Should camellias be planted in deep pots or shallow pots, and is deep planting or shallow planting better?

  Many gardening friends enjoy growing camellias in pots, but for many beginners, the issue of pot choice is a headache. The main confusion is whether camellias are better suited to deep pots or shallow pots, and whether deep planting or shallow planting is better. In fact, whether to use deep pots with deep planting or shallow pots with shallow planting, we still have to decide based on their growth habits.

  Since the root system of camellias is not particularly well developed, especially the vertically growing roots do not obviously reach deep, it is generally recommended to use shallow pots with shallow planting, as this is more conducive to plant growth. But this is not absolute; for large cascade-style camellia bonsai, it is often still recommended to use deep pots for planting.

  For planting camellias, it is also not recommended to use deep pots for transplanting and potting, because the root system of camellias is not especially developed and does not grow very deep, unlike orchids, clematis and other flowering plants. But if we insist on using deep pots to grow camellias, it is also possible. Why is that?

  Because we can add a very thick drainage layer at the bottom of the deep pot, such as larger stones, tiles or foam, and so on; generally any material with poor water solubility will do. We can even use the small black pots we often see, then place them at the bottom of the deep pot and directly elevate the bottom. In this way, the bottom of the deep pot can also provide good drainage.

  If you use a deep pot to grow camellias, you must make a relatively thick drainage layer at the bottom of the pot; otherwise, since camellia roots cannot grow that deep and there is too much potting soil, it is easy to cause water accumulation in the pot and lead to the optimistic phenomenon of suffocated roots, waterlogged roots and root rot. So for generally potted camellias, it is more suitable to use shallow pots with shallow planting.