Caring For Terra-Cotta Pots And Containers

Good Hygiene For A Healthy Planting

By Arlene Wheeler

 

If you’ve got some of those lovely terra cotta pots and containers out in your yard, you know just how much they add to the landscape, especially once you’ve filled them with some choice flowers from Schriemer’s! Terra cotta is one of the most decorative materials available for outdoor containers, as it is made from natural materials. But for this same reason it does require regular care and attention, or your pots will be short lived. Here are a few tips for routine care:

In Fall:

Terra cotta is a relatively brittle material, and can crack quit easily. The most common cause of damage to these wonderful artifacts is moisture cracking caused by the freezing and expansion of moist soil remaining in the pots over winter.

The best way to protect your containers is to completely empty them in fall of all soil, and then either turn them over or cover them so that snow and late fall rains can’t accumulate over the winter. You can also bring the empty pots into a shed or garage, which will give extra protection from the elements.

If you find it difficult to empty the soil each year, the next best thing is to completely dry out the soil in the pots before storing them for the winter. Stop watering your annuals with the first fall frost, and remove the plant material. Leave the pot fully exposed to the sun on sunny days, but cover the pot completely on rainy days. When the soil is completely dry to the touch as deep as you can dig, securely cover the pot for the winter so that no moisture can get in.

In Spring:

Terra cotta is a porous material, which means that it will retain mineral salts, fertilizers and even disease organisms over the winter. The minerals can leach out in rain or from waterings and stain the outside of the pots, rendering them rather ratty looking!

To protect against diseases being carried over from year to year, as well as to keep your containers looking as good as they can, you should give them a thorough cleaning every spring (this can only be done on empty pots). Follow these simple steps;

1. Prepare a mixture of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water in a large tub (large enough to submerge your terra cotta pot into).
2. Soak the container in this mixture for at least 24 hours. The longer you can soak the pot, the easier it will be to clean.
3. After soaking, vigorously scrub inside with a wire brush or ice scraper. Scrub the outside as well to remove any stains, scale or sediment, but be careful not to damage the pot.
4. Rinse the pot thoroughly with a garden hose, or soak it in clean water for at least 15 minutes to remove the bleach, which can harm your plants.

We now carry a great new product called Spray N'Seal Pottery Sealer. It's a special 2 part formulation that provides instant waterproofing as well as long term protection. It strengthens pottery, protects against discoloration and unsightly moisture stains, slows the accumulation of alkali and salts, and retains the rough natural look of pottery - with no glossy finish. It's safe for plants and pets, too.

For best results with new pots, apply one liberal coat of Spray N'Seal to all surface areas of pots and let dry for 24 hours. For used pots, clean the surface with a stiff brush and then follow the same directions as for new pots. It comes as a ready to use spray (24 oz or 682 ml).