Transform Your Garden with Large Terracotta Planters!

Choosing the best plant pots for your babies online is not a walk in the park. It can get tiresome as there are so many choices. Still, there is one container you cannot go wrong when choosing the terracotta pot.

So, choose a classic look for your plant, as vintage never goes out of style. We have selected terracotta pots suitable for indoor plants and outdoor container gardening.

What is Terracotta?

terra cotta pots

The term terracotta means baked clay or baked earth in Italian. The word already explains what it is. While you find them appearing with a reddish brown hue, you can also find them in other colors.

The reddish-brown hue results from the high temperatures that the clay bakes, producing the signature shade we all know. A fact is that terracotta pots are one of the oldest pottery varieties found.

Archaeologists have found portions of terracotta pots that date back thousands of years. Yet, the ancient terracotta pots were left under the sun to harden, and today potters use kilns for baking them.

Furthermore, the substances used in the cooking process are normally clay blended with flux and iron oxide. But you can find different flux substances, each providing a different effect. Hence, you get the glazed-to-glass effect on the surface.

Types of Terra Cotta Planters You Can Use At Home

So you want unique terracotta pots but see different varieties available and do not know the difference. Here we have all the different terracotta planters you can find to buy online.

Standard Terracotta Pot

terra cotta pots

The standard terracotta pots have a natural and classic machine-spun look, offering excellent value. You can use it indoors and outside for all potting applications. You can find them in different shapes with a matching saucer suitable for creating a kitchen garden.

Furthermore, they are available in 11 sizes with a standard drainage hole.

Glazed Terracotta Planters

glazed terracotta pots

Then you have your glazed terracotta pots coated with colorful glazes. These earth-based medium pots are fired up in a kiln, but the glaze does not allow for evaporation, and water remains longer in the soil. This type of pot is durable and colorful to brighten up any home.

Self-Watering Terracotta Pots For Indoor Plants

One thing you will agree on is that terracotta materials make for a high-quality pot. Still, if you travel a lot and are concerned that your houseplants will go without water, the self-watering one is what you need.

These inner unglazed terracotta pots soak up the water from the surrounding glass reservoir. The outer vase stores the water in the planter’s base. Still, it does not have drainage holes but allows the right amount of moisture to reach the roots.

Decorative Terra Cotta Planter

plants in decorative terrracotta planters

Then you can find decorative terracotta pots painted with patterns and available in different colors to fit in with your home’s modern interior. These planters have thick walls with bright colors for displaying plants.

You find them in different shapes and sizes with a natural and classic look.

Handmade Terra Cotta Planter

handmade terracotta pots

Now, if you want something that is not machine-spun, you can find potters that provide you with pottery, especially terracotta pots. You can have your planters made in the shape you prefer, even the color.

Square Terra Cotta Planter

square terracotta planter

If you are into bonsai or need a shallow planter, you can find terracotta pots with a square design. The porous nature of the containers is ideal for bonsai trees to stand on a table in the home. You can also find them with different color designs that are available glazed.

Hanging Terra Cotta Planter

The hanging terracotta pots work well if you have vining plants to hang the vines over the sides. But ensure you can find ones to fit another pot inside, as most of your vining plants do not enjoy wet feet, leading to root rot.

For a vintage look, you can hang these planters outside or in the home.

Are Terracotta Pots Similar To Ceramic Pots?

colorful ceramic pots

The terms ceramic and terracotta is used interchangeably. While terracotta is ceramic, it is not the other way around. Ceramics are hardened materials formed from minerals and substances. It can be superheated to make it durable.

On the other hand, terracotta is clay formed into ceramic, but you can find a wide selection of ceramics from brick, porcelain, and vehicle armor to stoneware. Still, terracotta can use in almost any setting, from indoors to outside.

Advantages of Using Terra Cotta Planters

When you use terracotta pots, it has both advantages and disadvantages. First, you find it all over the home, giving a natural look to the living space.

plants in terracotta pots

Pros:

  • As clay is a porous material, it allows air and water to move freely through the walls. Hence, it promotes healthy plants without getting root rot, a disease caused by overwatering.

  • With the structure of the pots, you can use them for your houseplants to flowers outside.

  • Another huge benefit of these containers is that they work well for plants that prefer drier ground.

  • Another impressive thing about terracotta pots is that they allow the area around the roots to dry faster in cold weather.

  • Buying terracotta containers is affordable, and they get better with age.

While these are all the benefits, it does come with some negatives.

Cons:

  • Terracotta pots might not always fit into all design styles.

  • When terracotta pots stand in freezing weather, they can crack and break.

  • You cannot use the pot for all plants; some prefer drier soil, while others prefer moist soil. So you will often be watering.

What Plants Would Benefit From Using Terra Cotta Pots

While the terracotta pots do not work for all plant roots, they help prevent soil disease for the following cultivars.

Succulents Grow Well in Terracotta Planters

succulents in terracotta pots

As you know, succulents like snake plants prefer dry soil to other plants. Still, even with the material’s porous nature, it helps to choose a pot with drainage holes, even if the pots draw out moisture.

Terracotta Containers Are Excellent For Growing Herbs

herbs in terracotta planters

Herbs grow in any container but look fabulous in terracotta pots. It is important to have a drainage hole at the bottom with a saucer when keeping them inside.

Annuals To Create a Flower Pot Tower

flowering plants in glazed terracotta pots

Whether you have to flow, cascade, or mound flowers, they look great in terracotta pots. As you can keep them standing outdoors on the patio, the annuals die off in colder climates allowing you to start a new decorating the following growing season.

Create a beautiful patio in front of your entrance with these pots.

Cacti Look Spectacular in Terra Cotta Containers

cactus in terracotta pots

As cacti prefer dryness compared to moisture and do not have extensive root growth, they grow well in terra cotta pots. The rule is to ensure it has drainage for the excess water to flow out of the containers.

Orchids in Terra Cotta Creates a Beautiful Patina

planting orchid in terracotta pot

If you want to pot orchids and want inexpensive containers, terracotta makes for a perfect pot. The terracotta planters are heavy enough and will not let your delicate orchids topple over.

Neither will your plant inside the pot absorb too much moisture. Hence, preventing soil disease is a great option using these containers. The porosity is outstanding compared to other materials to provide airflow to the orchid’s roots.

Mediterranean Plants

mediterranean plants @flickr mediterranean plants @flickr

Growing Mediterranean plants in the terra cotta container look breathtaking. As the materials are porous, moisture evaporates from the side, leaving the inside drier. When you plant Mediterranean plants in plastic pots, you might water less than those made with concrete or clay.

So take extra care not to overwater your plants.

Final Thought

As you can see, you can find a wide selection of terracotta pottery to grow your houseplants in. Now, you may wonder where you can find a container made of terracotta. Well, you need not look far, as Plantly has a selection of terracotta planters for you to browse through.

One thing is for sure these planters make for a beautiful display to keep your plant’s roots happy.

Whether you want to buy, sell, or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!

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