from the roots. If you are using a container without a hole at the bottom, which by the way is defiantly a good idea if you haven’t got a saucer or if it's sitting on your prized dining table, take the plant out of its container to water and pop it back in once it has completely drained- overwatering is just as important in plant care as under-watering. I water them in the evening and leave them to drain in the kitchen overnight.'

Are Self-Watering Pots Good For Indoor Plants?

Self-watering pots are a great idea and certainly save handing over your precious ones when you leave home for a few days. However, the ritual of watering and tending your plants, pinching off the odd dead leaf here and there, and nipping out a spent flower bud to stimulate more to follow is part and parcel of caring for your plant, so don’t be fooled that water is all they need. As Amanda states watering your plants can be a quick way in adding to your self-care routine.

Remember it really depends on what plant you are using. Each plant has its own needs so you need to be careful. If you no longer are working from home then they can be a great option for you. Here are some of the best ones we have found...

SHOP: The Best Indoor Plant Pots

How Often Do I Need To Repot My Plants?

Indoor plants need re-potting usually every two to three years, in most cases you can use ordinary garden compost in a slightly larger plastic pot – ask your local shop or garden centre, they will be only too happy to hand over the waste pots and see them reused. Amanda suggests always sticking to specific indoor types of compost for cacti and orchids though, as they do perform much better in the correct soil type.

Bathroom Plants, Cold Room Plants And Where To Buy Them

Here are our top flowering plants and suggestions on where to buy them.

If you are looking for houseplants for cold rooms, try Araucaria heterophylla.

If you are looking for a rundown on bathroom plants, try a hanging cactus like Lepismium Bolivianum.

Stuck for where to start? Here's our guide to the best houseplants to grow easily yourself.

How To Look After My Plants When I Go On Holiday?

Amanda tells us to place plants in the bathtub, sitting them on a bed of capillary matting, which you can purchase quite easily in garden centres or hardware shops. The mat absorbs and holds a water reservoir allowing the plants to only take up what they need. It may be worth asking someone to top up the water level once or twice while you are away.

If you only have just one or two plants, place the bottom of the pot on a wide saucer of moist grit- this will help keep the humidity levels high until your return.