Nairobi, May 6 -- Most people are drawn to a planter based on its colour, shape, and whether it looks right in the space they have in mind.

Magdalyne Kataa, a pot and plant seller based in Ruiru, says that such instinct is fine, but it is only half of the decision-making process and often the less important half.

"The other half has nothing to do with aesthetics. It's about root space, drainage, the material used, and whether the pot is suitable for the conditions in which the plant will actually live in," she says.

"Get these wrong, and you'll end up with a struggling plant in a beautiful pot."

Samuel Kungu, a pot seller based in Karen, agrees. He explains that a hanging pot that looks great on a Nairobi apartment balcony would be un...