CactiGuide.com

Steve Johnson wrote: ↑Fri Nov 04, 2022 2:19 am Don't discount the possibility of going with terracotta pots if you find them in the sizes you need. Chances are that they'll be low-fired clay, but porous clay pots can be sealed well with UV-resistant acrylic paint. This is a good low-cost alternative to glazed ceramic.

I bought a spray can of pot sealer over a year ago and have not used it yet. I was wondering if there might be a cheaper alternative. I was thinking of only sealing the inside of the pot, or should I do the whole thing inside and out?

jerrytheplater wrote: ↑Fri Nov 04, 2022 3:55 pmI was thinking of only sealing the inside of the pot, or should I do the whole thing inside and out?

IMO better to be thorough about it -- inside and out, this includes the outside bottom.

If you are willing to pay for the shipping, I would suggest plastic pots made here in Australia. I've only noticed sun-damage in very old pots or pots made of non-black plastics. Even the little 65mm square pots cacti normally come in last forever. I've got some that have been out in the summer sun for three years and besides some scratches are perfectly fine.

Epoxy concrete paint would do the job if you have enough pots to use up a gallon.
Looks like the walmarts in my area keep it on the shelf.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Slate-Gray-S ... lsrc=aw.ds
I would think just doing the inside would accomplish stopping "pot porosity"

I don't know about the USA, but many new clay or terracotta pots in the UK are now higher fired and no longer porous and often sold as "frost proof". This was because if the low fired pots were left out in winter in the UK and got soaked by rain, they used to freeze and delaminate.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... t=0&sim=11

If your clay pot forms that white coating on the outside that needs to be regularly cleaned off, it is porous. If it does not it has probably been fired at a higher temperature and is nonporous. Therefore, it is a myth these days that all clay or terracotta pots "breath" since it depends on the temperature of firing.

From the Web: -

"The problem is that for a clay pot to be frost proof it must be fired to a stage where it is no longer porous (it will allow water to enter the body of the pot) A porous pot will soak up water into the body of the clay, this freezes and thaws making hairline cracks which eventually grow with each freeze thaw action causing the pot to break."

Thanks Dave. All of my clay pots are low fired.

Was in one of the KC area nurseries today. They have a huge selection of plastic pots. Looked like all the generic black plastic ones are Pro-Cal,same as a couple i talked about already having earlier in this thread. They are still very well made and still all have Made In USA stamped on them.
I only bought one today. But I need to do some measuring before I buy more. I think they will last a long long time.
All the bigger ones had the drain holes on the side as opposed to very bottom. While i would rather have them on the very bottom for me it's not a deal breaker. I can see where having the holes on the side keeps the drain open and actually makes more sense. 3.8 gallon was 10 bucks