Plastic pots and clay pots

[sand_tiger86]

I've kind of encountered a problem. I want to pot a couple of my orchids in plastic pots, but I think they're absolutely horrendous and tacky looking so I want to place them inside a clay pot to mask the ugly. However, I can't seem to find plastic pots that fit with clay pots. For example, a 4" plastic pot doesn't seem to fit with a 4" clay pot. Most of the time the base of the plastic pot is too wide, and the clay pot is too narrow. It's frustrating! Do I just have to go with a 4" plastic and a 5" clay for it fit inside? It seems like that would leave too much room...I'm kind of OCD and want them to fit snugly.

[Dazed]

OCD huh?Not sure how to help that part but you're gonna have to tolerate the extra inch. 4" in a 5" is the best you can get unless you get really lucky and find 41/2" clay pots. Besides, when the roots do their Houdini bit you can still conceal them in the bigger pot without disturbing them or freaking your 'OCD' self out with the sight of the unruly roots.

[sand_tiger86]

Unruly roots don't bother me at all, actually. I think they're cool and just part of Orchid nature. I just don't like the look of plastic pots...they just aren't pretty and make orchids look like weeds.

[Halloamey]

Finally I know a person with much more exacerbated OCD than mine LOL !

[Gage]

I do agree that clay is visually superior to plastic. In fact, can we just remove plastic from the planet altogether please? Good luck finding a snug fit. I have stacks of various plastic pots and stacks of various clay pots, and I rarely find a snug match, I'm lucky if I find one that fits inside another without "drowning". I think your best choices for clay pots will be what are called Azalea pots or the standard clay slotted orchid pots. These are usually a bit shorter and wider, which can be good for fitting a plastic pot inside it.

[deeann]

Use a little bit of sphag to cover the difference, you can use packing peanuts ( or whatever you have) to put down the sides and stabilize the plastic pot and a few strands of sphag to cover the looks of of the gap.

[leafmite]

I use black plastic net pots or cork mounts. I have never given any thought on their visual appeal. Good luck finding something that works for you.
Posted via Mobile Device

[leafmite]

Or recycle the plastic.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dazed]

Or do what I did, put a round plastic pot in a square decorative pot of the same size. Fits exact. I only have one cause everything else is mounted or outside, so why bother making em fancy-schmancy.

[cakedaddy]

Just an idea...if you are wanting the plastic pots for moisture retention, the aquarium grade silicone mentioned on another thread could probably be applied to the interior of a clay pot. You could use a spatula or something to spread it evenly. Then just trim out the drainage holes.Posted via Mobile Device