How to Store Terracotta Pots for Winter

Unglazed terracotta pots are great, inexpensive containers for planting annual flowers and vegetables, but they tend to crack, break and crumble if left outdoors for the winter. Why? Terracotta is made of fired clay--a very porous material that absorbs water. During the winter, the water freezes and thaws and creates a multitude of tiny cracks in the clay. You can dramatically increase the lifespan of your pots by cleaning them out and storing them indoors for the winter. Here's how.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Pull your annual flowers and vegetables out of the pots after frost kills them off. If the plants were healthy, stick them in your compost pile, otherwise dispose of them in your yard waste bin.

2. You can save the soil in the pots for use next year. Just dump it into a large plastic bin with a lid and store it for the winter in a cool, dry spot. In spring you can break up the clods of soil, add some compost and granulated organic fertilizer and reuse the soil in your pots.

3. Use a wire brush to scrub out any remaining soil or dirt from the inside of the pot.

4. Store the pots upside down in a dry, indoor spot that stays above freezing, such as an insulated garage or basement.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not stack your terracotta pots vertically. When stacked vertically they often swell due to changes in humidity and temperature and are difficult to pry apart in spring.

Resources

• DigginFood

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on 10/26/2008 Oops... I had no idea I was doing my pots such a disservice by leaving them outdoors all winter. Thanks for the advice and heads up. I'll take your advice this time. 5*****