As most houseplants and flowers mature, they outgrow their original pots and containers and need to be moved to something larger. Then the question arises, what to do with the old pot? While reusing the pot is a great, sustainable option, you should make sure to clean it thoroughly before placing a new plant in it and allowing it to take root. Here's why you should clean your flower pots and how you can do it without harming your plants.
Let's say you had a flower pot that was full of potting soil that you discarded along with the plant. If the pot is undamaged, you can of course reuse it instead of throwing it away. To many, it may seem pointless to go to the trouble of cleaning the container if you end up filling it with dirty soil again, but that is not the case. So why is it so important to clean garden planters?
Regardless of whether theClay pot, plastic or another material, mineral deposits and other contaminants can accumulate in the pot over time and harbor disease organisms. And if you don't clean and disinfect the flower pots before reusing them, you could harm their new occupant. Diseases such as mildew, as well as bacteria and fungi, can be transferred to the new plant, preventing it from growing healthily.
How to properly clean flower pots depending on the material
The best time to clean your planters is eitherin springbefore planting or in the fall after removing dead or dying plants. Washing some pots (such as those made of clay) before planting has the added benefit of moistening the material, which helps prevent the soil from drying out on the crucial first day of planting.
The time and effort required to clean and disinfect flower tubs and pots depends on their material and current condition. Below are some guidelines for the different materials.
Cleaning clay flower pots
One of the reasons why traditional terracotta clay pots are so popular with gardeners is their porosity - meaning they are permeable to air and water, which protects the plants and their roots from rot. But their porosity also makes them a little more difficult to clean.
How to do it correctly: First remove minerals and other deposits with steel wool or a wire-bristled brush and briefly rinse the pot. Next, fill a container (such as a bucket or large plastic container) with one part white vinegar to four or five pots of hot water and a squirt of mild liquid soap (or dish soap).
Soak the pots for at least an hour, but up to 24 hours if necessary. Then rinse the pots to prepare them for disinfection (see instructions below).
Clean glazed ceramic pots properly
The vinegar solution described above also works for glazed ceramic pots, but this time you should avoid using steel wool and a wire brush. Instead, scrub away stubborn mineral deposits with a paste made from three parts baking soda to one part water, then rinse and disinfect the flower pots.
Clean plastic planters
Both methods mentioned above are suitable for plastic pots. If they are not in bad condition, you can also clean them with a sponge, hot water and dish soap. As always: rinse and then disinfect.
How to disinfect flower pots and containers
When the pots are clean, it's time to disinfect them. The same disinfection method works for all pots and containers, regardless of what material they are made of. And this is how it works:
- Rinse the pot thoroughly before you begin disinfecting - especially if you used vinegar. You're about to use bleach, and combining it with vinegar can produce dangerous chlorine gas.
- Fill a large container (or sink) with a solution of 10 parts water to one part bleach.
- Completely submerge the pot in the solution and allow it to soak for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the flower pots thoroughly again before using.
- Place the cleaned and disinfected planters in the sun to dry (without stacking them).
- You can use glazed ceramic and plastic pots tooin the dishwasherdisinfect.
Disinfect planters without bleach
If you don't want to use bleach, you can try another method of disinfecting the flower pots. For example, you can spray the container with hydrogen peroxide, leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes, and then rinse it off.
Clay flower pots can also be disinfected in the oven. To do this, first preheat the oven to 100 °C. This temperature is enough to kill most bacteria and fungi. Place the clay pots on a baking tray and bake them in the oven for about 1 hour. Then turn off the oven, open the oven door and allow the pots to cool before removing them from the oven.
