In this video, I talk all things terracotta pot and come up with a check list of reasons why they shouldn’t be the standard pots for house plant owners!
I started with terracotta pots as a beginner's owner plan, and I will say this – never again. My plants were chronically dry because the pots drank all the water, and when I overwatered them, I had to wipe the pots non-stop of moisture and mould. Besides, looking at the terracotta I have left for the cacti and succulents, there is a terracotta and a terracotta. One pot is heavier and smoother to the touch and the other is light, rough and makes a hollow sound – this pot drinks all the water until it squeaks 😂
Terracotta pots are excellent for cuttings and plants that need to dry out. I used a glazed terracotta pot and it rotted two monsteras and a Fiddle fig leaf. Never use a glazed pot.
Me who just repotted my new monstera into a chunky aroid mix and a terracotta pot: 👁 👄 👁
But seriously i think you underestimate how long it takes soil to dry in other climates. I live in a northern temperate climate and even in the summer, with chunky aroid soil, AND in a small teracotta pot, it still takes almost a week for the soil to dry out.
I cant even do a normal chunky aroid mix because they have too much coir that holds onto too much water. I literally plant them in large bark chunks and giant perlite. And some of them like my flamingo anthurium sometimes i forget to water for months at a time.
I just buy clear coat and spray the inside of the terracotta pot. Sometimes just the bottoms or the rims. I love the look and I find them at thrift stores for a DOLLAR. But yes, of course you are right!
I do believe terracotta has a time and place but my environment ain’t it sis. For most of my plants I have made the switch to plastic after my irrational fear of anything but terracotta killing my plants. Years later and they are still doing fine.
As always, love the energy you bring and the info you share!
I totally disagree, but this video still made me chuckle from the beginning until the end😂 In Italy there’s a reason why we use terracotta for all of our plants. It’s breathable and lets roots and soil breathe during the hot summer months. During the cold and humid winter it saves you from the heartbreak of root rot. It helps so much with the stress of potentially overwatering and easily wicks up moisture for finicky plants that I prefer to bottom water (Alocasia & Calathea). Even with current indoor temperatures of 30 degrees and a fairly chunky soil, I rarely have to water my 80 indoor plants more than once a week. I don’t know what girlies you’re watching, but everyone I follow has their plants in plastic. I find it ugly and unnatural to have a living, breathing thing trapped in plastic. Finally, terracotta perfectly matches our interior here as even the floors are made out of it ☺️
I must agree, I placed the majority of my plants outside for the spring and the summer. There has been downpours at least4 days of every week since April. My outdoor plants are soaked and they look beautiful. They are mostly in plastic and glazed pots.
I only have plants in terracotta if it is a desert type of plant. Most of my other plants are in self watering pots and I use pon, lecca or a chunky mix with water retention medium. I don’t care to water often and doing what do helps so much. It is overwhelming to water often. I even can just enjoy their beauty more and I’m not stressed out.
Hi Ebuka😌🙌I use plastic or ceramic in cache pots for indoors and teracotta for my outdoor cacti. It's true that teracotta simply does dry out tropical plants, and a chunky mix needs to be watered under the tap to completely moisten it otherwise it has huge areas that never get moist. I enjoyed watching and you are a great entertainer😄🤲💞
It’s so funny, I saw this and said “who uses terracotta planter inside?” I’ve always seen them outside, but this is new to hear. I agree that you shouldn’t use them inside unless it’s just a decorative purposes.
Haha you are definitely correct! I’m laughing because to be honest I was using them because I wanted to dote on it more 😂 but I have transitioned most of my plants out of terra cotta
I grow mostly Hoyas and I notice most of the plant influencers except for HakunaLaPlanta have tiny stunted Hoyas. I think they have too many and don’t water them enough. I don’t agree that Hoya like to dry out. They grow in the rainforest too 💁♀️
One thing I learned when I moved to the tropics from an arid country, is that houseplants (yes, the indoor jungle type) are very much prone to root rot because of the high humidity. In these conditions, I highly recommend terra cotta pots and a good chunky mix. I find that they're happier to be in the dry end and a good soaking when it's watering day.
You are so funny. You make my day. I had my monstera in a terracotta pot the other in a plastic pot. The monstera in a terracotta pot looked miserable transferred, into a plastic pot, she's now happy again. I only use terracotta pots for my cactus & succulents. I love when you bring out the iconic pad, I know things are about to get serious. 😅😅😅❤❤
Terracotta pots can be useful, if employed strategically. For example, for large cacti and succulents , non-porous large pots can make the substrate retain too much moisture at the centre for too long, leading to root rot. I have many of mine in terracotta pots, precisely because they wick away the moisture more quickly. Bearing in mind, though, that I live in a temperate climate. The vast majority of my collection is in plastic or glazed pots, which I do consider the best option in 95% of cases, for the reasons outlined by you.
I find these rules do not apply as a whole in your plant collection, but vary plant to plant. For example unless kept hydroponic I cannot keep Dracaena alive except in terra cotta 🤷♀️
The rest of my collection is in plastic. So yes I agree with you there
I love that you are challenging the established norms! Everything you said makes absolute sense!
I started with terracotta pots as a beginner's owner plan, and I will say this – never again. My plants were chronically dry because the pots drank all the water, and when I overwatered them, I had to wipe the pots non-stop of moisture and mould.
Besides, looking at the terracotta I have left for the cacti and succulents, there is a terracotta and a terracotta. One pot is heavier and smoother to the touch and the other is light, rough and makes a hollow sound – this pot drinks all the water until it squeaks 😂
I don't have any terra cotta pots because I think they're ugly 🪴
Ferns?
0:46 right! 0:56
I like pretty designed Terracotta Pots. My Jungle is Gorgeous. I lined the pot with coco coir liners for plants that need moisture.🪴
Terracotta pots are excellent for cuttings and plants that need to dry out. I used a glazed terracotta pot and it rotted two monsteras and a Fiddle fig leaf. Never use a glazed pot.
Me who just repotted my new monstera into a chunky aroid mix and a terracotta pot: 👁 👄 👁
But seriously i think you underestimate how long it takes soil to dry in other climates. I live in a northern temperate climate and even in the summer, with chunky aroid soil, AND in a small teracotta pot, it still takes almost a week for the soil to dry out.
I cant even do a normal chunky aroid mix because they have too much coir that holds onto too much water. I literally plant them in large bark chunks and giant perlite. And some of them like my flamingo anthurium sometimes i forget to water for months at a time.
I just buy clear coat and spray the inside of the terracotta pot. Sometimes just the bottoms or the rims. I love the look and I find them at thrift stores for a DOLLAR. But yes, of course you are right!
Great advice adding some nuance and logic to widespread plant advice. Also, amazing shirt, you really rock it!
I do believe terracotta has a time and place but my environment ain’t it sis. For most of my plants I have made the switch to plastic after my irrational fear of anything but terracotta killing my plants. Years later and they are still doing fine.
As always, love the energy you bring and the info you share!
I totally disagree, but this video still made me chuckle from the beginning until the end😂 In Italy there’s a reason why we use terracotta for all of our plants. It’s breathable and lets roots and soil breathe during the hot summer months. During the cold and humid winter it saves you from the heartbreak of root rot. It helps so much with the stress of potentially overwatering and easily wicks up moisture for finicky plants that I prefer to bottom water (Alocasia & Calathea). Even with current indoor temperatures of 30 degrees and a fairly chunky soil, I rarely have to water my 80 indoor plants more than once a week. I don’t know what girlies you’re watching, but everyone I follow has their plants in plastic. I find it ugly and unnatural to have a living, breathing thing trapped in plastic. Finally, terracotta perfectly matches our interior here as even the floors are made out of it ☺️
I must agree, I placed the majority of my plants outside for the spring and the summer. There has been downpours at least4 days of every week since April. My outdoor plants are soaked and they look beautiful. They are mostly in plastic and glazed pots.
I only have plants in terracotta if it is a desert type of plant. Most of my other plants are in self watering pots and I use pon, lecca or a chunky mix with water retention medium. I don’t care to water often and doing what do helps so much. It is overwhelming to water often. I even can just enjoy their beauty more and I’m not stressed out.
I DIG your outfit 🤙🤙🤙
Terracottas are a must for snake plants
Hi Ebuka😌🙌I use plastic or ceramic in cache pots for indoors and teracotta for my outdoor cacti. It's true that teracotta simply does dry out tropical plants, and a chunky mix needs to be watered under the tap to completely moisten it otherwise it has huge areas that never get moist. I enjoyed watching and you are a great entertainer😄🤲💞
I live in Michigan it is cold here a lot of the year.
😂 look terracotta, I'ma stick beside her.
I got a moisture meter though and it's helping me tremendously
Oh my 😮… me and my terra cotta pots are feeling judged and clutching our pearls over here! 😂😂😂❤
terracotta is only fit for succulents and cacti 😬
Noted 📝, would love to see a video on the benefits of ceramic 🙂
It’s so funny, I saw this and said “who uses terracotta planter inside?” I’ve always seen them outside, but this is new to hear. I agree that you shouldn’t use them inside unless it’s just a decorative purposes.
Haha you are definitely correct! I’m laughing because to be honest I was using them because I wanted to dote on it more 😂 but I have transitioned most of my plants out of terra cotta
I grow mostly Hoyas and I notice most of the plant influencers except for HakunaLaPlanta have tiny stunted Hoyas. I think they have too many and don’t water them enough. I don’t agree that Hoya like to dry out. They grow in the rainforest too 💁♀️
One thing I learned when I moved to the tropics from an arid country, is that houseplants (yes, the indoor jungle type) are very much prone to root rot because of the high humidity. In these conditions, I highly recommend terra cotta pots and a good chunky mix. I find that they're happier to be in the dry end and a good soaking when it's watering day.
You are so funny. You make my day. I had my monstera in a terracotta pot the other in a plastic pot. The monstera in a terracotta pot looked miserable transferred, into a plastic pot, she's now happy again. I only use terracotta pots for my cactus & succulents.
I love when you bring out the iconic pad, I know things are about to get serious. 😅😅😅❤❤
Terracotta pots can be useful, if employed strategically. For example, for large cacti and succulents , non-porous large pots can make the substrate retain too much moisture at the centre for too long, leading to root rot. I have many of mine in terracotta pots, precisely because they wick away the moisture more quickly. Bearing in mind, though, that I live in a temperate climate. The vast majority of my collection is in plastic or glazed pots, which I do consider the best option in 95% of cases, for the reasons outlined by you.
this video is sponsored by root rot
Babes don’t be judging me!! lol
It's always the iconic notepad for me.
Can I glaze my Terracotta Pots and then still use them?
5:16 😂😂😂😂Ebukaaaaa.
Hahahaha.
I find these rules do not apply as a whole in your plant collection, but vary plant to plant. For example unless kept hydroponic I cannot keep Dracaena alive except in terra cotta 🤷♀️
The rest of my collection is in plastic. So yes I agree with you there