Planters Let You Add Color Anywhere You Need It

An attractive planter can add exactly the right touch to a container garden. Just make sure you get the right pot for a particular use.

Clay: Clay pots (also called terra cotta) are good for indoor or outdoor use, with some limitations. The material is porous, allowing plant roots to breathe - desirable because the roots need oxygen. But plants in clay pots require more frequent watering than those in nonporous containers.

Clay pots can last for centuries, even millenia, but not if they’re left outdoors all winter. They’re subject to flaking and cracking that occurs when wet soil expands and contracts due to rapid temperature changes. To protect a favorite pot, take it inside for the winter. If you leave it outdoors planted with flowers for winter color, just acknowledge the risk of damage.

Standard clay pots are inexpensive. (A large, ornate pot can cost several hundred dollars.) Some gardeners swear by Italian clay pots as more durable, as well as more stylish. Not surprisingly, they’re more expensive than ordinary clay pots.

Cast stone: Cast stone containers are made of pulverized stone mixed with water and a bonding agent, then poured into molds. The material lends itself to fine detail work, even a hand-carved appearance, often in a classical vein.

Cast stone is extremely durable and not subject to winter damage. Prices can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the size and intricacy of the piece. In high-quality pieces, seams should be inconspicuous.

Concrete: Concrete doesn’t lend itself to as much fine detailing as cast stone, but it can look decorative nonetheless. Some enthusiastic gardeners consider the thickness of the walls a disadvantage, as it reduces the space for plants.

Concrete, like cast stone, is nearly indestructible and withstands temperature fluctuations. Just don’t expect to move big planters around much unless you’re a professional weight lifter.

Plastic: Some gardeners dislike plastic for aesthetic reasons. Even so, it’s acceptable for some purposes - for example, planters that need to be moved periodically or placed where children might break them. They also weigh much less than their clay counterparts, making them useful on balconies. They hold water well, and some do laudable jobs of mimicking clay. Despite their durability, plastic pots can fade or deteriorate outdoors.

Prices start at a couple of dollars or so and range to perhaps $20 for a basic 24-inch pot. Fancier versions, maybe with a Gothic or Roman design, cost more, starting at around $20 and going up to several hundred dollars.

Wood: Half whiskey barrels and cedar or redwood planters are an alternative for large plantings, ideal for casual outdoor use. Cedar and redwood are naturally decay-resistant. You can increase the longevity of oak barrels by sealing the insides with tar; just be sure to drill drainage holes.

A half whiskey barrel or other large planter is big enough for a shrub, a small ornamental tree or a container garden of vegetables, flowers or herbs. Half whiskey barrels sell for about $15; redwood and cedar planters start at around $20.

Specialty: Many types of containers lend themselves to plantings, with some caveats. You can put houseplants in a priceless porcelain cachepot, but common sense dictates that you wouldn’t leave it outside where it could be subject to storm damage. It’s advisable to repot any container plant every six months or year, using new soil to avoid buildup of harmful acid and fertilizers. Because those same acids can eat away at metal, regular repotting can lengthen the life of a brass, copper or other metal container.

If a container doesn’t have drainage holes, you can simply place a potted plant and saucer in it, or drill holes if the container’s not valuable.