No, Terracotta Pots Do Not Need to Be Soaked
Terracotta pots are a popular choice for both indoor and outdoor plants due to their classic natural look and durability. If you have your own, you may have seen tips for soaking your pots before planting anything in them.
“The argument is this: if you don’t soak them beforehand, your terracotta pots will soak up the water and you won’t have enough plants for an important transplant step ,” Anna Cottrell wrote in her letter. article in gardening, etc. etc.
But after talking with gardening experts, Cottrell found out that this terracotta tip is actually a terracotta myth. Here’s what you need to know.
Why you don’t need to pre-soak terracotta pots
In short, pre-soaking terracotta pots is so little that it isn’t worth your time or extra water. Here’s how Clive Harris, creator of DIY Garden , described it to Cottrell :
“Over the years, I have grown, transplanted and watered hundreds of plants, and never once have I soaked a terracotta pot. Soaking terracotta pots is a waste of time because any moisture they can absorb evaporates during the day, which means less time than it takes for a plant to use its green water resources. ”
What should you do instead
So, if pre-soaking your terracotta pot is not working, what can you do to make sure your plant is getting all the moisture it needs? Well … water when you need water. “Just water your plants well after you plant them in the pots until the drain runs out of the drain hole and you’re all right, ” Tina Huffman, a gardener and landscape designer at greenhousestudio.co , told Cottrell .
If you’re really worried about making sure your plants are getting enough water – and growing plants you don’t plan to eat – botanist Mindy McIntosh-Shetter told Cottrell that you can paint the inside of the pot to fill the pores of the terracotta and help prevent evaporation.