What are the Advantages of Clay Pots vs Plastic Pots?
Before any seeds or bulbs have been purchased, before you choose which top soil you're going to use, you have to decide on the vessel to display your plant. Most gardeners have a preference when it comes to which type of pot to use, if you don’t have a preference this article will help you make an informed choice.
Advantages of Terracotta Clay Pots
Clay pots provide the perfect environment for most plants, as the porosity of clay allows air and moisture to access the roots, allowing them to breathe. Air movement stimulates root growth, which results in healthier, stronger plants. Clay makes great pots for root cuttings due to the well-draining soil mix and air flow meaning they can thrive in such conditions.
It is hard to over-water plants in clay pots. Clay pots are perfect for removing excess moisture from potting soil, preventing root rot. You can also tell when a plant needs watering in a clay pot, the pot turns moist and darker in colour when there is moisture still present in the soil. This can of course be seen as an advantage or disadvantage depending on your watering habits, gardeners who tend to over water plants will benefit from using a clay pot as will plants that demand a will drained soil like a cactus plant. No matter what pot you choose, make sure it has drainage holes.
Clay is Better For Your Garden
Clay also has an advantage when it comes to rapid temperature change, which can be very damaging to plant life. It is more suitable for sensitive outdoor plants as it insulates the soil during a winter snap and insulates the root ball. This acts as a buffer that will prevent the soil from heating or cooling too quickly in our everchanging weather.
Clay is a heavier material than plastic too which can have advantage depending on where you place your pots. If you have you pots outside the have less chance of blowing over in windy conditions. If the plant is going to be proportionately larger than the pot, the weight of the clay pot will add stability so they are ideal for large shrubs or small trees.
Clay pots are best used for plants that prefer soil that is dry and well-drained, such as monstera, cosmos, Mediterranean herbs, citrus, agapanthus, succulents, alpines and cacti. The traditional terracotta hue is also harmonious and complimentary to every flower and foliage display, making it the ideal natural selection for beautiful displays.
All of Gardenesque’s pots and planters are completely weatherproof and frost proof. Putting them up on pot feet also helps prevent frost damage. Clay is also naturally recyclable and is compostable, so you don’t have to worry about any lasting pollution or your pots going to landfill.
