Ceramic Vs Clay Pots For Plants

Porous ceramic pots also called unglazed clay allow air and water movement through the sides of the pot.

Ceramic vs clay pots for plants.

The pot is about 18 high and 12 14 in diameter. For one clay is a heavy material with very little flexibility which means it easily breaks and is difficult to move. Disadvantages to clay pots. Ceramic plant pots are really beautiful you ve probably seen them in decorating stores or on cafe tables.

Air movement stimulates root growth which results in healthier plants. Plants that prefer drier soil are better suited to clay pots. 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. 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.

Recently i had great success growing a yellow bell pepper a in largish ceramic pot. 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. The best thing about ceramic plant pots is that besides the obvious aesthetic advantages they will prevent any ambient humidity from reaching. Ebay is great for smaller prettier pots for your succulents.

That should give us a clue. One of the downsides to clay pots is that clay is porous. Breaks easily especially if moved around a. At a glance you may think a ceramic pot is simply a terracotta pot with a good paint job.

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. Clay pots wick water and potting mix dries out faster which means you need to water plants more. The porosity of clay allows air and moisture to penetrate the sides of the pot. Generally plants that prefer moist soil are better suited to plastic pots.

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. I think a great place to get pots ceramic terra cotta is on craigslist or ebay. Clay pots provide a healthy environment for most plants.

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