Ceramic Vs Clay Pots For Plants

Disadvantages to clay pots.

Ceramic vs clay pots for plants.

For one clay is a heavy material with very little flexibility which means it easily breaks and is difficult to move. Yes plastic pots hold more water than clay but this makes them an ideal choice for plants that thrive in moist soil or if you tend to forget to water. Porous ceramic pots also called unglazed clay allow air and water movement through the sides of the pot. Again watch out for pilfering animals.

The word terra cotta itself means baked earth in italian. To explain a little better let s talk about these types of pots their general attributes why they work better for some plants than others and their overall pros and cons. That should give us a clue. The best thing about ceramic plant pots is that besides the obvious aesthetic advantages they will prevent any ambient humidity from reaching.

The rusty brown color of clay is harmonious with every flower and foliage color. One of the downsides to clay pots is that clay is porous. Clay pots wick water and potting mix dries out faster which means you need to water plants more. Clay pots provide a healthy environment for most plants.

The pot is about 18 high and 12 14 in diameter. Ebay is great for smaller prettier pots for your succulents. Terra cotta unglazed clay pots are made of a particular soil and fired in kilns during the manufacturing process. They can be heavy and fragile and will break if they fall on the floor so we wouldn t recommend hanging them or placing them up high.

Plus clay pots release moisture faster when it s hot outside which means you ll need to water plants more frequently to prevent soil from drying out. Clay can be thought of in terms of geological raw material which is the foundation product for the firing in the kiln which produces terra cotta and ceramics. Ceramic plant pots are really beautiful you ve probably seen them in decorating stores or on cafe tables. The porosity of clay allows air and moisture to penetrate the sides of the pot.

I think a great place to get pots ceramic terra cotta is on craigslist or ebay. Generally plants that prefer moist soil are better suited to plastic pots. Recently i had great success growing a yellow bell pepper a in largish ceramic pot. At a glance you may think a ceramic pot is simply a terracotta pot with a good paint job.

Air movement stimulates root growth which results in healthier plants. However ceramic pots are typically glazed with a coat of lacquer that prevents the soil from drying out at the same speed as it would in an unglazed clay or terracotta planter.