Fake plants are alternatives to real plants and if you don’t want to deal with the maintenance of real plants, you want to decorate your home with fake plants and learn how to pot fake plants to look like real ones.
Potting fake plants is important for several reasons. It enhances their realism, making them appear as if they’re thriving. A well-chosen pot complements your interior design, adding to the aesthetic harmony of your space.
Properly potted fake plants are more stable and easier to clean, ensuring they remain a beautiful part of your home décor for years. But if you don’t know how to pot fake plants correctly, it will be easier for people to recognize your plants are artificial and may not complement your home’s beauty.
How To Pot Fake Plants
We all know that real plants require a lot of effort to keep them looking great and complementing the beauty of your home that is why a lot of people choose artificial plants over real plants. But fake plants can look messy and unreal if not properly potted.
Even if you have the most beautiful and realistic fake plant, it will look fake if you don’t pot it properly. To make your fake plants look real, here is how to pot fake plants properly”
What You Need
- A pot around 5 to 10 centimeters larger than your plant’s starter pot
- Soil, sand, or stones
- A trowel
- Dirt
- Decorative stones (optional)
- Newspaper or
Follow These Steps
Step 1: Preparation
Protect your workspace by laying down newspaper on your work surface. Potting fake plants can get messy with loose soil, sand, or decorative stones. The newspaper will catch any spills and make cleaning up a breeze.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Pot and Filler
Pick the perfect pot based on the size of your plant. Select a pot that’s 5-10 centimeters larger in diameter than the plastic pot your fake plant currently resides in. This allows space for filler material and creates a visually pleasing proportion.
Tip: Consider the overall style you’re aiming for. A classic ceramic pot complements various decors, while a rustic galvanized metal pot might suit a farmhouse aesthetic.
Step 3: Adding Stability and Height (How to Fill Artificial Plant Pot)
Weight it down and set the height. Fill the new pot partially with your chosen filler material – soil, sand, or decorative stones. Here’s why this step is important:
- Stability: The filler adds weight to the pot, preventing the fake plant from toppling over, especially for taller plants.
- Height adjustment: You can control how high the fake plant sits in the new pot. Add more filler until the plant base reaches the desired height, ensuring the foliage sits comfortably within the pot’s rim.
Step 4: Positioning and Securing (How to Fill Artificial Plant Pot for Perfect Positioning)
Center the plant. Carefully place your fake plant in the new pot. Adjust its position until it’s centered and looks aesthetically pleasing.
This is optional but you may want to secure the plant. For extra stability, especially for larger or top-heavy fake plants, you can use one of these methods:
- Packing material: Gently push some crumpled packing peanuts or newspaper around the base of the plant within the pot to hold it in place.
- Hot glue (use with caution): Apply a small dab of hot glue to the bottom of the plant’s stem or root base, then quickly position it in the pot and hold it firmly for a few seconds until the glue sets. Be very careful when using hot glue as it can burn.
Step 5: Finishing Touches (How to Fill Artificial Plant Pot After Plating)
Fill the remaining gaps. Use your chosen filler material to fill in any empty spaces around the base of the plant in the pot. This creates a finished look and further secures the plant in place.
This is optional but you may want to decorate it with decorative stones. Enhance the visual appeal by adding a layer of decorative stones on top of the filler material. Choose stones that complement the color and style of your pot and the overall decor of your space.
Extra Tip
Mimic nature. For a more realistic touch, consider adding a sprinkle of dry leaves or other natural elements that complement the type of fake plant you’re potting. For example, use tiny fake pinecones for a potted pine tree.
Tips For Selecting Realistic Artificial Plants That Closely Resemble Real Ones
Artificial plants are a great alternative to real plants. Real plants can be difficult to maintain because you still have to water them and fertilize them. But you only need to clean your artificial plants. There are many fake plants out there and if you are not experienced enough, you may just choose the one that looks fake like its name.
When choosing a fake, follow these tips to choose the one that looks like a real plant:
1. Material Matters
Go beyond plastic: While some plastic plants can be quite convincing, higher quality materials like silk, polyester, or a blend of both often provide a more natural look and feel. These materials can better replicate the subtle variations in color and texture that real plants have.
Beware of shine: Avoid plants with an overly shiny finish. Real plants have a matte texture, so a slight sheen is okay, but excessive shine screams “fake.” However, you should make sure it will be easy to clean and maintain.
2. Details Make the Difference
Veins and imperfections: Look for plants with realistic details like veins on leaves and slight variations in color within a single leaf. Real plants aren’t perfectly uniform, so a little imperfection goes a long way in creating realism.
Color variation: Plants in nature have subtle color variations within the same foliage. Opt for artificial plants that have a similar color variation rather than a flat, uniform green.
Stems and branches: Don’t neglect the stems and branches! Choose plants with a natural-looking stem material that’s slightly flexible and has a realistic texture. Ideally, the branches should have some variation in thickness and height as well. The branches should be adjustable.
3. Think Like a Botanist
Species selection: Opt for artificial plants that are replicas of real plants. Many companies specialize in creating highly realistic versions of popular houseplants.
Consider pot size: The pot size should be proportionate to the plant. An oversized pot for a small plant will look unnatural.
Fullness matters: A real plant has full foliage. Choose an artificial plant that is full and doesn’t have large gaps between leaves or branches.
4. Don’t Capitalize on Perfection
Even the real plants are not perfect. It is not possible to find a hundred percent perfect plant so, if the plant offers eighty percent of real plant features, it is great. Just make sure the stem and branches grow at different lengths and directions from the main trunk.
5. Choose A Plant That is Easy to Arrange
Just because a fake plant looks real does not mean it will be easy to arrange. Make sure it fits perfectly inside the container.
6. Durability
Consider where you will be displaying the plant. If it will be outdoors, choose one made with UV-resistant materials to prevent fading.
Creative Ideas For Arranging And Displaying Potted Fake Plants In Different Settings
Fake plants offer a low-maintenance way to add greenery to your space. But how you arrange and display them can make all the difference. Here are some creative ideas for different settings:
1. Living Room
Your living room receives the most traffic so you must make it stand out in terms of how you arrange your plants and flowers. Try the following tips:
- Tiered Arrangement: Create a lush vertical garden by placing different-sized pots on different heights of plant stands. Mix trailing fake plants on a higher stand with fuller ones on lower levels.
- Hanging Haven: Craft a hanging terrarium by placing a small fake plant in a hanging glass globe terrarium. Add moss or decorative pebbles for a natural touch.
- Corners: Fill a large corner with a collection of different-sized and textured fake plants in contrasting pots. Play with heights and textures to create a visually interesting display.
2. Dining Table
Your dining table deserves some plants to make it more attractive. With artificial plants, you can improve the quality and beauty of your dining. These tips should help:
- Low and Lush: Create a low-profile centerpiece by using a wide, shallow pot with cascading fake succulents or ferns. This allows for conversation flow and doesn’t block the view across the table.
- Terrarium Tower: Craft a unique centerpiece by placing a large glass terrarium with a miniature fake plant scene in the center of the table. You can even add small fairy lights for an enchanting touch.
- Seasonal Splashes: Change up your dining table centerpiece seasonally. Use brightly colored fake orchids in spring, a rustic basket filled with fake wheat stalks and berries in fall, or a mini fake Christmas tree adorned with ornaments in winter.
3. Kitchen
Spice up the aesthetic of your kitchen with some fake flowers. To do it the right way, these tips should help:
- Herb Garden Illusion: Line a sunny windowsill with small pots containing realistic-looking fake herbs like rosemary, thyme, and basil.
- Fruit Stand Delight: Create a mini still life by placing a small fake potted citrus tree (like lemon or lime) on your countertop next to a bowl of real fruit.
- Hanging Spice Rack: Repurpose a hanging spice rack and add small hanging planters with trailing fake herbs like ivy or a string of pearls.
4. Bathroom
Make your bathroom a haven where you don’t want to leave whenever you enter there. When decorating your bathroom with artificial plants, these tips will make a difference:
- Tropical Escape: Channel a spa atmosphere with a large fake palm tree in a woven basket pot beside your bathtub. Add some decorative pebbles and faux seashells on top of the soil for a beachy vibe.
- Mini Zen Garden: Create a calming atmosphere with a small fake bonsai tree in a ceramic pot placed on a bathroom shelf. Add some decorative moss around the base for a tranquil touch.
- Hanging Succulent Display: Hang a macrame plant hanger in your bathroom window and place a small fake succulent pot inside. Choose a succulent variety that thrives in low-light conditions.
5. Bedroom
Let plants make your bedroom the most comfortable place to sleep effortlessly. Decorating your bedroom with artificial plants provides beautiful sights that make you sleep even if you don’t usually have enough sleep. Try these tips:
- Nightstand Nature: Place a small fake succulent or air plant in a geometric pot on your nightstand. Opt for calming colors like lavender or silver for a peaceful vibe.
- Hanging Dreamcatcher: Combine functionality with aesthetics by incorporating a fake plant into a dreamcatcher. Attach trailing fake vines or small succulents to the dreamcatcher frame.
- Wall-mounted Greenery: Mount small shelves or hanging planters on your bedroom wall and display a collection of small, air plant-inspired fake plants in glass terrariums.
Bonus Tip
Seasonal Flair: Change up your fake plant displays seasonally. For example, add mini pumpkins and fall leaves around the base of your fake plants in the autumn, or swap out your fake herbs for festive poinsettias in winter.
The Bottom Line On How To Pot Fake Plants
That’s how to pot fake plants. You can use the methods and tips in this article to pot your fake plants. When selecting your fake plants, be sure to consider the materials. If you don’t have enough time to take care of real plants, carefully selected fake plants can also make a difference. Make your space more attractive today!