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Ask a Gardening Question Forum
Lee Burkhill: Award Winning Designer & BBC 1's Garden Rescue Presenters Official Blog
Welcome to the Garden Ninja Gardening Forum! If you have a gardening question that you can't find answers to then ask below to seek help from the Garden Ninja army! Please make your garden questions as specific and detailed as possible so the community can provide comprehensive answers in the online forum below.
Welcome to the ultimate beginner gardening and garden design forum! Where no gardening question is too silly or obvious. This online gardening forum is run by Lee Burkhill, the Garden Ninja from BBC 1’s Garden Rescue and a trusted group of experienced gardeners.
Whether you are a beginner or an expert gardener, it’s a safe place to ask garden-related questions for garden design or planting. If you have a problem in your garden or need help, this is the Garden Forum for you! (See forum rules & moderation policy here)
Posting Rules: This space is open for all garden-related questions. Please be polite, courteous and respectful. If you wouldn’t say it to your mum’s face, then don’t post it here. Please don’t promote, sell, link spam or advertise here. Please don’t ask for ‘cheeky’ full Garden redesigns here. They will be deleted.
If you need a garden design service, please use this page to book a design consultation. I will block anyone who breaks these rules or is discourteous to the Garden Ninja Community.
Join the forum below with your gardening questions!
Seal terracotta plant pot
Hi @newmanhard
Thanks for getting in touch. The first thing I'd ask is why you need to seal the pot?
The benefits of terracotta pots for planting is that they are breathable, which helps with both plant roots development and the growing media's bacteria lifecycle which helps plants take up nutrients.
Terracotta pots "breathe" because of their porous nature. Made from natural clay, terracotta undergoes a firing process that leaves tiny pores in the material. These pores allow air and moisture to pass through the walls of the pot, which is what gives terracotta its breathable quality.
This breathability has several benefits for plants:
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Aeration The porous structure of terracotta allows air to circulate around the roots, which helps prevent root rot and supports healthy root development.
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Moisture Regulation Terracotta pots naturally absorb and release moisture through their walls. This helps to prevent overwatering by allowing excess water to evaporate, making it harder for the soil to become waterlogged.
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Temperature Control The porous nature of terracotta also means it can help moderate soil temperature. On hot days, the moisture within the pot can cool the soil as it evaporates, while on cooler days, it can retain warmth.
These properties make terracotta pots a popular choice for gardeners, especially for plants that prefer well-drained soil and good air circulation around their roots.
Hope that helps
Lee Burkhill
Lee Burkhill, known as the Garden Ninja, is an award-winning garden designer and horticulturist with over 30 years of gardening experience and 15 years as a professional garden designer. A qualified RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) professional, Lee specialises in sustainable garden design and practical horticultural advice. He designs and presents on BBC1’s Garden Rescue and in leading gardening publications. Lee combines three decades of hands-on gardening knowledge with professional design qualifications to help gardeners create beautiful, functional outdoor spaces.
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