Outdoor Potted Plants - Sonoran Desert

There are two clay Mexican pots that I have had for several years in my backyard here in Phoenix, AZ. One of these pots has had regular watering via an irrigation system. Because of that the clay has deteriorated. I have had better long-term results with more expensive glazed pots. This 22" Vietnamese glazed pot was $44 at Costco, which is where I have found the best deals. These are heavy pots and were not easy to move or transport from the store without help.


The plant pictured here is called Hesper Aloe. I worked on a drop cloth to make clean-up easier. First I removed the existing plant out of the old pot. Then I moved the clay pot out of the way. What remained was an impression in the soil and the rock ground cover (popular in this area). That reminded me to put some bricks or something to elevate the new pot up and away from the ground. Next I threaded the irrigation tubing through the hole in the bottom of the pot. Finally I stepped back to be sure the placement is where I want it and that the pot looked level before filling it up with dirt. I did need additional soil. The garden expert at Lowe's advised using this Kellogg Palm and Cactus mixture. According to the Kellogg Garden website, this soil is scientifically developed to provide all cacti and succulents a proper planning medium. Also it is suitable for indoor and outdoor cacti and other succulents. It is a soil replacement formulated from forest products, which helps retain the proper moisture and nutrient levels. Pumice is added for aerification and sand for drainage. For two 22" potted plants, I ended up needing 2-1/2 one sq. cu. bags, which sold for close to $5 per bag at my local Lowe's. To help fill these pots and create some drainage, I layered in broken pieces of the old clay pot, stones, as well as the soil from the previous potted plant. Otherwise I would have needed to buy quite a few bags.


















And the completed new pot with freshly planted hesper aloe:

March 2009 Update:
I found these "brown ceramic footed pots" at my local JoAnn's. They are part of their Home Inspirations Ceramic Pottery Collection. This set came in the following sizes:

A) 21.3 inch diameter x 20.5 inch originally priced at $99.99;
B) 16.9 inch diameter x 16.1 inch originally priced at $69.99;
C) 12.6 inch diameter x 12.6 inch originally priced at $49.99.

I happened to get these pots during one of JoAnn's half price weekend sale so they were a great value. I wanted to raise them up off the ground a bit to be more visible, so I located these pavers at Lowe's. As you can see the irrigation system can be easily threaded between the pavers through the bottom of the pot.