Should I line terracotta pots?

[Briony]

I am just planting in some large terracotta pots today. The will be in a south-facing position so I am wondering about them drying out quickly. In retrospect, I sould have chosen another type of pot but this is what I have and I can't afford new ones.

I have some thick rubble bags that I could cut up and use for lining, should I do that or leave them? There are very mixed answers on Google. And do you line the sides of the pot or the whole pot including the bottom? Thanks.

[vixylix]

I've never lined mine, I just make sure they're watered regularly - do you use plant saucers? I make sure there's some water in there for them too

[Thelma Sanders]

If they are the really big ones, then I usually put an icecream tub at the bottom, plus a piece of pipe (or cut the bottom of a coke bottle) so that you can direct water down into the tub. That way as well as watering the pots at the top - I can fill the water reservoir at the bottom.
I do the same thing with big hanging baskets as well

If they're only the same size as s/market flower buckets, then it is easier just to use saucers, as already mentioned.

[Jungle Jane]

I use terracotta pots,never lined them before,people line their hanging baskets a tiny bit at the base to help hold a bit of water so if the bottom inch only was lined would that be ok or could it completely block drainage & leave roots wet for too long,I don't know,the hole in the bottom gives a bit of air flow to the roots,that would be blocked?

[veggiechicken]

You could mix some vermiculite and water retaining granules into the compost to hold water for longer - or a sponge at the bottom over the holes.
I don't line pots.

[rary]

What area do you come from, if your in an area that gets high temperatures, I would line them, also put some sponge in to hold water

[Bigmallly]

I don't know much about terracotta pots but would imagine the pot themselves would absorb & hold water, am I right in assuming that to be the case.

[Briony]

I am in a hot area of the south-west. I haven't heard the idea about a sponge before, that's interesting.

Thanks everyone. I think I will do some part-lined, just the sides, and some without and run a bit of a test.

[Thelma Sanders]

I don't know much about terracotta pots but would imagine the pot themselves would absorb & hold water, am I right in assuming that to be the case.

Being porous they do some absorb water, but on the other hand, they dry out very quickly on a sunny day, much quicker than my plastic pots do.

[Muddy_Boots]

Terracotta pots are notorious for drying out the compost quicker than using plastic post because as well as being porous and retaining moisture, they also lose it quickly when its hot in summer. Plants can quickly die in terracotta pots being moist in the morning which then during the red hot summers day dries and dessicates the contents within hours in full sun.
The smaller the pot the worst it can become so any way to reduce the moisture loss needs to be employed, be it water retaining crystals, sponge inside at the bottom, plastic lining or standing in a shallow dish to hold a small reservoir of water. Because of the very porous nature of terracotta pots there is not such an issue with root rot or drowning due to too much water in summer as they potentially can lose alot of moisture in a day.

[Bigmallly]

I've just been rattling round the old grey matter & remember that I used terracotta pots to water plants. The bottom hole was blocked with silicone, the pot was then placed in the beds between plants then filled with water & the water allowed to seep through the pot. Thanks for the prompt Thelma & MB.

[rary]

Terracotta pots are notorious for drying out the compost Plants can quickly die in terracotta pots being moist in the morning which then during the red hot summers day dries and dessicates the contents within hours in full sun.

It would be nice to experience such conditions

[Jungle Jane]

Terracotta pots are notorious for drying out the compost quicker than using plastic post because as well as being porous and retaining moisture, they also lose it quickly when its hot in summer. Plants can quickly die in terracotta pots being moist in the morning which then during the red hot summers day dries and dessicates the contents within hours in full sun.
The smaller the pot the worst it can become so any way to reduce the moisture loss needs to be employed, be it water retaining crystals, sponge inside at the bottom, plastic lining or standing in a shallow dish to hold a small reservoir of water. Because of the very porous nature of terracotta pots there is not such an issue with root rot or drowning due to too much water in summer as they potentially can lose alot of moisture in a day.

Large terracotta pots will be fine though & I've never had a plant die that sounds like a tiny pot? I use plastic as well as terracotta pots & don't notice a difference,if anything my plastic pots dry out quicker but they are slightly smaller.

[Thelma Sanders]

The original terracotta watering pots were Ollas

They only release water when the soil is dry, so are really water saving if you are on a meter!