Your guide to pots

What pot will my plant arrive in?

Every Patch plant turns up in its nursery pot, the humble plastic one it's been growing in at the nursery. It's not much to look at, but it's doing an important job: it's the right size for the roots and its base is full of holes, so water drains straight through. No repotting needed on day one. Just slip the whole thing inside a decorative pot (the film above shows how) and you're set.

What size decorative pot do I need?

A decorative pot is the good-looking one that hides the nursery pot, and we make them in every colour and material going, from a little number for a bedside shelf to a floor-standing statement. Sizing is the easy part: every plant's page tells you exactly which pot size it needs and suggests a few that suit it.

Browse the full range of pots →

How do I water my plant?

Easiest way: lift the nursery pot out, pop it in the sink, and water until it runs from the holes in the base. Leave it half an hour to drain, then drop it back into its decorative pot.

Too big to lift? Water it in place, but go gently: lightly moist soil, never soggy, and never a puddle in the bottom of the pot. Roots left standing in water are the number-one way to rot a plant.

When should I repot my plant?

Not for a while. Your plant will be happy in its nursery pot for a year or more, and only wants sizing up once it outgrows it. The tell-tale sign is roots poking through the drainage holes or creeping over the top of the soil. When that day comes, go just 2–3cm wider and it's a five-minute job.