Whether you realize it or not, the pot you choose for your plants is very closely related to how much you need to water. A big mistake many people make is choosing a pot that is way too big for the plant's root system. This can cause the soil to retain too much water and that results in root rot as mentioned in the last post on watering. Another big mistake is choosing a pot without a drainage hole, so the excess water cannot escape. Now these are not set rules that guarantee your plant will die but you are more likely to have success if you avoid these.
There are a few different options for pots: a nursery pot(plastic), cover pots, glazed ceramic, and terracotta. The first one being the plastic nursery pot which is probably what you will buy the plant in. You can keep it in this style pot if you like, but they are honestly kind of ugly, so the next option is a cover pot which will be used with the nursery pot. Cover pots are usually glazed and do not have drainage, so you can simply keep your plant in the nursery pot and put it in the cover pot. The next option that is usually the most expensive as well, is a glazed ceramic pot. The difference between this and a cover pot is this will/ should have some sort of drainage. My favorite type of pot like this has a saucer attached to the bottom so the water can drain, and I do not need to find something separate to go with it. Below is an example of this with my asparagus fern.
The last option is terracotta which is definitely the cheapest option, and it will be the best option if you tend to overwater. The terracotta material pulls moisture out of the soil and absorbs into the pot. This is ideal for most house plants except the ones that prefer to stay moist. Now there are a few other types of pots that I do not know as much about but, here is a great resource I found that talks about those, as well as some extra details of the types I have discussed.
As I mentioned earlier, the other important aspect of repotting is choosing the correct pot size. Although you can choose a pot that looks like it will fit the size of the plant based on the foliage, you should also look at the root system. Some plants will have a lot of foliage and very small delicate roots that are prone to rot. If the plant is put in too big of a pot the roots will not use all the water the soil retains. This may be okay if you do not water your plants often but if you continue to water the plants before the soil dries you will most likely kill your plants.
Last but not least, we should talk about when to repot the plants you purchase. Usually, it is a good idea to wait as long as possible to repot when you bring a new plant into your home. Repotting disrupts the plant and its roots, so to help your plant adjust to your house you should leave it in the nursery pot for a few weeks. If you have had the plant for a little while, check the roots and if the roots are well established and wrapping around the pot. If they are, then it is a suitable time to pot up the plant in a pot that is an inch or two larger. If the root system still is relatively small, leave the plant in its current pot or a pot that is equivalent in size.
This may seem like a lot to think about and consider, but do not worry too about it too much. Sometimes I will not take my own advice and my plants have done perfectly fine. Just do your best and if a plant dies you have space for a new one!
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