Which pot should I use to repot my plant?

Potting your plant contributes to its development, in the same way as watering, fertilizing and exposure. If you need to choose a potting soil suited to its needs, the same goes for the container. To select the right pot, consider three criteria: size, material and shape. A bit like buying an item of clothing.

Before going any further, here's an explanation. If you're a plant addict and this isn't your first orchid, you can skip this part. If you're a novice wondering how not to kill your first Pilea, you may want to know the difference between a pot and a planter.

The pot is the container into which you pour the potting soil and plant your new friend. It needs to be pierced to drain off water. If you don't want to flood your furniture, parquet or carpet, place a saucer under the pot.

The planter is a decorative accessory. They are available in ceramic, metal or wicker, and can be used to conceal the pot. Planters have no holes. This means you can't plant your specimens directly in them, as excess water can't drain away. The planter should be three centimetres larger in diameter than the pot.

About 30 minutes after watering, drain off any water that accumulates in the dish or planter, to avoid rotting the plant's roots.

In the trade, plants are sold in their growing pots. These have often become too small, and the roots escape from the holes at the base. That's why we at Monstera almost always recommend repotting after purchase.

Your plant will remain in its pot for at least a year, before the next repotting. Its size must therefore allow it to continue growing. On average, roots grow by half a centimetre to a centimetre a year. Some varieties, such as chlorophytum comosum or Philodendron, grow faster and need more space.

Rather than make complex calculations, rely on the original pot. Choose the new one a third larger than the old one. This will give your plant more room to flourish and allow it to benefit from the nutrients in the potting soil. If you've received a plant without a pot - a cutting, for example - choose one two or three times the size of the root ball.

The depth of your pot depends on the height of the plant. For upright plants and climbers such as monstera deliciosa or ficus elastica, the depth should be one third of the plant's height. We generally recommend a height of :

We see you coming, busy or lazy gardeners. You're tempted to choose a very large pot that will save you the trouble of repotting in spring. Not a good idea. Your Peperomia will have plenty of room to grow to its final size. But there's little chance of your cutting surviving to adulthood, lost in the middle of its 10 liters of potting soil. With each watering, the soil will gorge itself with water. The amount of liquid will exceed the plant's needs, and the substrate will never dry out. The roots will find themselves in a too-humid environment and will rot.

Unless you want to grow a bonsai, don't choose a pot that's too small either. Not only will your plant not grow, but the potting soil will dry out very quickly. You'll spend your whole life with a watering can in your hand, but your plant will never have had enough water. Its leaves will wither and it will eventually develop aerial roots to try and find water elsewhere.

Pothos, stepmother's tongues, cacti and certain varieties like to be cramped. These plants do best in a pot the size of their root ball or slightly larger. When this is the case, we'll let you know in the care tips we share on the Monstera app.

There's no such thing as the perfect material. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. To find the pot that best suits your plant, think about its needs, but also about your constraints and habits.

Clay is porous. It ensures good water evaporation. If you've been too generous with watering, roots are less likely to rot.

But clay or terracotta pots are fragile and not frost-resistant. When you place them on your balcony or in your garden, you need to bring them inside in winter to prevent them from cracking. Another drawback is that they evaporate more quickly, so you need to water them more frequently.

Terracotta and clay pots are suitable for almost all indoor and outdoor plants. They are the best choice for beginners and those with a heavy hand.

Lightweight, economical, easy to maintain and available in almost any size and color, plastic pots are fantastic. They can be used for indoor plants or in the garden.

Their only drawback is that they are completely airtight. Water evaporates only through the surface. In the event of excess, the plastic retains moisture. Even if you put a drainage layer on the bottom, your plant risks rotting.

If you're growing thirsty varieties such as Alocasia, bamboo, banana or hydrangea, plastic will help you space out watering intervals.

An excellent natural insulator, wood protects the root ball from cold, frost and snow in winter. In summer, it keeps the soil cool.

But if you're installing it outside, you'll need to maintain it and glaze it regularly to preserve its original aesthetic appeal. Be careful not to use toxic products that could harm the plant!

Wood is the most common choice for tree containers. If you're growing a Japanese maple, fig or olive tree on your terrace or in your garden, this is the ideal material.

With their industrial design, concrete pots blend into a modern decor without the need for a planter. Heavy and resistant, they guarantee the stability of shrubs and bushes planted outdoors. With a concrete planter, your oleander won't fall over at the first gust of mistral wind!

However, because of their weight, concrete planters are difficult to move around. If you're installing several on your terrace or balcony, make sure that the weight of the planters, potting soil and tree does not exceed the permitted load.

The latest trend from the USA, geotextile pots are made from recycled materials.

Also known as rootpouch, they encourage root development. When the root reaches the wall of a plastic or terracotta pot, it continues to grow and curl up. With a geotextile pot, it stops growing. The plant then concentrates on producing another root. What's more, geotextile pots are permeable. Air circulates through them, preventing fungus growth and keeping them cool in summer.

But the material has a limited lifespan. After seven years, it becomes damaged and you have to replace the models (and repot your collection).

Geotextile pots are suitable for all types of planting. They are particularly recommended for growing root and tuber vegetables.

Even if plants are good at maths, they don't care whether their home is round or square. Rectangular or oval planters allow you to create pots or compositions by mixing several varieties.

For plants that multiply through runners, such as Fittonia and certain succulents, saucer-shaped pots are a plus. The plant, which doesn't need a very deep pot, will be able to spread out in them and you'll get lots of offshoots.

Whatever the species you want to grow, beware of overly original shapes that prevent access to the plant. For example, with an amphora pot, you have to break the container to repot.