So . . . What’s the big deal?
Plain old terra cotta pots are great for my hot and humid central Florida climate. They check my important boxes. Also, they drain well. They also stay cooler because water evaporates through the sides. Pretty glazed pots don’t, period. They hold in the moisture, causing a bad environment for plant roots that promotes root rot if you overwater. Mold and soil born fungi are common in a semi-tropical climate as well. The handy plastic pots that come with store bought plants from nurseries and big box stores absorb sunlight and heat. Most plants, especially vegetable plants don’t do well with hot feet. I want the very best possible habitat for my potted veggies and flowers.
Size Matters!!
People often ask me, what size pot should I use for different plants. The answer is ‘I don’t know!’ I know, it’s a lame answer, but. Sometimes you start off with one size, then you find the plant outgrows it. Why didn’t I start out with the big pot in the first place? Experience shows us that over potting is often as bad as using too small a pot. I do know that some ornamentals do better when they are pot bound. I’m still learning about veggie plants. This is a new experience for me. I have always grown veggies in the ground.
The plants will tell you. You have to pay attention to them. If they wilt every day even though you keep them watered, your pot is too small. I know wilty vegetables are not good. You want them vigorous. They will bear more fruit (veggies) that way. Another regular problem I see is pot crowding. Folks plant several seeds in a pot. When the new plants sprout, they leave all of them. The problem is when the roots start developing, they also compete with each other. All of them become weaker. Trust me, you’ll get less produce from each. Thin them so only the sturdiest one is left to grow. You’ll get bigger, bolder veggies.
BOLO – Be On The Look Out For terra cotta pots!
Keep your eye out and buy all the terra cotta pots you can find at yard sales, the bigger the better too. You may not have noticed, but they are very hard to come by at nurseries and big gardening centers. Nobody can tell me why. They just no longer have them.
They can last a lifetime if you’re careful
I do my best to keep them undamaged as long as I can, even if I don’t have an immediate use for them. Many I have owned for years and they look like it. I kind of like the patina that comes with age. My wife wants me to make an effort to spiff them up with my pressure washer or some bleach and a brush, but no thanks, I like mine the way they are. I have some large ones that have broken in the past. Since I like them enough I have glued them back together. You’ll see them in some of my photos. I’m now glad I did considering how rare they have become lately. Don’t pass up a chance to add to your collection. They store easily, nesting inside of each other. If you find yourself enjoying this endeavor, you’ll never have too many of them.
No, You Can’t Borrow Them
Sorry, they’re not for sale either! When I have a terra cotta pot that’s between jobs, I do wash it out and let it dry before I put it away until next time just like I would with any of my tools. I have accumulated quite a few of the larger ones over the years, and, no, you can’t borrow them either!
