You're Skipping One Crucial Step With Your Terracotta Pots, And Your Plants Are Suffering For It

Did you know that terracotta pots have millions of pores? Yes, terracotta planting pots are quite porous, which is both a blessing and a curse. The porosity allows air circulation around plant roots and prevents overwatering because the pots wick excess water away from roots through all those pores. But that same wicking action means that the terracotta can absorb too much water, so potted plants may dry out faster and need more frequent watering, especially in hot weather. By taking the crucial step of lining your terracotta pots before placing potting medium and plants in them, you can limit the amount of water lost to the pot and keep your plants hydrated.

Lining your terracotta pots will also prevent the crusty, white residue that forms on pots as mineral salts leach into them. Liners help protect plants from temperature changes and may help cool the soil in the summer. The lining trick comes with one big caveat regarding plants that need the air circulation terracotta provides — more about that in a bit.

If you're gardening with terracotta pots, here's how to line them to keep them more watertight. You have several options for lining materials — plastic (bags or sheeting), landscape fabric, pond liner, or plastic nursery pots or liners, which are easiest because they're already the right size and shape and have drainage holes. A plastic pot as a liner can also keep the terracotta pot from cracking in the winter. The other materials on the list will need to be cut to size with drainage holes added.

To use liners that need to be cut, measure the pot first and cut the materials to fit those dimensions. Cut drainage holes. Push the cut material toward the bottom of the pot. When using a plastic nursery pot as a liner, line up drainage holes so the terracotta pot's hole is isn't blocked.

And now that caveat ... Just as some plants won't thrive when grown in a terracotta pot, some will struggle if a liner blocks the air circulation around their roots. Avoid the liner trick on cacti and succulents, bromeliads, and Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and lavender. Check plant labels for air circulation needs when considering using the liner approach. Be sure to also check out more tips for gardening with terracotta pots.