 Hello, if you're wondering which one is best terracotta or plastic, this video is for you. The type of container we use will largely depend on our lifestyle, how we take care of our plants, as well as personal preference. But if you're wondering which one is best for you, here are some pros and cons for plastic pots and terracotta pots. So here are some advantages for plastic pots. First of all, plastic tends to be very light, which is very helpful in a number of ways. For example, if we tend to move our plants a lot, plastic is very light and it's not going to be so heavy for us to carry them. For me, this is very handy when I am watering my plants. I tend to water my healthy plants all together, so I go around my house, check for the plants that need watering, and carry them to a specific spot. So given that the plastic containers are very light, it is very easy for me to just carry my plants and put them wherever I need them to be. Another great thing about plastic being very light is that it can help you check if your plant needs water. Since the container is very light, you can check if the soil feels light. And this is a very good sign that the soil is dry and ready to be watered. If you don't water your plants so often and tend to underwater your plants, plastic can be very helpful. Unlike terracotta, plastic is not porous, so the only way the water gets out is through the drainage holes and by evaporation from the top. And therefore, the water and moisture for your plants is contained in the plastic pots for a little bit longer than if they were in a terracotta pot. This is especially helpful with plants that thrive in high levels of humidity or plants that need the potting mix to stay moist at all times. Another very good advantage of plastic pots is that they come in a great variety. As you can see, plastic pots come in many sizes, colors and shapes. You can even find plastic pots that are completely transparent and this is very good for when we need to see their roots, how they're developing and for projects with leka and plants. So in that sense, plastic tends to be very helpful. Durability is also a great feature that comes with plastic pots. So as you can see, I always save the nursery pots that I get in the plant shop and I know that I can keep using them with other plants. This is because they are very durable, they are very hard to break and that's very useful. As opposed to terracotta, which is very easy to break. The last advantage that I see in plastic containers is that they're very affordable. Compared to terracotta or other materials, plastic is very cheap. So in this sense, you can get many pots for your plants at a great variety but you don't break your bank. Although plastic comes with many advantages, it also has disadvantages. And the first one is a very big one. As you may know, plastic containers take years and years to decompose. So once we're done with them, they're going to continue to pollute our planet for generations and generations. According to my research, newer plastic pots can be partially recycled. So if you go for a plastic pot, I would recommend that you look at the bottom and look for information about the recyclability of the material. And make sure you clean your pot before you take it to the recycling center. Now, if you're someone that tends to overwater your plants, plastic may not be the best material for you. As I said before, plastic containers retain lots of moisture and they retain it for a longer period of time. So if you tend to water your plants very often and sometimes you overwater your plants, plastic containers will not be helpful for preventing overwatering. In that case, I would recommend that you go for a terracotta pot, which is more porous. Also something to consider if you have plants that like the potting mix to dry out in between waterings. In that case, plastic may not be so helpful to them, as it really contains lots of moisture for longer periods of time, and this can cause root rot for your succulents or for your cacti. Ok, now let's talk about terracotta. The first advantage of terracotta is that it is a biodegradable source. So once we're done with our container, we can rest assured that it will break back down to its original components. And this is way better for our planet. Another advantage is that terracotta is very porous. This is great for our plants at least because of two reasons. The first one is that if you tend to overwater your plants, the terracotta will absorb the excess moisture in the soil. And in that sense, the potting mix will be moist but not wet, which is great to prevent overwatering. The second reason is that because terracotta is so porous, oxygen can travel through the material very easily, which is great for the roots of our plants. Remember, if you use terracotta pots for your plants, you will have to check the soil more often. This is because it will tend to dry out faster, so you may have to water your plants more often, especially if you have plants that like the potting mix to be moist at all times. Another advantage for terracotta pots is that they are heavier. This can be taken as an advantage if you have a heavy plant or a plant that tends to grow as a vine. So even if your plant is growing downwards and is heavy, the terracotta will be able to support it. This would not be the case with plastic because as we said, plastic is a very light material. So if you have plants that tend to be more heavy or grow downwards, terracotta can be a very good option for you. And another advantage for terracotta is that it is really beautiful. I love using terracotta pots for my plants because it gives our house a more rustic and organic look. Some disadvantages for terracotta include, first of all, that it is a heavy material. I know that I said that this is an advantage, but it can also be a disadvantage, especially if you tend to move your plants a lot. For example, in my case, I moved my plants to water them. And the plants that I have in terracotta pots are way heavier to carry than the ones that I have in plastic. So that makes it a little bit more tiring for me to care for these plants. The heavy weight of the pot is also not useful if you'd like to check if your plant needs water by lifting the pot up. This is because the pot is very heavy by itself, so you won't be able to check if the soil is lighter because it's missing water. Of course, there are other ways to check your soil, but if you like this specific method, terracotta would not be useful. If you are an underwaterer, the prosody of terracotta may not be so helpful. As I said before, the terracotta absorbs water from the potting mix. So if you water your plants not so often, they may become more thirsty in a terracotta pot. And if you consider your watering schedule plus the porosity of the terracotta, and you combine these two with a plant that needs lots of moisture, this is not gonna be a good combination because the soil will tend to go dry faster. And your moisture-loving plant will not be happy. But of course, if you prefer terracotta because it's more sustainable, we'll just have to make sure that we're checking the soil so we're not under-watering our plants. The third disadvantage of terracotta is that these pots tend to be relatively more expensive. So if you have many, many plants and you want to put them all in terracotta pots, this can cost a large amount of money. So in conclusion, the material of your pot will largely depend on what's important to you, the type of plants that you have, and how you care for them. If you want your indoor gardening to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious, I would say terracotta is the best choice. However, if this is too expensive for the amount of plants that you have, and of course we don't want to break the bank, what I would recommend is a mix of terracotta and recyclable plastic pots. Another tip that I can give you to pick the material that would be best for you is to check the requirements for your plant. If you have a plant such as this one that needs lots of moisture for long periods of time, maybe you can try plastic. But if you want to try terracotta for them, it is okay. All you have to do is to keep checking the soil to make sure that it is moist and doesn't dry out completely. Also, check the way you water. If you are an over-waterer, terracotta is going to be very helpful. Whereas if you are an under-waterer, plastic will help you retain more moisture in the potting mix. And as we learn with our plants, we can see which materials we prefer, depending on where we are in our plant journey. And I would love to hear about you, which materials you prefer and why. Make sure to comment below so we can all learn together. And as always, I will see you in the next one. Okay, ciao!