How to Choose Orchid Pots? Key Points and Methods Explained

① Clay pots This type of pot is fired from ordinary clay blanks, has relatively high moisture absorption, strong breathability, and good drainage. These pots are cheap, but their shape and color are not attractive. When displayed indoors or in exhibitions, they are often placed inside a decorative outer pot of elegant form and matching color, so as to set off theorchid's graceful bearing and spirit. ② Porcelain pots Made by firing porcelain clay blanks, fine in texture, bright in luster, available in many colors and diverse shapes. Because this type of porcelain pot is tightly textured, has extremely poor breathability, and does not easily release moisture, it is generally mostly used as a decorative outer pot. ③ Glazed pots This type of pot is first made from pottery clay into a blank, then coated on the outside with colored glaze and fired. Its luster is smooth and colorful, with Jun glaze, white glaze, blue glaze and others being the most common. There are many forms, including decal, semi-glaze, color painting, and relief. Amongorchid-growingpots, it is the most used item. ④ Sand pots This type of pot comes in various textures such as purple sand, red sand, white sand, black mud, iron sand, and pear-skin mud, with diverse shapes. Sand pots have an antique elegance in color, a solid texture, and stronger breathability than porcelain, glazed and other flower pots, and are one of the pots widely adopted in the orchid-growing world. ⑤ Tree-fern pots Made from tree-fern wood abundantly produced in Taiwan, China. New tree-fern pots, because their tissue is loose, have good aeration and drain easily, and are most suitable for growing epiphytic orchids. Tree-fern pots after several years of use are suitable for growing terrestrial orchid types. When cultivating variousorchids, sand pots and glazed pots are used the most. As for pot form, the trumpet shape, tall-waisted open-mouth round pot, pot-bottom round pot, and golden-bell style are the most suitable, because once the pot is round,orchidflower buds, no matter in which direction they grow, can be turned accordingly for front viewing, without affecting the beauty of the pot's form. Orchid roots are aerial-loving fleshy roots and need an environment with good breathability and strong drainage, so the pot base should have straight, tall feet standing like a tripod to strengthen air convection. The pot feet should be 3-5 cm high, and the drainage hole at the pot bottom should have a diameter of 3-5 cm. Pot selection should be determined according to the orchid species, the number of leaf clusters, and the growth vigor. Cymbidium goeringii roots are generally finer and shorter than those of other orchids; when choosing a pot, one may use an open-mouth pointed-bottom trumpet-shaped pot, a tripod-foot pot, or a slightly shallower pot-bottom-shaped pot. Cymbidium faberi roots are thick and long, so it is better to choose a tall-waisted, golden-bell-shaped, or large trumpet-shaped, deep round pot, or a tall deep polygonal pot. Summer orchids, autumn orchids,Cymbidium kanran, and New Year orchids; because potted plants should be numerous rather than few, extra-large pots must be used. The root systems of terrestrial orchid types are even thicker, longer, and denser, and should be planted in large, tall, deep, or round and broad pots, and should be large rather than small, so as to provide sufficient soil volume and allow the root system to spread. All kinds of pots, before use, must first be placed in clean water to soak for a period of time, and used only after they have absorbed enough water and their firing heat has been eliminated. (Lin Qingde, Mu Wei)