How do you secure artificial plants in pots outdoors?.

How do you secure your outdoor artificial plants in their pots? Worth knowing, because it keeps them steady and prevents damage to the pot or the plant. Although artificial plants can take normal weather conditions, a strong gust of wind calls for extra protection. Securing them properly is therefore essential. In this article you will read how to secure outdoor artificial plants in pots.

Step-by-step guide: securing an outdoor artificial plant in a pot or planter

1. Choose the right pot or planter

Choose a pot or planter slightly larger than the root ball of the artificial plant. That gives you enough room to fill it with weighting material. Also make sure the pot has drainage holes, so you avoid damage and standing water at the bottom.

• Choose a pot that is large and wide enough
• Stone or ceramic pots are more stable
• Make sure there are drainage holes

The pot or planter must not only be big enough, it also needs enough weight. By choosing wider pots you get a larger footprint, so the weight is better distributed and the artificial plant or tree stays balanced. Plastic pots are often light and less suitable for outdoor artificial plants.

1. Fill with weighting material and anchor

Fill the bottom half of the pot with heavy materials. Gravel, pebbles or sand work best. This adds weight to the pot and stops it from toppling over. Gravel and pebbles also ensure good drainage, which prevents rot.

Anchor the stem of the plant with floral foam so you can fix it firmly in the pot. Push the stem into the foam and press it down firmly to hold it in place. Then fill the remaining space in the pot with decoration such as soil, moss or decorative gravel.

3. Anchor the pot or planter firmly

Do you have an artificial tree or a large artificial plant? Then you might also consider anchoring the pot to the ground. Use sturdy straps or ground anchors to fix the pot to a stable structure, such as the base of the fence or the veranda.

• Straps or belts
• Screwing the planter down
• Hook-and-loop tape for small pots

Another way to protect outdoor artificial plants is to drill holes in the base of the pot and screw it to the surface underneath. That is certainly worth doing where the ground outside is uneven. It creates a solid base, even in wind.

Hook-and-loop tape is a handy solution for securing small artificial plants in pots, to a fence or another fixed object for instance. Because the strips are adjustable, they hold the pot firmly in place and stop it toppling over in the wind.

Extra tip! If you notice the bottom of your pot is smooth, you can roughen it with sandpaper. Applying coarse sandpaper to the underside gives you more stability. Non-slip pads are another way to stop the pot from falling.