Did you know that most decorative pots and planters are not waterproof at all? Many flower pots are porous by nature, which can lead to moisture penetration. The result is the risk of water rings on your wooden floor, cupboard or furniture. With a plastic insert sleeve, you can easily make your flower pot waterproof and avoid problems.
When to use an insert sleeve?
You can use insert sleeves to waterproof your ornamental pot or planter, but also to reduce the size of tall planters.
Waterproofing your planter:
When you buy a new planter, it is not always 100% waterproof. This is often indicated by a warning sticker or label on the pot, so you will not be surprised. By installing a universal insert cover, you make the pot waterproof and prevent moisture from seeping through.
Reduce the size of tall pots:
If you have an ornamental pot or planter that is a bit higher, it may be wise to shrink it internally. First fill the pot with hydro grains (clay granules) or Styrofoam blocks, for example, and then place the insert sleeve on top. This way, you don't have to fill the whole pot with soil and the total weight of the pot stays a lot lower, which is handy if you need to move it around. By the way, the main reason for reducing the size of the pot is watering. The moment you water and it sinks down, the roots of your houseplant can no longer reach the water. By using an insert sleeve, the water cannot sink any further and the moisture stays within reach of the roots.
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Do you always need an insert sleeve?
Fortunately, no! Most manufacturers realise that it is not very customer-friendly to supply an ornamental pot or plant basket that is not waterproof. Most baskets are therefore factory fitted with a plastic bag on the inside, making them immediately waterproof. With ornamental pots, you often still need to fit an insert cover, although you do see that some pots are supplied ex-factory with, for example, a waterproof, plastic insert. Planters made entirely of plastic are naturally waterproof and do not require an insert sleeve.
Insert sleeve round or square?
If you have a round pot, you naturally use a round insert sleeve. But what to do with a square pot? Here you have the choice of buying a square insert sleeve, but you can often also solve this easily with a round insert sleeve. Because universal insert sleeves are very flexible, you can easily press a round insert sleeve into a square pot. The bottom will then remain round and the top will form a square and should then seal to the rim of the pot.
To know whether your round sleeve will fit in the square pot, you need to do the math. By adding up the four sides of your square pot, you know what the total circumference of the insert sleeve should be. If you have a 20x20 cm pot, the total circumference is 80 cm, divide this by 3.14 (pi) and you have determined the size (80/3.14 = 25.5 cm) of your round insert sleeve. An insert sleeve of 25.5 cm does not exist, so then you take one of 30 cm. So you always take the next available size, this also applies to the round insert sleeves.
Customise your insert sleeve easily
A universal insert sleeve (almost) always has to be cut to size. The most important thing is that the insert sleeve fits well on the wall after being placed in the pot. Simply cut a piece off the cover with kitchen scissors and keep cutting until the desired result is achieved. Be careful not to cut off too much out of enthusiasm, because then your insert sleeve will no longer fit properly on the wall of your pot.
My pot is higher than the insert sleeve, now what?
It is a misunderstanding to think that the insert sleeve has to reach the top of the pot. Instead, it is important for the pot to be waterproof at the bottom. As long as you make sure the edges of your insert sleeve fit nicely to the outer wall of your pot, there is nothing to worry about.
Insert sleeves for non-standard plant pots
Some planters have a shape where no insert sleeve actually fits nicely. For example, if you have a round pot in the shape of a football, it may well be that the insert sleeve you need is too small at the top, while the bottom is too big to put it on the bottom. In those cases, you need to get a little more creative. In that case, first lay a layer of polystyrene or hydro pellets on the bottom until you reach the desired diameter. In exceptional cases, a piece of pond liner can also help.
