I love succulents, unfortunately being in zone 5 only so many can grow on my windowsill lol...I have an aloe seedling (ha...it's like 5 inches tall), Jade and some really hard, spikey dark green crassula that I swear nothing can happen to it. Echeverias? Not so much.

I personally would get a shallow pot but depending on how big it is it may be fine with a regular deep pot. As long as it drains well it may not even matter.

I actually just asked you this in the house plants forum but are you anywhere near Des Plaines? I stopped by Peshe's there today and they have TONS of different pots, I think the bonsai and orchid crowd would even find it impressive. At least 50 orchid pots of different shapes, sizes and colors. I didn't even know shallow 4 inch bonsai pots existed until today! So cute. Anyway, you would for sure find something there AND wouldn't have to pay for shipping. I checked the prices on some and it wasn't too outrageous, probably about average.

Hi Mojave. I heard Pesche's closed 3-4 years ago..Did they reopen?
Actually, I'm in Brookfield, totally opposite of Des Plaines, but could probably get there 30-40 mins on a weekend.
They're prices used to be higher than other nurseries, but maybe they reduced?? Is it possible? Wishful thinking..lol.
Would you happen to recall costs? Clay or plastic.

You mean shallow pot/s. lol..More than one. I want what's best for the Agaves, you know? Also, I don't want to pot in too large container, 2-3" bigger than the rootball.

Did you go to Pesche's for pots, plants or both? After you mentioned the nursery being opened, I went to their site; there's no mention of succulents or tropicals.
Do they only sell garden plants and supplies now?

Have you ever been to Jamacan Gardens? There were two locations. One in Morton Grove the other in Libertyville. The MG nursery closed 4-5 years ago. Their plants were amazing.
The Libertyville nursery is still opened, but much smaller than the MG location. Prices are higher, and the last two times we stopped there, most plants had one type of insect or another. After that I stopped shopping there entirely.

Did you sow the Aloe seedling?

I love Aloes, Jades, Pachypodiums, and Euphorbias, especially, Crown of Thorns. There's so many Ephorbias to choose from. Different colors, shapes, textures. Many flower, even in winter.

You can make room, Mojave. Do you summer plants outdoors? It sure helps.
Shelves, hanging baskets. Artificial lights. You don't have to spend a zillion dollars either. There's all sorts of tricks..lol..

Thanks for the update. I might give them a call tomorrrow. Toni

Did they? It's possible, I wasn't in the area for 4 years not too long ago, but I know they have a new (not sure how new) greenhouse with lots of house plants and a really nice home decor center. And yes, they have lots of cacti and succulents. I think I saw two Hummel's Sunsets there. A guy that was there (owner?) said they were getting a new shipment in on Friday actually.

Yes, in terms of plants Peshe's is more expensive than if you went to HD. It seems as if all of their 4" plants are anout $7. Hanging baskets are a little over $20 for Pothos and Hoya. There's a nice sized ficus there for $90. In my opinion though, they are better taken care of, the soil is better (though still not like what people around here put together but it does contain some grittier bits and wasn't sopping wet when I was there). Plus, the plants are in better shape too. I hate going to HD and their big plants are always torn to bits. Peshe's plants are not like that. They organize it pretty well too and have a few that are surprising to see (like some Sans I saw there and a ginormous Aloe)

In terms of pots you honestly would be able to find anything you want there. I think the price is comparible to HD (maybe a few $ more) but the really big pots (the huge outdoor ones) were like, $80 or more. The smaller pots, like the typical 4 - 6 inch pots, were around $10 or more. There's also lots of outdoor garden stuff (bird feeders, garden decor) and even a designated couch for husbands to sit and wait for their wives LOL (there's a sign it's pretty funny). I'm pretty sure there were plastic pots there too but I didn't look over them as much. The pots the plants come in are pretty decent and they give you a cute little tray with their name and contact info on it.

I would love to bring some plants outside in the summer but we have a townhome so we can't do much outside, and the porch is just big enough for a grill, two chairs, and a potted tomato plant I plan on attempting to grow.

Sorry, I missed some of your questions. Right now they only have their greenhouse and gift center open but they still sell the outdoor stuff in the spring and summer.

I think they would let you know the prices of their supplies if you told them you were really far, they're really nice there.

I did not sow my Aloe seedling, I actually got it for $1.50 at Dominick's, I couldn't believe it. It's pretty happy now in its turface and is getting a red tinge to it from the sun. It's growing pretty slow but I don't know if it's because it is an aloe or because it is winter. I have another one, name escapes me but it is stripey. Anyway it is starting to get soft and I can't figure out why - some of my other succulents are too and I wonder if the sun is too much for them. I don't think it is root rot.

I've never been to Jamaican Gardens but we drove by it once and we joked "hmm what do you think they grow there?" haha

That's too bad the MG location is gone and the other one isn't so great, I'm actually going to be moving up that way soon. There's all kinds of nurseries in Lake County but the ones I've seen are pretty small. Peshe's and Lurvey's actually grow their landscaping plants out in that area but it's mostly bulk landscaping supplies for the public.

Toni, I have 50-50 succulent and tropicals. As they are getting bigger I and I am getting older and cannot lift the large pots I have turned to making lightweight pots.

I do not know if you would like to try my method but here goes....

I have endless supplies of styrofoam because of shipments since I work out of my home. I make pots from the styrofoam. But these coolers can be picked up at the dollar store in the summer. To make them look pretty I pick up outdoor caulking and a caulking gun and HD sell the bags of gravel. That is all the supplies you need.

1. Spread caulking on one side of the Box.
2. Roll your caulking smear'd side on the gravel that you have spread on a piece of paper. It will stick to the caulking.
3. Repeat 1 and 2 until all sides are covered.

You have a large pot that looks like stone and it is very lightweight.

I will post a pic of one of the pot this evening.

My other answer has been thrift shop finds. I have found wooden mixing bowls. I spray painted them black. LOL

Mojave, I'm sure the pots are gorgeous, but way over my budget. lol. To be honest, 'depending on the plant,' I usually use clay or plastic growing pots..
For one, I can't keep ceramic/decorative pots in this house. I once went to a garage sale, and found beautiful ceramics from .10-1.50..Bought 5..None are around..Between my son's friends, and pets, every pot broke. lol. Wait, I do have one, which is in the upstairs bedroom, where pets can't possibly knock down. lol.

Another reason is, I shower or attempt showering plants regularly. In summer, plants go outside..the elements would ruin nice pots.

Still, I wouldn't mind going to Pesche's to 'look' lol. Perhaps I can find an online coupon..they come in handy.
That's soooo funny they have a waiting area for men..ROFL.

Oh oh...some of your sux are getting soft? It could be from over or under-watering.
The sun wouldn't cause leaves to soften. It has to be a watering problem.
Is your soil well-draining? I make up my own mix, not the mix some on GW use. But it's well-draining..Heavy soils and sux don't work.
One thing I learned, never water sux at night or with cold water.
Soil should dry completely..it depends on the type of succulent, of course. I wait until soil looks/feels crumbly. When you lift the pot, it should be light in weight. Sticking your finger or a thin stake/prong is another way to tell if soil is dry.
My sux aren't fertilized until I see new growth. Many go dormant, so I allow them to rest..just like a person. When we're sleeping, we don't want someone shoving food down our throats. lol. Same with plants..Sux and tropicals.

I hope you figure out the problem, Mo.

Marquest, I've never used caulk or caulk machine in my life..lol..Not that this matters, but I'm a female, lol..I know what caulk is though..lol..

But your idea is a good one..maybe you should market them.

When I bring plants outside, I make sure they're dry. Since most pots are plastic, plants aren't too heavy. And when plants are moved around outdoors, I use a dolly.

I'd like to see a picture of your home-made pot though..It's interesting..Toni

We have no pets or kids at the moment, so I get to have fun pretty pots :) that will probably change eventually.

It's probably because of underwatering. They're small plants in small pots and I will go 3 to 4 weeks before I water. Some of them love it but others are not happy with me. The soil is well draining for the time being (my happy aloe is in pure turface-like stuff right now). The buyer I got most of them from (California seller) has it in a mix of perlite and some organic mix, so it's better than one would get at a nursery but will need to change in the spring or summer.

My mom has a bunch of vintage 1940s plant pots in her garage - but she won't give any to me because she likes them too much lol...she doesn't even have like house plants! She get them for super cheap too.

Mojave.. How many plants do you have? Mojave, I have somewhere between 300-400..If I was to buy nice pots for every plant, we'd have to go bankrupt..lol..
I've been collecting plants many many years.. 25+. I have a few plants from the early 70's, several from the 80's, and of course 90's and 2000's.
Since the internet, the number of plants increased. It's addictive. So, if you don't want your place looking like a gh instead of a home, Beware, stay away from online nurseries and Ebay. lol.

I don't know anything about turface. What it is?
Why do you change soil in summer? Do you do this every winter and summer?? Wow, lot's of work..lol

Your mom is sooo lucky. I too would love a vintage pot from the 40's. My parents hated plants so none were in my family to begin with. And we never went to garage or Estate sales.
I can't believe your mom won't at least loan you a few pots, especially since she doesn't have plants..lol..Your mom sounds like my friends mother..The woman has a mini green house from the 50's..My friend asked if she could borrow it..her mother said NO!!! It's still in her basement, collecting dust.
I'd love seeing pics of your moms pots. She might even have collector containers..rare..you never know what you'll find at a garage sale..
Tell her I said she MUST lend you a few..lol..j/k. Maybe when she goes to a garage sale, you should tag along??

Toni,

Allow for a few inches of growing room around the pruned-back root ball and repot as you would almost anything else. They're pretty forgiving plants. I can see merit in both approaches, but if they're in nice pots, maybe just some root-pruning and fresh soil and back into the same pots.

Toni - I have less than 15 plants LOL but a year ago at this time I don't think I had any.

My mom likes to keep her pots because I think they are "rare" like you said. I'll post a pic when I'm there next week in the house plants forum. They're all octogon-ish shapes with a basketweave texture and come in colors like mint green, peach, and a light yellow. She's a garage sale freak and that's where she got them. Has tons of them. She said she would LEND them to me but lol seems silly!

Turface is one of the ingredients in Al's gritty mix. I actually use oil dry (that I tested to make sure it doesn't fall apart) as a substitute. If it is in pure turface though you almost have to treat it like hyrdophonics (sp?). It so far is working wonderfully on my aloe.

I'm changing my soil for all plants this summer because I was a newbie when I got them all (well, still am but a more informed newbie) and planted them in bagged potting soil and they're all not very happy about it. Won't stop whining.

ML,

I'm looking forward to bedding out a few Agaves on the SW side of the yard, when the ground thaws, that is.

(a nice Emmenthaler cheese being served with that whine)

Toni I am a woman and a little woman if I can work a calking gun I know you can work one. LOL

Her is a pic of my pot. I have a Calla Lily growing in this one.

{{gwi:369765}}

What's the conservatory, or am I just missing something really obvious?

PS - spotted some lithops last week in HD, not sure if they interest you or not

Darn..I clicked the box to inform me of responses..guess clicking doesn't work anymore either.

Cactus..thank you. Who would have thought Agaves would grow so large in containers..especially small containers. Some roots have cracked their pots. Many have offshoots. But No flower, boohoo.

Mojave. Well, maybe you should 'borrow' a few pots from mom, and she'll forgot she loaned them to you..lol.

Mojave..My suc soil is well-draining. I make my own mix, been using it for years..Depending on pot size, soil dries 3 days after being watered.
You said you have 15 plants..I have 300-400. If I had to water more than I do now, I'd give up growing, lol.

I use bagged soils, but amend with other ingredients. Guess it's a matter of famiarizing oneself when to give a plant a drink.
Heck, if I had to water daily, I'd put concrete floors in my house, and use a hose..lol..

Cactus, lol..told you you had a sense of humor..

Marquest, you're female? God, I am sooo sorry. lol.
It's not really a matter of size..I'm 5'5 and weigh 116lbs. Don't know if you consider that large or not..lol
The problem is, I once tried caulking a wall. Think it was caulk..lol..the stuff hardened before I could apply it. Turned out a big mess. lol..

Wow, nice pot..is it made of pebbles? Your Calla is coming along nicely. Do you over-winter indoors?

Mojave, are you asking me or someone else...about the conservatory????
I like Lithops, but have a difficult time keeping them. My last Lithops bloomed, then died, a couple months ago. I should research their care..But they are very very interesting, and so many different varieties..Toni

If any one can tell me where to go to learn to open photobucket on chrome, I would be so grateful

Thank you. There are times when I see a post and no pic and the next response is remarking on a picture. I have no idea what that means, other than I am going blind maybe. lol