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Aged weathered mossy clay pots so prized by gardeners cannot be bought off the shelves of the local garden center. One can, however, achieve this look rather easily.
Choose new unglazed clay pots with a trim or pattern for the richest looking effect. Dig some real dirt, not sterile potting soil, from the yard, garden, or mossy area in the woods if you're lucky enough to have access. The dirt needs to be pulverized to a powdery consistency. I keep an extra blender for these messy projects.
Brush a generous coating of yogurt or buttermilk onto your pots and give them a good dusting with the dirt. Put them somewhere out of the sun such as a corner of the basement, garage, or potting shed and keep them damp. In three or four months you will have stylish aged looking pots ready for planting.
Pat Turner, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
This is a do-it-yourself project (a la Martha Stewart).
Stain terra-cotta pots with all-natural powdered pigments. First mix the pigment with matte medium (a paint extender available at art-supply stores) to desired shade and add a little water to thin paint as necessary to make it easier to apply. Mix a small amount first to reach your desired color before increasing the proportions for a bigger batch. Use a foam brush to coat the outside of the pots (one coat is enough). Allow to dry overnight. Caution: these pigments are strong and will stain your clothes. Once finished you have pots that compliment their contents or your décor.
Shirley Hightower, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Terracotta pots are great for houseplants because they breathe. They also absorb minerals, especially salt, from water and can get a crusty buildup on the rim. Leaves and stems that touch this buildup will sometimes wilt and die. To avoid this problem, you can wax the pot.
Save old candles and simply rub them around the rim of the pot to seal the terracotta. Any kind will do--colored, scented or plain.
Set the pot and the candle stub in the warm sun for an hour or so before rubbing. That way the wax rubs on easier and better penetrates the clay.
Every six months you may have to flush excess minerals from the potting soil by pouring water through the pots until it runs out clear. Waxing the rim of each pot saves scraping away the crusty deposits, and your plants almost never lose a leaf or a flower to mineral damage.
Shirley Watson, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Gardeners and terracotta pots just naturally go together. Following are some pointers for using those pots:
Monica Klein, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service