Everyone loves using a beautiful pot as a home for their plants, and terracotta pots are lovely! These pots look great inside the house for accent plants as well as outside if you want to add some décor to your patio or garden. Use this list of things to know about preparing a terracotta pot for planting to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Keep the Pot Clean
While it may sound odd, plant experts advise soaking a non-glazed terracotta pot for a few hours, even overnight, before adding any soil. Some people also wash out the pot to remove debris or bacteria; you should do this if the planter isn’t new. Plants can get sick, and reusing an old pot puts others at risk.
Planting pros also recommend soaking your terracotta pot if the inside isn’t glazed or painted because clay tends to absorb moisture. You don’t want the soil drying up once your plant is inside. However, if the inside of the pot is glazed, all you have to do is give it a good wash.
Check the Drainage Hole
Terracotta pots have a drainage hole at the base to catch and prevent soil from washing away when you add too much water. If you plan to keep the planter inside of your house, keep a plate beneath it to catch any excess water and soil. Typically, you don’t need to keep a plate under an outdoor pot, but you may want to consider doing so if it’s in a common area like a patio.
Pro Tip
Never plug the drainage hole as this key feature lessens the risk of root rot, which could kill your plant. This issue occurs because the roots drown in excess amounts of water. If you don’t have a saucer to put under your terracotta pot, you could also place rocks inside the pot before your soil.
For more information regarding planting a hand thrown, wall orza, check out our youtube video..
Find the Appropriate Location
Another key thing to know about preparing a terracotta pot for planting is that it’s essential to find the perfect spot. You don’t want to risk the pot falling over and breaking due to natural elements or someone bumping it. Before preparing your new plant home, look around your house for the perfect spot. Search out an area that’s easy to access, especially if it’s a larger, heavy pot.
Shop for Quality
Plants are a type of decoration, and so are the pots they live in! Many terracotta pots utilize unglazed red clay, and while this looks amazing, you could take things a step further by purchasing a beautifully glazed pot. GringoCool sells beautiful, hand-painted Spanish terracotta wall planters you can hang around your home. Keep your plant happy, healthy, and looking incredible with a great pot!
