clay pots

[Spikylover]

Hello
I just got a bunch of cheap unglazed clay pots and i have 2 questions:
1. They are a bit rough on the outside. You think i can sand them maybe?
2. I don't wanna water daily and i don't want muck on the outside. Can i seal them with candle wax like i do with my shoes? I just rub on a candle and melt with a hair dryer.

Thanks in advance.

Rachel.

[DaveW]

I presume you could sand them or wire brush them. If it is lime scale on the outside you could try soaking them in a weak acid like vinegar for a while then wash them in clean water afterwards.

In the UK they used to give the inside a coat of polyurethane varnish to seal them, but most of us use plastic now since lime scale does not build up on the outside anyway, therefore they do not need sealing.

[greenknight]

I think wax would work, can't see any reason why not - worth giving a try, at least. Apply it to the inside of the pot, like DaveW said. This not only holds in water, it keeps the roots from clinging to the pot - at least, varnish does.

[Spikylover]

I presume you could sand them or wire brush them. If it is lime scale on the outside you could try soaking them in a weak acid like vinegar for a while then wash them in clean water afterwards.

In the UK they used to give the inside a coat of polyurethane varnish to seal them, but most of us use plastic now since lime scale does not build up on the outside anyway, therefore they do not need sealing.

Thanks dave!

[Spikylover]

I think wax would work, can't see any reason why not - worth giving a try, at least. Apply it to the inside of the pot, like DaveW said. This not only holds in water, it keeps the roots from clinging to the pot - at least, varnish does.

Thanks Spence!! I didn't even think about roots clinging. I learn something new everyday!
I also found that paraffin wax is not toxic so all should be good!

[Grimm]

Not all un-glazed pots are porous (although most are), it's worth checking before you go to the trouble of sealing them. Just plug up the drain hole on one of them, fill it with water, and see what happens.

[DaveW]

Yes as Grimm says not all terracotta pots are porous. I think it depends on the firing temperature, the higher firing temperature the less porous they are. Those sold as frost proof in the UK are not porous since frost damage is caused when the pot absorbs water then freezes and the pot laminates. If by "a bit rough on the outside" you mean "lime scale" then they are porous since that is caused by water escaping through the pot and depositing minerals on the outside as it evaporates.

http://www.landscapejuice.com/2007/10/a ... errac.html

[Spikylover]

The pots are brand new. The roughness is not lime scale. It's a roughness from being handmade with not much skill. I also checked for porosity and the vast majority is porous. They didnt have drainage holes so i drilled them myself.
Thanks for the help everyone!