I finally switched from plastic pots to terracotta for my succulents

Everyone in my local plant group swore by plastic pots for moisture control, but after losing 3 echeverias to root rot in 6 months, I had to try something else. Last spring I moved everything to unglazed terracotta from a shop on 7th Street, and none of my plants have rotted since. The clay really lets the soil breathe and dry out faster, which works way better for my watering habits. Has anyone else had better luck with one type over the other?

3 comments

3 Comments

young.michael2d ago

Yeah cuz those plastic pots are basically little saunas for your roots.

harperp242d ago

Oh, have you tried terracotta pots in the summertime? It's like the roots are baking in a clay oven. I switched to fabric pots a couple years ago and never looked back. The air pruning alone was worth it, my plants stopped getting that root-bound look after a few months. It's wild how much of a difference airflow makes compared to those cheap plastic death traps.

grantw411d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah those plastic pots really do cook the roots. I switched to fabric pots like @harperp24 mentioned and it made a huge difference for me too. But also, you gotta watch that they don't dry out too fast in the summer. I've had to water twice a day during heat waves. What I started doing was putting a saucer under them and letting the pot suck up water from the bottom, keeps them from getting bone dry.