Over time terracotta gets a beautiful dark patina as the clay soaks up minerals from your water and soil. Taking these steps will help your terracotta clay pots stay whole and ready for the next season. Store upside down, preferably unstacked.Store in a basement, shed, or sheltered outside spot (tarp if outside).Give them a dry wipe removing dirt from the inside.At the end of the growing season, empty all your clay pots for plants.Pots left outside filled with dirt can soak up water that freezes, expands, and cracks your pot.įollow a few steps to ensure outdoor pots make it through the winter. This is a boon to your plants in the warmer seasons but when freezing weather arrives it can spell the end for your pots.
Terracotta clay is porous, meaning it can soak up water and also let water evaporate out. Rinse well with clean water and let the pots air dry and sit in the sun for a few days if possible. Use a green scour pad to scrub off the scum surface on the outside and inside. Place the pot in the tub and coat with the water/vinegar. Take the empty plant pot and wipe off as much of the dirt as possible. Mix the water-vinegar solution in a shallow tub or pan. You can use a bleach solution using the same ratio, however we recommend skipping such a harsh chemical. We recommend using a white vinegar solution - 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water. I certainly don’t recommend this as it can clog the dishwasher with dirt and I wouldn’t want fungus in there. Some people advise cleaning terracotta plant pots in the dishwasher. If your plant pots do get fungal growth, or you just want to remove some of the natural scumming, a quick cleaning can do the trick.
This is not a critical step, however it can help to ensure that the pot doesn't absorb all the water you just gave a newly potted plant.Īlso, if you are buying pots that have been imported from overseas, or mass produced, perhaps stored in a warehouse for a long time, you should give them a good wash first as you never know what may be on the surface. You can really see how porous the terracotta plant pot is when you do this.
Just watch as the orange pot changes color as it absorbs the water. If planting in garden terracotta pots, this is terracotta with no glaze or finish, it is helpful to soak the pot prior to planting. Preparing Terracotta Plant Pots for Planting
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