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Best Outdoor planting pots

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  • 03-10-2011 12:50pm
    #1
    Lanshane
    Registered Users Posts: 261 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I am looking for advice on what the best outdoor type pots are. I need to buy two pots for the porch of my house, about 16 inched wide by the same deep roughly. I have heard of different pots cracking in the wintertime and am just wondering what pots would be most suitable and maybe some ways to avoid them from cracking in the frosty weather. I have heard that putting a slither of timber underneath the pot will help in wintertime as it keeps it off the frozen ground and allows any water to escape. I like the tera-cotta type but not sure which one to go for. Any advice advice on what type of pot and the best way to maintain it in wintertime much appreciated. Thanks!


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    #2
    Dizzyblonde
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,110 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    If you're buying terracotta pots make sure they're frost free - there will usually be a label on them. You can buy sets of 3 terrcotta feet for them to keep them off the ground, and if you're still worried about them cracking you could wrap them in horticultural fleece during the frosty/snowy weather.


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    #3
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,220 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    Glazed pots are the best imo. I don't like the way terra cotta absorbs water.


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    #4
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Agreed, terracotta will suck moisture from the soil and can shatter in cold weather. Glazed pots are your best bet.


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    #5
    Lanshane
    Registered Users Posts: 261 ✭✭Lanshane


    slowburner wrote: »
    Glazed pots are the best imo. I don't like the way terra cotta absorbs water.

    Tks for that. What are glazed pots made of? Should they be kept off the ground in harsh conditions also?

    What about stone pots, not as good/expensive/heavy?

    The existing pots I had were a kind of moulded fibre material. They lasted over 5 years but when I went to move one the other day it just shattered:mad:


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    #6
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,220 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    Lanshane wrote: »
    Tks for that. What are glazed pots made of? Should they be kept off the ground in harsh conditions also?

    What about stone pots, not as good/expensive/heavy?

    The existing pots I had were a kind of moulded fibre material. They lasted over 5 years but when I went to move one the other day it just shattered:mad:
    Terra cotta with a glaze - this is a fired enamel finish. It makes the pot waterproof.
    Stone pots? I haven't seen too many of these - they'd be expensive, I'd guess. Maybe you are referring to concrete - these would have the same problems as terra cotta unless frost and waterproofed.
    Timber planters are good too.


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    #7
    Lanshane
    Registered Users Posts: 261 ✭✭Lanshane


    slowburner wrote: »
    Terra cotta with a glaze - this is a fired enamel finish. It makes the pot waterproof.
    Stone pots? I haven't seen too many of these - they'd be expensive, I'd guess. Maybe you are referring to concrete - these would have the same problems as terra cotta unless frost and waterproofed.
    Timber planters are good too.

    Can you have a glazed ceramic pot I wonder? I had a look in a garden shop today and noticed a lot of 'glazed (shiny appearance) type pots'. I'm just wondering if I could distinguish between a Glazed ceramic and a glazed Terra Cotta? Maybe they both roughly the same as they are both waterproof?


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    #8
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,220 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    Lanshane wrote: »
    Can you have a glazed ceramic pot I wonder? I had a look in a garden shop today and noticed a lot of 'glazed (shiny appearance) type pots'. I'm just wondering if I could distinguish between a Glazed ceramic and a glazed Terra Cotta? Maybe they both roughly the same as they are both waterproof?
    Jeez, I dunno for sure, it's not really something I know much about. I'm guessing that a glazed ceramic pot would be the most resilient - isn't that what tea cups etc. are made of?


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    #9
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭redser7


    Glazed terracota would probably still be orange on the inside.
    Read a tip about terracotta pots in winter - push an empty slim plastic bottle or flexible pipe of some sort into the soil. As the soil/water freezes and expands it crushes the empty bottle rather than pushing out and cracking your pot.
    Of course if the pot material is 'very' porous the moisture inside it could cause it to crack from within.


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    #10
    Lanshane
    Registered Users Posts: 261 ✭✭Lanshane


    I really appreciate all the comments. Glazed pots it is. Thanks again.


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    #11
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    Lanshane wrote: »
    Tks for that. What are glazed pots made of? Should they be kept off the ground in harsh conditions also?

    What about stone pots, not as good/expensive/heavy?

    The existing pots I had were a kind of moulded fibre material. They lasted over 5 years but when I went to move one the other day it just shattered:mad:

    We replaced a series of large fibre clay pots recently on a roof terrace. Fibre clay are pretty poor when it comes to strength (vunerable to plant root and weathering) and as you have experience degrade quite quickly certainly after 5 years. Disappointing for what are expensive pots.

    There are several factors to consider when deciding on which pot/planter including:

    - size
    - weight
    - weatherproof (frost proof and sun proof, ie no UV fading)
    - moisture retention/porosity
    - resilience (no scratching, chipping etc)
    - strength

    There are several sophisticated solutions available and some of the better engineered plastic planters have significant advantages over traditional materials.

    BTW, glazed pots are also very vunerable to cracking.


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    #12
    Lanshane
    Registered Users Posts: 261 ✭✭Lanshane


    Sonnenblumen wrote: »
    We replaced a series of large fibre clay pots recently on a roof terrace. Fibre clay are pretty poor when it comes to strength (vunerable to plant root and weathering) and as you have experience degrade quite quickly certainly after 5 years. Disappointing for what are expensive pots.

    There are several factors to consider when deciding on which pot/planter including:

    - size
    - weight
    - weatherproof (frost proof and sun proof, ie no UV fading)
    - moisture retention/porosity
    - resilience (no scratching, chipping etc)
    - strength

    There are several sophisticated solutions available and some of the better engineered plastic planters have significant advantages over traditional materials.

    BTW, glazed pots are also very vunerable to cracking.

    Sonnenblumen, I require two pots for the outside of my porch. Size roughly 16 inches wide by similiar deep. We require them to be weatherproof, not too bothered about moisture retention as I do a lot of watering anyway. I would like them to be as resilient as possible with great shelf life. Basically a good pot requiring as little maintainence as possible bar a bit of watering.
    What do you recommend and where might I get this?
    Any pictures or links you might have would be most helpful. Tks for the advice.


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