As an avid orchid gardener, you likely already know just how elusive and delicate these beautiful plants can be. They have a reputation for being especially difficult to grow, as they require specific care and maintenance other plants typical don’t need.

But they are also without question one of the most stunning, vibrant, and endearing potable plants (and all orchidists can agree!).

That is why, in order to keep your orchids happy and healthy, you need to be vigilant in their care– and that certainly includes their pots. One of our favorite potting options for orchids are baskets, including black plastic hanging baskets, wooden baskets, and more. What exactly makes baskets your orchid’s “best friends”?

Why Are Baskets Great for Orchids?
Clay or terracotta pots are easily one of the most classic options for housing plants, and that certainly includes top-heavy orchids. While they typically do make for excellent potting choices all around, baskets are arguably the best of the best for orchids. Baskets for orchids are usually made of either wood or plastic.

So, what are the advantages for choosing plastic or wooden baskets for your orchids?

Give Them Ideal Drainage and Airflow
Orchids are epiphytes, which essentially means that they grow on another plant (but doesn’t cause it any harm as they aren’t parasitic). In order to boost their likelihood of successful growing, flourishing, and blooming, you should replicate their natural habitat as much as possible.

Mimicking their natural environment includes not trapping their roots as much as possible so they can “breathe” and allowing for proper drainage. When they grow in the wild, they are constantly privy to an abundance of airflow and get their water from external sources (rain, air, and debris). By opting for pots that have holes, there is ample allowability for water shedding and airflow to the roots.

Allow You to Monitor Roots More Closely
As hinted at above, the roots of orchids are, for lack of a better term, “finicky.” In order to be certain that you are catering to their unique needs just so, monitoring them closely is essential. Baskets afford you increased visibility to the roots of your orchids– and that already impressive level of visibility is significantly furthered when you choose plastic hanging baskets (these tend to have larger holes and are sometimes completely transparent).

Keep Soil from Spilling
Orchid media is usually fibrous and very loose, making it difficult to spill out of baskets that are made with the right, meticulously created weaves. By choosing baskets, then, you will be ticking all the right boxes for your plant’s health (as covered above) while simultaneously decreasing the likelihood of its soil spilling out.

Won’t Rust like Metal

As we all know, metal pots can rust surprisingly quickly. Baskets, however, will not rust at all, as they are composed of wood or plastic. This is ideal as they will continue to serve both your orchids and your indoor/outdoor decor for years to come!

Increased longevity
Because wood and plastic are especially resilient to traumatic occurrences, they are far less likely to chip or to break in comparison to clay pots. That way, you can have confidence that they’ll last– even in the cold weather!

Excellent Decorations!
You of course want the best possible potting location for your orchids. You need something that will keep them growing and blooming for as long as possible. But, you also want something that is aesthetically pleasing! Fortunately, baskets of all kinds are especially enamoring to admire, as they boast clean designs while being innocuous.

For example, our black plastic hanging baskets provide the support and care your orchids need to grow while also providing a unique flair to your outdoor space.

Simply put: they’re practical for your plant and ideal for interior/exterior design!

Things to Take Note of When Choosing Baskets for Your Orchids
When you are choosing baskets for your beloved orchids, there are a few key points to keep in mind. For one, you should choose between wooden and plastic– and both have their own advantages and disadvantages of which to be cognizant.

Wooden baskets may require more frequent repotting than plastic baskets because they break down due to natural decomposition. When repotting from wooden baskets, however, be especially mindful of roots that have grown into the wooden slats. Be careful not to break the roots by manuevering them delicately through the slats.

Plastic baskets, meanwhile, disallow the orchid’s roots from growing into them. However, the roots can still grow between them, so using caution when repotting is still necessary. Many orchidists prefer plastic baskets as they are more lightweight, less expensive, and long-lasting.

We suggest adding a wire mesh to the plant’s bottom to ensure there is not spillage at the bottom of the basket, whether it be made of plastic or wood (peace of mind is never a bad thing!).

Our Options for Baskets
Now that we have covered the advantages of choosing a basket for your orchids, it’s time to discover the best basket options for them. Here at Orchid Supply Store, we have several appealing options, such as black plastic hanging baskets, wooden hanging baskets, and tabletop baskets.

No matter where you choose to display and/or hang your beautiful orchids, we have the most high-quality options available!