Is the lazy person's pot really useful?
Answering netizens' questions about whether the lazy person's pot is really useful for planting green plants and flowers, let's introduce it next.
The lazy person's pot is one of the most controversial pots, with many people promoting it and others strongly opposing its use, claiming various issues with the lazy person's pot. So, can the lazy person's pot actually be used?
Pros and Cons of Using a Lazy Person's Pot for Planting Flowers
Since the lazy person's pot is produced and widely promoted, it must have its merits. However, in reality, the lazy person's pot is not as useful as advertised, and understanding its principles reveals this.
The lazy person's pot usually consists of a water storage outer pot and a planting basket. The top of the planting basket is threaded with cotton rope, which absorbs moisture to keep the soil in the basket constantly moist.
In terms of design principle, the lazy person's pot can indeed solve the problem of timing for watering that many新手 gardeners face. Using a lazy person's pot, as long as there is water in the outer pot, the soil will not dry out, and the roots will not be soaked in water.
This makes it a great choice for新手 gardeners and busy individuals. It is quite good for planting indoor small potted plants, such as Lucky Bamboo, Epipremnum aureum, Monstera deliciosa, and Fortune Tree.
However, if used for planting some sun-loving flowers, it's a different story. Unavoidably, the following five issues will arise.
1. -- Water Quality Deterioration --
Cultivating sun-loving flowers requires ample sunlight. In a well-lit environment, the water storage outer pot is prone to algae growth, and the water quality will deteriorate rapidly. Even without frequent watering, the outer pot needs to be cleaned regularly, which is one of the issues.
2. -- Limited Pot Opening Diameter --
The lazy person's pot is actually designed for indoor small potted plants. If used for outdoor sun-loving flowers, the pot opening diameter often fails to meet the plant canopy's needs, making the pot too small.
3. -- Easy to Dry Out in Hot Weather --
The lazy person's pot uses cotton rope to absorb water. If used outdoors, even with a large lazy person's pot, when the plant is large and water demand is high in summer, relying on cotton rope to absorb water is often insufficient, leading to easy water deficiency. Even indoors, watering can be overlooked, and if the water in the storage pot dries up without timely detection, it can lead to water deficiency.
4. -- Easy to Accumulate Water in Rainy Days --
With outdoor exposure to sun and rain, it's not always possible to move the pot in and out. On rainy days, the water storage outer pot may fill with rainwater, causing the entire plant's roots to be soaked in water.
5. -- Severe Soil Salinization --
Flowering plants differ from foliage plants. Flowering plants often require a large amount of fertilizer and water, maintaining at least one water-soluble fertilizer per week. If using a lazy person's pot, because it is a water storage type, the soil in the planting pot rarely gets watered, leading to long-term accumulation of salt and alkali residues in the soil, causing soil salinization and affecting the plant's normal growth.
Why is this issue not considered for foliage plants? Because foliage plants require less fertilizer, and we fertilize less frequently compared to flowering plants.
In summary, it is evident that the lazy person's pot is not without its merits. Used appropriately, it can save a lot of trouble. The lazy person's pot is most suitable for planting moisture-loving shade-tolerant and water-tolerant plants, significantly reducing the frequency of watering. If used for indoor plants that do not tolerate waterlogging, breathable granular soil should be used for planting, such as for the Fortune Tree and Wenzhu. When using a lazy person's pot, granular soil should be used, or root rot can occur due to the soil being constantly moist.
The above is the full content about the pros and cons of using a lazy person's pot for planting flowers and whether it is useful, hoping to be helpful to green plant enthusiasts!