Terracotta Pot

Terracotta is the oldest plant pot there is, and for many houseplants it is still the best. Unglazed clay is porous: water moves through the walls and evaporates from the outside, and air reaches the roots. The result is soil that dries faster and more evenly than in plastic or glazed ceramic.

Ours are made from a pale orange clay, thrown with slightly thicker walls than mass-produced pots so they survive the odd knock. Each comes with a matching saucer.

At a glance

• Material: unglazed, fired clay.
• Drainage: one large hole in the base.
• Sizes: 4, 6, 8 and 10 inches across.
• Price: from $9 for the 4-inch pot to $32 for the 10-inch.

Which plants it suits

Terracotta suits any plant that prefers to dry out between waterings and hates wet feet. A snake plant is the classic pairing, and we pot most of ours this way in the greenhouse. It also suits most succulents, cacti and the many houseplants that rot more readily than they wilt.

It is a weaker choice for plants that want constantly moist soil, such as ferns and calatheas. In a terracotta pot they dry out quickly and need watering much more often.

Living with terracotta

• Soak a new pot in water for an hour before planting, so the dry clay does not pull moisture out of fresh soil.
• Expect a white crust or green tinge on the outside over time. It is mineral salts and algae, harmless, and most people come to like the aged look. A scrub with a stiff brush and diluted vinegar removes it.
• Empty the saucer after watering. Clay wicks water back up from a full saucer, which defeats the point.
• Bring terracotta indoors before a frost. Wet clay can crack when it freezes.

When it is time to move a plant into a bigger pot, our repotting guide covers choosing the size and doing it without damaging the roots.