Terra cotta is a type of clay pot - but they are not necessarily synonymous. Unsealed terra cotta is gas permeable & allows air in and water vapor out of the soil. This makes it necessary to water more frequently, but is a GOOD thing for plants, even if not for you. ;o) Plant performance in a sealed terra cotta container would be indistinguishable from performance in a pot of plastic or other impermeable material.

Al

That's good to know. With that said, I'm leaning toward the unsealed product.

Thanks

Sealed protects the pot from frost. I actually purchased 3 BIG terracotta pots and I will be using concrete sealant on them, inside and out. It makes them last longer. Should be reapplied every 4 years. Glazed pots do not need sealing and are frost proof.....not freezing proof....they can still break,just the clay won't flake off from the frost. (I leave my pots out year round)

Nicole, I viewed your photobucket to see the pots, but I was so distracted by those FANTASTIC views I forgot what the planters looked like...geez...nice house!

I didn't realize that clicking on your icon would take me directly to your photobucket.

Personally, I prefer to leave my terra cotta pots unsealed. I store them in the garage over winter, and use them for large arrangements of mixed annuals and perennials. My largest clay pots flank the garage doors from early spring until frost. Other clay pots can be found in various spots around the gardens, and contain things like various bulbs, society garlic, canna, glads, etc...

I like the fact that unsealed clay can "breathe", allowing for healthy roots, and I like how they look as they age. They also help excess salts and minerals to leach out through the pores in the clay.

I wouldn't dream of painting anything on my terra cotta, except maybe a decorative stencil or a little bit of metallic craft paint on the rim for effect.

All of my indoor bulbs and plants are kept in unglazed clay, as well, and I have very healthy roots on my plants. I don't mind a little extra watering because they dry out faster than glazed clay... and actually, most plant root systems don't like being too damp for too long.

I vote for leaving them au natural!

So do you clean them annually? I was planning on storing them in my garage for the winter. I noticed they have some moss? growing on them, or stains similar to moss.

Jodi, when you refer to bulbs, do you plant tulips by any chance and then store them in the house over winter? I'm new to bulbs and I read various posts where people state that they plant some bulbs in planters as well as in the ground. How do you overwinter the bulbs when you use a planter?

Thanks

I just bought some terra-cotta pots so I can transplant my African violets. I plan on painting the outside of these pots first. I know the outside will need to be sealed, but do I also seal the inside? Thank you🌼