What pots should I get

[PashkaTLT]

Hello guys,

So I get my palms in those black nursery containers with holes at the bottom. I assume I need to put those nursery containers in some good looking pots? And those external looking pots should have no holes (otherwise how do I water my palms inside?)? But if the external pots will have no holes, there's a chance that too much water will stay at the bottom?

[PalmatierMeg]

Do not ever pot palms in containers without large and adequate drain holes. If you use trays to catch runoff from watering do not leave pots sitting in standing water. Sitting in water leads to root rot and death. After watering wait 30-60 minutes then discard leftover water. Be careful not to overwater - more water is not the cure for all palm ills and more palms are killed by overwatering than too little water. I am more concerned with pots that drain well and coarse, loose, light potting medium than I am with making a fashion statement with my palms.

[PashkaTLT]

So you use trays inside? And how do you remove water from those trays if a palm is very large and heavy?

[PalmatierMeg]

I don't keep indoor plants. Most of my container palms sit on plastic shelf units out on the lanai. Water drains from the pots onto the sealed concrete floor. During warm weather you can do the same or let them sit outdoors on blocks. Indoors, if you can't/won't move pots to switch out trays, soak up excess water with something absorbent or suck up water with a wet/dry vac. Get creative, just don't let your palms sit for days in festering water.

[5am]

For years I kept my indoor palms in various Lechuza pots. Of the larger ones, the interior liner and the exterior pot both have a drainage screw. So indoors you put that screw in and outdoors take it out. Some offer optional wheels. Seems like you might want to look into those features.

That brand is incredibly expensive and perhaps nowadays you can find something that works just as well without the cost.  After spending most of their decade in the Texas sun some of them don’t look as pretty as they used to but they’re still as strong as they were. Ive never had one crack though I’ve moved then many times. The water floater needs the occasional clearing of spider webs to keep it working. Since moving to a place where the palms i like will live outdoors year round I’ve tossed most of the liners so that I can fill the entire pot. 

[Merlyn]

I only have a couple of indoor plants, but I treat them pretty much like Meg said.  They are in loose, fast draining soil that holds a bit of moisture.  I have them in big ceramic pots with drain holes and a saucer.  After watering I check the saucer and shop-vac out any excess water that ends up in the saucer.

[teddytn]

On 4/20/2023 at 2:54 PM, PashkaTLT said:

So you use trays inside? And how do you remove water from those trays if a palm is very large and heavy?

I’ve kept all kinds of potted plants indoors including palms. For those pots that would blow my back out to water in the bathtub every couple weeks, I use the appropriate size pot for the plant, but use a few times too big water saucer under the pot. After watering and waiting awhile like Meg said I’ll put a hand towel in the saucer to soak up any extra water and ring it out in the sink. Maybe not for everyone, but super easy.