Buying and Styling Terracotta Pots
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I will be honest...I didn't used to like terracotta pots. I didn't love the color of it (the traditional orange) and it didn't seem very glamorous to me. Wow, was I wrong! Over the last few years, my style and tastes have changed quite a bit and I'm enjoying a more aged, classic look in all things. This doesn't mean that I'm still not loving color, but I'm adding it in (mostly) more muted ways.
As much as I didn't like terracotta pots in years prior, I am now running in the opposite direction toward being completely in love and obsessed with them! I can't seem to get enough and am constantly on the hunt for them to both use inside our home and out in the yard. I also love using them as decoration in different spots on our property and have enjoyed finding new places to tuck them. With so many sizes available, you'll find different uses for all of them, including starting SEEDS in the tiniest ones!
I'm hoping to encourage you to start using terracotta as well and share with you all the places that I've been able to find it for my own stash.
Terracotta is a great natural product and is beneficial for PLANTS. It's porous, so it allows good airflow, temperature regulation, and drainage. It does like to absorb moisture, though, so you have to be careful with certain plants (that enjoy more water) so they don't dry out. I've never had an issue with this, knowing that I just need to keep an eye on them and make sure they have enough water. You can help with this by putting a drainage tray under them and adding more water to it as well.
Because terracotta absorbs water, it can develop cracks more easily and break. I make sure to store my pots upside down outside, so that water is always draining out. Also, stacking the pots gives them a bit more stability when they're not being used. Since the pots are made out of clay, they can break a bit easier than other materials. Don't worry if this happens, though, save those pieces to use to add drainage to other pots. The material and patina on the pots is so pretty, you could also stack it in a basket or another pot and set that out as part of your outdoor decor.
I use terracotta to plant in directly or to use as cache pots-placing the nursery pots into the terracotta pots. I overwinter several of my outdoor PLANTS and like that I can bring the terracotta pots into the house and they look good with the rest of my decor.
You can buy terracotta pots just about anywhere that sells plants or outdoor decor. I've linked a few beautiful options for you, in case you're just starting a collection and want to stock up without having to look all over. If you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, though, you can easily find terracotta secondhand. I see it at the thrift store often, but it can tend to be a bit overpriced. I have had the best luck finding larger collections of terracotta pots on Facebook Marketplace. I love to get those because they're normally older and have great patina or aged look. I also always make sure to check garages, sheds, and back yards at estate sales. There are almost always terracotta pots to be found. And because I'm hooked on terracotta, I've asked a couple of friends to be on the lookout at garage sales for me too.
The best part of finding terracotta pots secondhand is that they're normally not very expensive; I usually spend between $5-$30. Last summer, I had my biggest haul ever. I was able to go pick an old greenhouse-turned-chicken coop and got close to 100 for $25!! The crazy part about that is I wasn't the first person to pick the greenhouse. It makes me sad to think about all the beautiful pots I missed out on. Ha!
My encouragement to you in finding terracotta pots of your own is to:
- Let people know you're looking for them. I would imagine you probably have friends, family, or neighbors who would love to rehome some!
- Start searching FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE. Even if some listings are too expensive for you or are outside of your travel radius, still save those posts. That action will train your algorithm to serve you all the listings for terracotta, so eventually, you'll be able to score big!
- Go to the THRIFT store! They might be a little higher priced than other second hand options, but they are usually easy to find.
- Hit garage sales and estate sales...you will likely find them at great prices and with some beautiful patina!
- Take advantage of city wide clean out days-I've found several terracotta pots on the curb for free!
Part of finding and using second hand terracotta pots is knowing that they may not be in ''perfect condition". Of course, to me, age and patina on anything is welcome. It doesn't bother me if there are cracks, blemishes, or discolorations...those things make the terracotta pots even more magical in my eyes. If you're wanting a more polished look, you may want to buy your terracotta new...and that's just fine-there are lots of beautiful options out there!
Whether you already love terracotta pots or are just getting into them, I hope you've found some new ways to find it and some fresh ideas for using the pots in and around your home!
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