Our lingering winter gave me time to get my terra cotta clay pots spruced up for spring planting. I bring some plants indoors to overwinter and use clay pots as I like the look of them. After years of experience, I know the moisture required to sustain my geraniums, herbs and other plants over the winter.
The large clay pots in my shade gardens are tilted to drain during the freezing and warming of early winter or spring. They crack if frozen with standing water in them. These pots are still usable as focus placement in my garden or I use the pieces to aid in drainage in the bottoms of other pots.
Terra cotta clay pots are my choice for decor on my porch. They breathe well, help to keep the soil moist but not soggy and prevent overheating during hot weather. I am drawn to their natural look and they look good with our greenhouse. There is nothing like a basic clay pot. I use them for growing herbs, tomatoes and peppers on the porch where the plants are protected from deer and rabbits.
Clay pots look tired and worn by the end of the garden season and often need a good dose of TLC to get them ready for spring planting. Clay pots absorb minerals from the soil itself and also absorb chemicals from any fertilizer you might have used. They need to be cleaned and sterilized at the end or at the beginning of the season to avoid spreading these absorbed particles to new plants.
This also prevents the threat of spreading fungus or mold which can infect new plants and damage the pots themselves. Cleaning clay pots is easy and uses common household items so there is little investment to get the job done.
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Remove the soil, remaining plant material and allow any remaining soil to dry so it will be easier to remove. Use a stiff scrub brush to finish this job. Rinse both pot and scrubber with water. Do not use soap as it can leave a residue that is hard to remove.
Next use the scrub brush to brush the outside of the pot, removing as much of the crusty debris as possible. Once this is done, soak your pots for 20-30 minutes in a water/vinegar bath using a solution of 1 cup of 5% acidic white vinegar to 3-4 cups of water.
Baking soda neutralizes stubborn salt marks if further cleaning is needed. Make a paste of the soda and water to the consistency of hand lotion and apply it to the remaining stains. It should sit for several minutes. Use your stiff brush to gently scrub away the baking soda mixture. This mixture neutralizes the salts so they come off easily. In the past, I’ve not had to do this. Wear gloves while performing these tasks to protect the skin from drying.
If you clean your pots at the season’s end, store them away from the elements. Leaving the pots out where it can rain and snow will make them crusty and dirty again.
Bleach and water also work to clean clay pots. Use 1/4 cup of bleach to five gallons of water. Soak pots for about 30 minutes. This bleach/water ratio is the same for cleaning other garden pots and tools to kill fungus or molds.
Your flowers, vegetables and herbs will respond and grow best in a cleaned pot with fresh soil. I guarantee it.
These local garden articles will reach you each week throughout the gardening season, but gardening information can be found year-round by clicking on "Yard and Garden” at the University of Minnesota Extension website, www.extension.umn.edu , or by visiting our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Beltramicountymastergardeners .
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