Can Ceramic Pots Be Left Outside In Winter

There are two options for winter patio pots.

Can ceramic pots be left outside in winter.

At the end of the season place each pot in a heavy duty black trash bag to protect it from the snow and ice. They should be brought indoors for the winter or at least placed in a lightly heated garage where they won t undergo the worst of winter cold. I am in minnesota where we have hash winters too. Second soil in pots freezes sooner and warms up sooner than the ground and is therefore subject to several freezes and thaws during the winter.

It s also a good idea to wrap these pots to help prevent chips and breaking while they are being stored. Their low price is a big draw and their light weight makes them easy to move. If you absolutely must leave your ceramic planters outside then we advise following the above mentioned steps. Even a light freeze can make the water expand and put stress on the sides.

Leaving them outside during freezing temperatures puts them at a greater breaking risk. Therefore a frost proof pot with a drainage hole is essential. Ceramic planters should be treated different whenever possible. Other porous materials include cast stone glass and ceramic.

Damaged pots in winter cost you twice once to replace the pot and again to replace the plant. Glazed terra cotta pots are nearly as problamatic especially if only glazed on the outside. Leave these pots outdoors and they will almost certainly crack when temperatures drop below freezing. Frost resistant which is tough but may crack or flake in frost and frost proof which should survive it.

Pots and planters made from wood cast iron polyuyrethane fiberglass and non porous plastic composites can be safely left outdoors over winter. Ceramics that have been fired at high temperatures however usually don t suffer from this so if you have finely crafted or diy pots you should be okay. It is not a good idea to store ceramic pots outside in the winter. I usually put my pots in the garage on the wall closest to the house but i have left them outside covered under my patio set and they ve been fine.

When shopping for plastic composite containers always look for materials that are uv resistant. Definitely move ceramic containers indoors for the winter. While the coating on ceramic pots keeps the moisture out for the most part small chips or cracks will still allow some in. They are most likely to suffer damage if they are left empty during the winter and water collects inside them.

On the other hand they re generally not designed for cold climates and become brittle in very cold weather. Some glazed pots may survive but i would err on the side of caution. You can sometimes find styrofoam pots. As with the terracotta and clay containers the moisture in these cracks can freeze and expend which will make larger cracks.

Ceramic planters are a bit more fragile than cast stone planters.