[kermit]

Simple question really, and probably incredibly dumb!  When people refer to 3 inch pots, do they mean the diameter of the top of the pot, or the depth?   

[mickeyboy]

i take it to mean diameter not depth...

If im wrong i shall soon be corrected

[Kristen]

When I do I refer to Diameter - but dunno about other people!

I expect 3" diameter pots are also about 3" deep. Problem arises with larger sizes. There are "Pans" - which are shallow relative to diameter - and things like Rose Pots which are deep relative to the diameter.

And then some pots are sized in Litres, rather than Diameter.

All very confusing I'm afraid.

What are you wanting to grow / plant ?

[Yorkie]

Yes, it's diameter across the top of the plot pot 

[kermit]

Coolio, thanks!  Just wanted to make sure Im not using too big pots for potting on my tom and chilli seedlings - Ive read that if you give them too much space it can be bad (forget the reason!).

[Kristen]

Yes, better the roots grow to fill a right-sized pot, and then you pot them on into a bigger one once the pot is fairly full of roots.  I go 3", 4.5", 6", 9" then plant out into the greenhouse border (but if I was growing in pots I would then pot on to final size 12" pot)