Caring for Your Planters

Ceramic and terracotta

Wipe with a soft, damp cloth. For anything stubborn, warm soapy water. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive scourers — they dull a reactive glaze permanently.

Unglazed terracotta and raw clay breathe, which means soil dries out faster than it would in a sealed pot. That suits plants that prefer to dry between waterings and works against those that like consistent moisture. A white, chalky bloom on the outside of an unglazed pot is mineral salt from the water — harmless, and it brushes off dry.

Where a pot has a drainage hole with a stopper: plug it for indoor use, remove it outdoors so water can escape.

Zinc, iron and aluminium

Aged zinc, oxidised iron and antiqued brass are meant to keep changing. Left outdoors they will darken, spot and soften over a season or two. That is the finish doing what it was designed to do.

Indoors, dust with a dry cloth. If you want to slow the weathering on an outdoor piece, keep it under cover during the wettest months and empty standing water from the base.

Metal planters without a drainage hole should be used as a cover pot — keep the plant in its nursery pot inside, and lift it out to water.

Frost

Only pots marked frost proof should be left outside through a hard winter with soil in them. Wet soil expands as it freezes, and that is what cracks a pot — not the cold itself. If in doubt, empty it or move it against a sheltered wall.

Hanging and wall-mounted planters

Fix into something solid and use fixings rated for the loaded weight, not the empty weight. Wet compost is heavy — a filled hanging bowl can be several times the weight of the pot on its own. Check leather cords and chains once a season.

Plant stands

Stand them on a level surface. Felt pads under the feet will save a wooden floor from scratches and from the ring a damp base leaves behind.

Anything else

If something isn't behaving as it should, email contact@capitalgoldlp.com. Every item carries a 2-year warranty.