After having the hardiest plants possible and really great soil that replicates the natural environment of your plants, planters are the next most important thing when it comes to growing your plant collection! 

The downside is the world of planters can be a minefield - so many planters look beautiful but won’t do your plant any good if they:

• Are too big for the plant they are sold with so they don’t create the right soil ratio. The size of your planter and amount of soil in the pot is one of the most important steps to set you up for plant success!
• Are sealed or glazed so they hold in extra water and keep oxygen out (the exact opposite of what we want to do).
• Aren’t absorbent like terracotta. This means they hold in water and can create mold or fungus and attract pests.
• Don’t create the correct environment for your plant. For example glass containers create a humid environment that desert plants such as cacti and succulents won’t survive in.

What you want to look for in a planter:

1. Find planters that best replicate the natural environment for the plants. Our plants come from a variety of ecosystems. We have tested each of them through extensive research in our planters and soil to see how they do in different indoor settings.

2. Look for unglazed and unsealed planters to make sure excess water doesn’t sit in your planter and against your plants roots. We fire our planters in a unique process that makes them absorbent like terracotta. They are porous so oxygen and water can reach roots and the planter absorbs any extra water. 

3. If your planter is glazed, be sure it has a drainage hole. Our cactus and succulent planters don’t have drainage holes - the planter absorbency along with specific instructions we provide help it hold the right amount of water the plant needs to avoid the problem of under and overwatering. If you are watering your cacti and succulents so much that they need a drainage hole, you are overwatering them. 

4. Be sure your planters are good quality so they last and function well with your plants! While we all love a good bargain, it is important to us and our values that the planter not only function well for the plant but are not contributing to oppressive work conditions. We design and hand-make our planters ourselves in order to provide the best planters for each plants' needs rather than the highest profit margins. 

5. Make sure the planter will work for your specific type of plant. Our cacti planters are made differently from our houseplant planters based on the research we’ve done - it’s made for the needs of each plant, they aren’t one size fits all like most planters.

It’s tempting to buy whatever planters are out there but it’s important to know what you are putting your plants in and who you are supporting with your money. For plants to thrive, it is important to best to replicate the natural environment of the plant as closely as possible indoors!

The planters we’ve spent years making are part of our plant kits that take the guesswork out of setting your plants up right from the beginning.

If you need help knowing which planter is best for a plant you already have, just send us a message at care@tierrasolstudio.com and we can help!