Our Guide to Large Planters

The size of planter you need depends on the space you need to fill and the size of the plant. If you’re going to directly pot into the plant container, make sure there is ample space for the plant’s roots.

It depends. Without careful watering and care, a planter that is too large can hold too much moisture in the soil. Soil that takes too long to dry can lead to root rot and other plant problems.

Every plant needs proper drainage to thrive. Whether a large planter needs a drainage hole or not mostly depends on how you plan to plant your foliage, and whether or not the planter will be placed outdoors. Review our ultimate guide to drainage holes to help you decide whether your extra-large planters need drainage holes.

Soil should be your first choice! However, potting soil can be heavy and expensive. If you’re planning on moving your planter around regularly, a large planter full of heavy soil may not be ideal. An easy trick to shed some weight is using lightweight plant pot fillers at the bottom of your planter. Use materials like recycled plastic bottles, reused packing materials, crushed cans, pinecones, wood chips, sticks, or recycled cardboard and newspapers for an easy, lightweight filler.

Depending on the size and growth potential of your plants, you’ll need to decide how much soil is needed to adequately maintain the health of your plants. If the planter is large enough and it won’t interfere with the health of a plant, consider using a lightweight planter filler before adding soil. Then, simply add soil and your plant!