Seaside Garden Idea

Even if you live miles away from the sea you can create your own garden in a sunny corner with seashells and succulents.

Materials
Seashells
4 Terracotta Flowerpots of various sizes
Compost or potting mix
Gravel
Variety of plant materials

Glue the seashells onto the terracotta pots and leave them hardened overnight.  The next morning, pour some pea gravel in the bottom of the flowerpots.  This creates a better drainage situation for the plants. Try to cover the drain hole without blocking it totally.   You want the water overflow to easily drain out without taking a lot of potting mix.

Place the planting materials selected in the pots adding more potting mix around them and pressing down to eliminate air pockets.  Try grouping the plants in the pots to create an interesting look.  Once done place on a windowsill, out on a patio table or front porch stoop.

How to create classic potted topiary

Materials:

4 large terracotta pots
Bark Chips
Pottery Mix
Slow-Release Plant Food Fertilizer

4 – box trees in different topiary shapes, real or faux

Most topiary from a garden center or nursery will come in a plastic container.  We think that isn’t very decorative or nice looking so we recommend our Italian Terracotta Standard or European Style Pottery.  If you look on our website you will see both styles, come in many sizes and are shipped directly to us from the Italian factory.  This is not a cheap, easily damaged terracotta clay.  Each of these pots is fired in a gas kiln making the color even, sun-backed, and stunning.

The clean lines of the topiary are matched by the simplicity of the terracotta pots.  Since the eye is drawn to the outlines of the box plants, decorated or colorful pots would be a distraction.

Fill the bottom of the planter with bark chips.  This keeps the potting mix from coming out and the water able to run off.  You want to keep the drain hole free and clear for good drainage but not totally open so the soil runs out.

Remove the tree from the nursery pot and place it in the terracotta container surrounding it with potting mix.  Push down the side so there are no large air pockets.  Scatter the fertilizer over the top and then finish off with more bark chips.  Water well and position in sun or partial shade.

***Plant anytime of year!

Keeping Potted Herbs Happy

As the world becomes more health-conscious, people are looking to become more pro-active when it comes to cooking at home and growing their own potted herbs.  By using fresh grown herbs in your food preparation you will use less oil, fat, butter and cream.

Potted grown herbs have a powerful taste and delicious smells that add so much to food.  Don’t forget you can use any home-grown potted herbs in all kinds of things from soap to candle making.  Fresh or dried they are simply wonderful and if you haven’t tried to grow your own you are wasting your money.  Grocery store herbs are very expensive and unnecessary.

Get some of our small terracotta clay flowerpots and saucers.  Decide on the size dependent on where you will grow them.  A kitchen window, a center island, back porch or patio area are all good places if you have easy access to them.  Clay flowerpots are good because terracotta is considered low fired and breathable which is super healthy for your herbs root systems.  Just make sure you have easy access or we all know what will happen.  You won’t use them!!!

Treat your fresh herb just like fresh flowers.  When you trim your potted plants, place them in a glass of water and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.  Try drying some for adding to soups and casseroles by placing them on a paper towel and microwave for 30 sec intervals.  Turn as needed till brittle.

Arizona Pottery has been in the pottery industry since 2000.  We have seen and continue to see all kinds of trends come and go when it comes to choices of garden planters.  Fiberglass, Poly Resin, High Fired, Low Fired, Concrete, Black Clay, Terracotta the list goes on and on.

Why did we start with red terracotta and it continues to be our best seller?  Because it is timeless.  Terra cotta pots have been around for ages and they tend to come and go in popularity but in this post, we want to discuss some of the pros and cons.

When it comes to cons when using terra cotta flowerpots and garden planters the list is pretty short.
* Dry out quickly.
* Breakdown over time.
* Become heavy once planted.
* Discolor over time
* Plain and boring

So let’s look at a few pros on why they are basically timeless and still popular.

HEALTH
Healthy for a plant’s, roots – Did you know that terra cotta clay breathes?  Yes, it is very healthy for all plants root systems.  Because the clay “breathes” it will also show the chemicals that are in your potting mix or fertilizer.  Every time you water the potted plant, the water soaks into the clay, eventually seeping out, the clay will start to show a calcium build up or white lines and markings.  This is loved and appreciated by many terracotta owners.  So much so that they try to age their planters by applying milk to the outside so that moss will grow and the pot will look aged faster than the natural process.

WEIGHT
Terracotta planters are not known for being the heaviest garden containers around but once they are filled with damp potting mix, they can become quite heavy. This is great if you are planting a tree or shrub and the yard pot is placed in a spot where it will receive some wind.  Lightweight or Fiberglass containers will blow over very easily.  If you need added weight you can always put a brick or rocks in the bottom of the planter before adding the potting mix. Just make sure you have it placed where you want it since you won’t be able to move it easily.

DISCOLORATION
One of the worse and most popular reasons for using terracotta is the aging process that naturally occurs.  Like we stated above green thumb gardeners won’t use anything else and rejoice in the aging process.  It is a sign of beauty and age that can hardly be duplicated.  If you are the type who likes their containers to look brand new then Terracotta is not the planter for you.

PLAIN/BORING
Yes, terracotta is ageless and is seen everywhere.  Maybe you need something different a bit more modern or contemporary.  Terra cotta pottery is considered traditional, timeless and naturalistic, all good things but maybe not your thing.  That is fine.  If you like the look of clay but not clay itself there are resin pots that are textured and come in the terracotta color that will stand up to an explosion.  Unless someone walks up and knocks on the planter they will not know it’s not the real clay of terracotta.

So, these are the best pros and cons that we can think of today.  How about you?  What do you like or not like about Terracotta garden planters and containers.

Winter and Garden Pottery

Not everyone lives in the same type of climate.  Like us here in Arizona have pretty mild Winters. It does get cold but the sky is mostly blue, clear and sunny.  Back on the East Coast, we know that is not the case. Well, where you live can dictate what types of garden planters you choose to grow in and decorate with.

If you are one of the lucky ones that can move large or small containers into a garage or potting shed there are a few steps you need to follow.   Start by removing all plant materials and potting soil.  Now is a great time to compost but whether you do or not doesn’t make a difference. The pots need to be cleaned out!

Start by scrubbing the outside and inside with a soft brush and 10 parts water to 1- part bleach.  Let them dry completely.  Then move them for added protection.  It is not always possible to move extra large pots, so follow these instructions instead.  Clean them out if possible and lift them up off the ground with pot feet or wood boards.  This keeps them from freezing and cracking.

For large pots with plants that are not seasonal, you will need to lay a layer of mulch across the top. This creates a layer between the cold freezing weather and the potting soil, where the plant's roots live.  It also helps if you can wrap the planter with burlap or bubble wrap. This also creates a barrier of protection between the cold and the fragile planter.

Pots and garden containers can be expensive.  Unless you don’t mind replacing your pottery on a regular basis it’s best to provide any protection you can so that the pots will last and last for many years.

Terracotta is meant to retain moisture so these are the most likely to crack.  You need to keep them covered with a plastic bag so water doesn’t seep into the clay. If it does and the weather freezes then these types of garden containers will crack.  Materials that do well in Winter are concrete, sandstone, frost proof glazed planters or fiberglass and polyresin.  These materials are meant to repel water.  But, as a caution remember if a glazed pot cracks or chips, water will find it and seep in. Then it’s just a matter of time before the pot will break down.

So, hopefully, this information is helpful.  Take care, be wise and you will help your home and garden containers last for many years!

STEPS:

1. Cover the pot with white paint, using the foam brush. Let dry, about an hour, or longer.
2. Tape off the stripes using the painter’s tape. It’s easiest to start just under the rim for the first stripe.
3. Using the width of the painter’s tape as a guide (.94-inch works well), tape off the next stripe, being sure to press the tape against the pot.
4. Paint the red stripes, let dry. Peel off tape.
5. Paint the blue stripe on the rim, let dry. Sanding the edges of the pot with a sanding sponge adds a rustic look.
6. Use the white paint marker to draw stars on the rim, and also to clean up any splotches on the stripes.
7. Optional, but nice: spray the completed terra cotta pot with acrylic spray to seal.