Flower pots come in all shapes and sizes at garden centers. The size is usually given as an edge length (for rectangular or square pots) or diameter (for round pots). It is more difficult with old pots that you still have in stock at home. A simple mathematical application can be used to measure.
If the flower pot is empty, the diameter can be easily measured
The square pots
A distinction must be made here between rectangular and square pots. With both, it is not a problem to determine the size. You simply take a large ruler or folding rule and measure length, width and height.
A suitable cachepot should always be slightly larger in size so that there is a little distance between the inner pot and the outer pot. This allows excess irrigation water to evaporate effortlessly.
The round pots
With these pots, only the height can be measured with a ruler. The exact diameter of the pot is the center line of the top circle. This can be determined with a little bit of math.
Calculate the diameter of a circle
You will need a sheet of paper, a ruler, a pencil and a pair of compasses.
- First put the flower pot with the opening on the paper.
- Use the pencil to draw the circle of the opening on the paper and set the pot aside.
- Using a pencil and ruler, draw a horizontal line anywhere through the circle.
- Where the line intersects the circle, mark two points, A and B.
- Now take the compass and draw a circle with the center A and the center B. The circles must be big enough to intersect at two points.
- Now connect these two intersections with a vertical line.
- Take the ruler and measure this line. It is the measure of the diameter of the flower pot.