Growing Plants: How to Choose Your First Pot
Why You Should Look at the Pot Before the Plant
The most common reason beginners kill plants is not too little water, but too much water, or more precisely, a pot that does not drain. If a pretty ceramic pot has no hole, water pools in the soil and the roots rot. So before worrying about which plant to buy, the first step is choosing a pot with a hole in the bottom.
| Section | Key summary |
|---|---|
| Why You Should Look at the Pot Before the Plant | If a pretty ceramic pot has no hole, water pools in the soil and the roots rot |
| Beginner Supplies and Budget | Short key point |
| Choose with Material Differences in Mind | Key comparison |
| Difficulty and Choosing Your First Plant | The difficulty level is one star, the easiest level even among beginner plants |
| Getting Started | Choose one hardy plant suited to that light |
Beginner Supplies and Budget
- 1 pot with drainage holes (12-15cm diameter): 4,000-12,000 won
- 1 saucer: 2,000-4,000 won
- 5L potting mix for indoor plants: 6,000-9,000 won
- 1 bag of coarse decomposed granite (for the drainage layer): 3,000-5,000 won
- Watering can or 500ml spray bottle: 5,000-10,000 won
- First plant (a hardy type such as pothos or snake plant): 8,000-15,000 won
A total budget of 30,000-50,000 won is enough. Do not choose a large, expensive pot from the start; choose one just one size bigger than the plant's current root size. If the pot is too large, there is more soil, so it dries more slowly, which can lead back to overwatering.
Choose with Material Differences in Mind
| Material | Features | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Terracotta | Breathable, dries soil quickly, helpful for preventing overwatering | People who tend to water often, succulents and cacti |
| Plastic | Light and inexpensive, retains moisture longer | Busy people who cannot water often |
| Ceramic/cement | Attractive design, but heavy and slow to dry | After you are used to controlling water |
Difficulty and Choosing Your First Plant
The difficulty level is one star, the easiest level even among beginner plants. For a north-facing room with little light, snake plant or pothos is a safe choice; for a bright south-facing window, aloe or a small succulent works well. The thicker and firmer the leaves, the better the plant tolerates forgotten watering.
Getting Started
- Check the window direction and daily sunlight hours (4 or more hours of direct sun is a sunny spot; 2 hours or less is shade).
- Choose one hardy plant suited to that light.
- Buy a pot with drainage holes that is 2-3cm wider than the current root size.
- Spread 2-3cm of decomposed granite on the bottom of the pot to make a drainage layer.
- Add potting mix, place the plant, then fill the gaps with soil.
- Water until it flows out from the bottom of the pot, then discard any water collected in the saucer after 10 minutes.
- Water next only after the top 3cm of soil has dried completely.
The key is to start with one first pot that is okay to fail with. If you can keep one plant alive for just two months, you will develop a feel for watering, and then you can bring in your second pot.