I’ve got a huge list of failed products to share. Back when I started container gardening around 2018–2019, there weren’t as many gardening influencers and content creators as we see today. I mostly relied on a few YouTube gardening channels and blog articles to learn the basics.

But honestly, I was clueless—and mindlessly bought almost everything they suggested without proper research. Now, after seven years, I can clearly tell the difference between essential gardening tools and those that are not so useful.

That insight, however, came at a cost: spending way too much money on products that didn’t live up to their promise. Let’s revisit my experiences, so you don’t have to repeat the same mistakes.

Buying Excess Pots That Didn’t Fit My Space

My first gardening purchase—48 nursery pots online—was an absolute mess. At that time, I was so immersed in gardening blogs that I convinced myself I needed to start a full flower and vegetable garden from seeds.

Seeds were affordable, but I had zero knowledge about pot size for different plants or root growth patterns. Out of those seeds, only a few germinated properly. Most failed due to wrong care or planting in the wrong season.

I quickly realized that ordering bulk pots wasn’t useful. Today, I still use some of those pots here and there for seedlings, but the quantity was way too excessive.

Lesson learned: Plants need pot size upgrades based on their growth stage. Instead of bulk buying, I now purchase 2–4 pots at a time, test them out, and reorder only when I’m satisfied. And I never splurge on expensive, fancy pots—affordable pots for container gardening work just fine.

Expensive Readymade Potting Mix That Wasn’t Worth It

When I bought those nursery pots, I also learned that garden soil alone doesn’t work well for container plants. Back then, I wasn’t confident about making my own mix, so I bought a 10kg bag of readymade potting mix for ₹800.

The quality wasn’t bad, but the quantity was tiny compared to the cost. Today, I spend that same amount on amendments like cocopeat, compost, coconut husk chips, manure, organic fertilizers, perlite, and vermiculite—enough to last an entire season.

Lesson learned: Now, I never buy premixed soil. Instead, I prepare my own DIY potting mix for container gardening and store amendments in recycled buckets. This way, I can customize the soil based on plant needs—saving money and improving plant health.

Watering Spikes That Promised “No More Dry Soil”

Watering spikes were a mixed bag for me—useful in some cases but not a full solution. They drip water slowly, almost like mini drip irrigation for balcony plants, but you still need to refill bottles separately.

I bought 10 spikes and only used them for hanging pots or those placed in hard-to-reach corners. For a small collection, they’re fine, but for 50–60 pots, imagine replacing bottles every few days—it’s exhausting.

They also have downsides: in windy areas, smaller pots may topple under the weight of the water bottle. A 500ml bottle only lasts 4–5 days, depending on the season.

Lesson learned: If you have a minimal plant collection or often forget watering, spikes are okay. But they’ll never replace the efficiency of a simple watering can or bottom tray watering.

Cheap Plastic Pots That Cracked Too Soon

Not long ago, I fell for a “70% off” sale on grow bags and plastic pots. The price seemed too good to be true—and it was. Within months, the grow bags tore apart, and the plastic pots cracked at the rim, eventually breaking after a small topple.

The worst part? Those pots housed healthy plants. I had to quickly reorder durable pots for balcony gardening from a trusted seller, which blew that month’s budget and stressed me out.

Meanwhile, my six-year-old plastic pots are still fine—just faded in color.

Lesson learned: Spending ₹100 extra on a quality pot is better than buying cheap ones that break quickly and force you to double your spending later.

Decorative Ceramic Planters Without Drainage Holes

I once bought a set of ceramic planters from a local vendor on the highway. I assumed they would behave like clay pots—porous and breathable. Big mistake.

One planter had no drainage hole at all, and others had tiny holes that were clogged with hard water deposits. Within a week, my plants wilted due to root rot.

The pots looked aesthetic, but they weren’t functional. They were also expensive, hard to drill, and came in limited sizes.

Lesson learned: Ceramic planters without drainage holes may look stylish, but they’re impractical. If you must use them, treat them as cachepots and place functional grow bags or nursery pots inside.

Drip Irrigation Systems That Didn’t Work in Small Spaces

Before the pandemic, I tried installing a DIY drip irrigation system for terrace gardening. It was one of the toughest solo tasks I’ve ever attempted—I was completely drained.

Two years later, after a house renovation, I had to dismantle the entire setup. The kit still sits in storage because constant construction made it impossible to reinstall.

Lesson learned: Drip irrigation works best if you have a permanent setup, a nearby water tap, and ideally an extra pair of hands to help. For solo balcony gardeners, it’s not worth the struggle unless you’re fully committed.

(PS: I plan to set mine up again soon and will share the process on YouTube!)

Low-Quality Seeds That Never Sprouted

This regret took me longer to notice. At first, the seeds sprouted fine. But when I stored them for even a few weeks, germination rates dropped drastically.

Later, I learned why: most of those cheap seed packets were near expiry—essentially clearance stock. Buying from non-trusted sources made it worse, as many were already expired. I wasted time blaming my green thumb when the real problem was bad seed quality.

Lesson learned: Always buy seasonal vegetable seeds from trusted nurseries and check expiry dates. A few extra rupees for quality seeds will save you from disappointment and wasted effort.