Beyond Terra Cotta: Creative Pot Ideas for Succulents

Tired of the same old terra cotta and tall, skinny pots for your succulents? Good succulent pots—low, wide, well-draining—are surprisingly hard to find. Here's how to source, modify, and create unique containers that suit succulents perfectly.

The Problem with Standard Pots

Most nurseries stock deep pots that retain too much moisture, causing rot in succulents. Worse, many attractive low, wide pots lack drainage holes. What grows in pots without holes? Nothing healthy.

Typical nursery selections—better than big-box stores but still not ideal for succulents.

Even succulent nurseries often carry tall, narrow pots.

These low, wide pots are what we actually want—but they rarely have drainage holes.

Strategy 1: Drill Your Own Drainage

Buy attractive hole-less pots (from outlet stores, thrift shops, etc.) and drill drainage holes. Use a high-speed drill with carbide-tipped bits for ceramics, glass, and stone. Drill on a soft surface (not concrete) to prevent cracking. Larger holes improve drainage. Expect some breakage—shards make great crocks for pot bottoms.

Creative repurposing: tall pot filled with gravel for drainage; large rosette in tall narrow pot; hanging basket for Euphorbia.

Drill setup and bits. Porcelain and glass are toughest; softer materials (soft clay, metal, plastic) drill easily.

Cracked pot casualties—part of the learning curve.

Drilled pots from discount stores: large square catch basin, porcelain blue-and-white, green glass, turquoise sphere (ex-fountain), aloe in plastic shell.

Sundial/birdbath converted to community succulent planter—shallow, perfect drainage.

Strategy 2: Rock and Stone Containers

Use natural or drilled rocks: feather rock (razor rock), lava rock, boulders. These mimic natural succulent habitats, offer excellent drainage, and create striking displays. Pre-drilled rocks are pricey; DIY drilling works but requires heavy-duty tools and safety gear (feather rock is sharp).

Professional vs. homemade razor rock pots.

Strategy 3: Make Your Own Pots

Raku pottery: Low-fire technique with metallic glazes. Thin-walled but durable. Great for succulents and utterly unique.

Raku pots in the author's garden.

Hypertufa: Lightweight, porous concrete mix you can make at home. Excellent for succulents. (See Dave's Garden hypertufa discussion.)

Purchased hypertufa pot; next one will be homemade.

Cinder blocks & concrete rings: Stack blocks 2–3 high for instant planters. Not ornamental but functional. Concrete rings make modular containers.

Thai-style modular concrete rounds.

Strategy 4: Repurpose Unusual Items

• Strawberry pots: Great for succulent communities; stay dry unless overwatered.
• Tubes (bamboo, PVC, broken tall pots): Fill with soil, plant succulents. Drill drainage if needed.
• Wooden fountain: Converted to community planter—ages beautifully.
• Large shallow bowls: Ideal for community plantings (Sempervivum, Haworthia).

Strategy 5: Specialty Succulent Pots

Bonsai pots and artisan-made succulent pots are expensive but superb—well-draining, ornamental, and sized right. Find them at succulent shows, specialty nurseries, or online.

Specialty pots: concrete fountain, ornamental sandstone chunk, giant ceramic pig, and more.

Almost anything durable and drainable can become a succulent pot. All you need is imagination and a sense of humor.