Pots and how to use them

The best pots to use are black plastic pots which can be bought in different sizes, according to your needs. The size of the pot used is most important when sowing seed or repotting a seedling depending on the species being planted, taking into consideration the needs of the plant and how it grows.
4 inch pots are best used for small seed which will stay in the pots for two seasons in your growing house. 5 inch pots are used for larger seed and for some gladiolus which may also stay in the pots for two years.

Larger pots are used when potting on after the second year, or, if the plants have outgrown the pots that they are in.
It is best not to use too large a pot for a small plant, rather, repot it on as it needs it. This gives you the chance to monitor growth, change the old potting mix as needed, add nutrients and split the plant if necessary.
For plants that do not like being disturbed too much, use an appropriate size pot and let it grow on, Black pots tend to heat up quickly and hold in the heat.
For this reason it is best to use pots no smaller than 5 inch outside in the sunlight as any size smaller will heat up too quickly and dry out, possibly killing the plants and burning the roots.
You could line the inside of the pots with silver foil or something that will reflect the heat but this is a big job if you have a lot of pots. On hot days, make sure that you keep the watering up to your pots. Also keep in mind that the water saturation level of the pots is the same no matter what the pot size is.

Do not use crocks in the bottom of your plastic pots as it is not necessary today, with the advent of plastic pots which have excellent drainage; and soil-less, free-draining seed and potting mixes available. This method was used in the olden days when terracotta pots only, were available.

Crocking can also cause trouble in pots by raising the water table level of the soil in the pot.
Be cautious of using coloured pots such as blue or green as the plastic in them tends to break down in the sunlight and the ultra violet rays of the sun.
There is nothing more frustrating or damaging than picking up a pot and having it crack and fall apart in your hand. I tend not to use other colours, unless I have to.
For this reason Pottery or Terracotta pots are also difficult to use because they are porous and could dry out quickly in the garden. Unless you have them on a patio or inside near a window where you can properly control watering, it is best to be cautious when using them.
Keep in mind that it is better to have your pots slightly off the ground on bricks or wood so that they don't get waterlogged. This will also help prevent slugs and snails getting into the pots.
However, I often sink my pots into the ground. This helps keep the pots moist and controls sudden and unwanted changes in temperature. Mulch the top of the pot to stop dirt from splashing onto the plants when watering , which might bring disease. This also helps to keep weeds from getting into the pots.
You could use a snail killer around your pots to keep these pests at bay, but you need to be careful if you have children or animals around.

I have seen "pots" made from newspaper, filled with potting mix and held together with string or rubber bands but I have not tried this myself.
It stands to reason that if you are enterprising enough and it works, you can use your ingenuity and make your own pots.

Good potting to you