Ceramic Vs Terracotta Pots

The rusty brown color of clay is harmonious with every flower and foliage color.

Ceramic vs terracotta pots.

That should give us a clue. 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. Archaeologists and art historians refer to clay objects such as sculptures or tiles made without a potter s wheel as terra cotta. The porosity of clay allows air and moisture to penetrate the sides of the pot.

Terra cotta unglazed clay pots are made of a particular soil and fired in kilns during the manufacturing process. The word terra cotta itself means baked earth in italian. Some gardeners love plastic pots others will only use ceramic or clay. The other two words are an matter of subculture and semantics.

Objects made on the potter s wheel are called. Terra cotta is an italian term that means baked earth terra cotta refers to a glazed or unglazed piece of ceramic made using organic clay fired in a potter s kiln. At a glance you may think a ceramic pot is simply a terracotta pot with a good paint job. Most often the precursor rock is a type of granite.

Clay is the natural raw natural material actually used in making terra cotta and ceramic pots. 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. The debate regarding plastic versus ceramic pots is long standing.