Why Use Pot Feet?

When you visit our site, you will find that we stock a wide selection of plant pot feet. But do you know what they are and why you should use them? In this post, we aim to explain why plant pot feet have become so popular and what benefits your plants will gain if you add these low-cost, long-lasting, and decorative ‘feet’ to support your pots.  

First, we will explain what plant pot feet are, show you how easy they are to use, and finally, what benefits you will gain by using pot feet under your pots, both outdoors and indoors. 

What Are Plant Pot Feet? 

Plant pot feet are small, sturdy supports, usually ranging from 1 to 5cm in height. Used in sets of three or four, they are placed under the base of a plant pot to securely elevate it off the ground. There are a number of reasons why you should lift pots off the ground, including:

Improved Drainage - whilst most plant pots have drainage holes in the base, if the pot base is sat directly onto a solid surface, such as a paving slab, then water will still get trapped underneath, and with nowhere to go, the water remains in the soil, meaning your plant's roots could be sitting in sodden soil, which can cause root rot. Simply elevating the base of the pot provides a gap for excess water to drain. 

Increased Airflow - outdoor pots can become damp, especially when exposed to our Great British Weather! This dampness can create an environment where pests and diseases thrive. Lifting pots off the ground so air can flow underneath helps reduce dampness, prevent mould, and allow oxygen to reach your plants' roots more efficiently. 

Reduced Pest Damage - simply raising pots off the ground makes them harder for crawling pests to reach your plants and damage them. Although it only makes their route to foliage more troublesome, combine this with other organic methods of protection, and it's a simple way to keep your plants strong and healthy. 

Pot Protection - some pots will be prone to frost damage during winter if they are made of terracotta, which soaks up water that can freeze, expand, and crack the pot. Pot feet help prevent this by lifting pots off a wet surface, allowing better drainage, so they retain less moisture and are less likely to freeze and break. 

Surface Protection - when you have plant pots outside, water can get trapped beneath them, which can cause dampness, leading to rot in wooden surfaces, mineral stains, and ugly green algae growth. Something as simple as putting pot feet under the pots elevates them off the surface so water can drain away, reducing these problems. When used indoors, you will prevent furniture, floors, and window sills from getting damp and from developing stains easily and cost-effectively. 

What Are Plant Pot Feet Made From? 

When it comes to selecting plant pot feet you will find them made from various materials including terracotta, recycled rubber, stone or metal. The aim is to use a material which won’t be damaged by moisture so it’s long lasting as well as being strong enough to support the pot they are under. 

We stock a wide selection of pot feet made from bronze as this metal can not only be formed into some beautiful designs, it is also extremely strong making it perfect for supporting the heavy weight of large pots whilst it’s also highly weather-resistant so can withstand all of the Great British Weather when used to support pots outdoors. 

Can You Make Your Own Plant Pot Feet?

You can make your own plant pot feet from many different types of materials, and it gives you the opportunity to recycle things such as wine corks, which can be placed under smaller pots to lift them off the ground. You can also use leftover tiles, broken bricks, flat stones, or large pebbles as pot feet, and they are perfect as temporary solutions when you have drainage problems under outdoor containers and want to lift pots instantly out of standing water.

However, improvised or handmade pot feet may not be as long-lasting as those which have been designed and manufactured precisely for the purpose of supporting plant pots. It’s also difficult to match the heights of stones or pebbles when placing three or four below a pot, so you can end up with containers being precariously supported. However, when you purchase pot feet, they are supplied in perfectly matching sets, so they are all the same height and strength, ensuring your plant pots are securely supported off the ground. 

Do Pot Feet Prevent Root Rot?

Pot feet are a well-known, quick, and easy way to help prevent root rot in plants growing in pots outdoors. Plants such as lavender, hostas, ferns and hydrangeas can all be affected by root rot if there is poor drainage, preventing excess water from escaping the soil they are growing in. Whilst you can adapt your watering to ensure you don’t over-water your pot-dwelling plants, you can’t control the weather. So your next course of action is to ensure your pots have sufficient drainage holes in the base and that the base of the pot is elevated off the ground so excess water can run off, rather than your pot sitting in a pool of water. Spacing a set of three pot feet under your plant pot creates an air gap below the pot, which allows excess water to drain away and enables oxygen to reach the base of the soil, helping keep the plant's roots healthy. 

Do Pot Feet Stop Slugs?

Wouldn’t it be great if pot feet were the quick and easy way to stop slugs from reaching your plants! Unfortunately, whilst lifting the base of the pot off the ground makes it more difficult for crawling pests like slugs and snails to have a direct route to your plants, these determined little blighters can climb up the pot feet in order to scale the pot and eventually reach your plants. 

However, pot feet will make it harder for your plants to be eaten by slugs and snails, and if you combine the pot feet with other deterrents, such as using copper tape around the pot and using a rough top dressing, such as coarse grit, over the surface of the soil, these will combine to make the effort too much and save your plants from damage. 

Whilst you will be making it harder for crawling pests to reach your plants, by using plant feet to lift the base of your pots off paving, decking, etc., when used outdoors, will also remove the dark, damp space where earwigs, beetles, vine weevils and woodlice like to shelter. 

Can Plant Pot Feet Be Used For Indoor Plants? 

Whilst we usually think of using plant pot feet for pots and planters outdoors, they are also ideal for protecting surfaces from damp rings, mould, or rot caused by pots sitting on furniture, wooden floors, carpets, etc. 

Although we aren’t normally as concerned about the surface our pots are sat on outdoors from being marked by water draining from the base of pots, it’s totally different when we have houseplants displayed on shelves, tables, windowsills or floors, as these surfaces can be damaged by moisture trapped between the pot and the surface. Whilst our plants may be displayed in decorative, watertight pots, it’s best to be careful and prevent any damp from getting onto easily damaged surfaces. It’s simple to add some pot feet. They can even make your houseplants look even more decorative!

Can Plant Pot Feet Be Practical And Decorative? 

The great thing about buying pot feet to use with your potted plants outdoors is that they can add decoration to your outdoor space, whether that’s seasonal like these charming pot feet, which feature Christmas robins, or whether it's just a way to show your character if you were to choose pot feet which featured dogs or cats, butterflies or hedgehogs. 

This also means that pot feet are the perfect gift for a gardener, even if they only have a balcony garden, as you are providing them with something that is not only a practical way to keep their plants healthy but also makes their potted plants more attractive. You will also find that some manufacturers produce plant pot hangers that complement their pot feet, such as Jardinopia, with coordinating bronze hedgehog pot feet and pot hangers. 

Are Pot Feet Worth Buying?

We hope that this post has shown you not only how practical plant pot feet are that you will want to get them to support your potted plants, both deterring pests, improving drainage and airflow and as a result helping your plants to thrive, that these perfectly made, sturdy and matching pot feet are the easiest way to support even large pots securely off the ground.

Available in a wide range of styles and designs, they also make them an easy gift to purchase for friends or family, and you know you will be giving them something that they will love and their plants will benefit from. We also offer a gift wrapping service, so if you want us to post a set of plant pot feet direct to the gift recipient, we will be happy to do so. Just select this option when you complete your basket.

Keep Your Plants Happy With Plant Pot Feet! 🪴