Choosing ideal containers for your compound plants

Whether you prefer plastic or clay containers, choose colours that compliment your home. Containers with suspenders are a good option too. file photos

What you need to know:

Ever admired a hotel or someone’s home simply because of all the various flowers that they have around? I have seen various homes with potted plants and I always wondered how they pull it off? Various questions pop up in my mind; don’t the plants ever get weeds or even get affected by pests? At what cost can one have these precious potted plants?

I have seen many types, shapes and colours of flower pots and wondered how and where the owners find them.
Ms Veronica Namutti says she has potted plants at her home because she loves plants but also because they bring extra beauty to her home and also purify the air.
Namutti says she does not buy the plants but gets them from a forest owned by a relative.
“I buy pots, transplant the flowers from the forest into the pots, then bring them here,” she shares.

Cost
Namutti reveals that the cost of containers depend on the size and make. They range from Shs15, 000 and more.

Buckets
Plastic buckets, can be acquired from wholesale shops in Kikuubo, supermarkets or even online.
The price of these depends on whether they are they are locally made or imported.

Customised flower holders
Ibrahim Muta, a welder in Bweyogerere says some clients prefer customised pot holders for their homes. So if one is willing to incur design costs, customised pots are ideal.
“Some people come with designs of what they want the pot holders to look like. We get different pot sizes and deliver according to what was requested”
Muta notes that some of the pot holder styles he has handled include bicycle and shelf designs. He notes that these can be painted according to the customer’s preference.
Such designs will set you back by Shs50, 000 to Shs150, 000 depending on the style and its uniqueness.

Olivia Birungi, an interior designer shares that one can opt for handmade pot holders made from sisal or cardboard and finished with a touch of African fabric.
Birungi shares that she has also tried using recycled plastic bottles as containers for her plants.
“The bottles initially contained water at the office. I turned them into containers for my plants.”
Birungi says she is fond of picking flower that interests her and goes on to plant them in her bottles.

Other options
Birungi stresses that you do not need expensive pots or buckets to have potted plants in your compound. You can use old cups as storage containers or anything that will hinder the plant from growing freely.
With all this, having a potted plant in your home should be a walk over now. Remember the cost is determined by your preference and budget. If you are on a tight budget, you can resort to recycling for the start until you are ready to buy containers of your choice.

Don’t be afraid to visit other homes just to pick some flower pot ideas.

Drainage
Make sure that there are one or more holes in the bottom of your container to allow water to flow out freely. Insufficient drainage can cause roots to drown, and the plants to die prematurely.