Why You'll Want To Use Olive Oil On Your Favorite Terra Cotta Planter

Terra cotta pots are a beautiful way to style your plants while giving your home a warm and natural feel. That is, until they develop white patches that make their saturated burnt orange color become dusty and aged. While it may seem like those stains are there to stay, a simple household ingredient can return your terra cotta pots to their former glory. Rubbing olive oil into these planters is an easy way to keep them in tip-top shape while preventing dusty mineral spots from appearing.

Using terra cotta pots for your plants can be very beneficial if you use them correctly. Some people may appreciate the look of mineral spots on their planters because of the aged aesthetic, but it's not exactly healthy. Overall, refraining from cleaning your containers can lead to sick foliage that's covered with pests. You have to care for your plant's home, too. That includes removing mineral spots as well as keeping them away with products like olive oil.

Terra cotta pots not only look good, but they're actually better for some plants. They're made from breathable clay that oxygen can flow through. Since they're usually unglazed, air and excess water can move in or out of the porous walls of the container. That way, it's harder to accidentally overwater your plants and drown their roots. However, this also means that your terra cotta pots are more likely to develop white patches depending on how you care for your plant collection.

Terra cotta pots soak up fertilizer plus salts and other minerals found in water. That's what leads to the powdery spots. Olive oil is the perfect way to mitigate this problem because it will essentially moisturize the planter. Instead of crusty mineral patches appearing all over your pots, the terra cotta will look shiny and keep its saturated burnt orange color.

You need to prepare your pots before you can use olive oil on them. Scrubbing off the mineral deposits is necessary so the oil can penetrate the ceramic surface and highlight its beautiful natural color. Sometimes you can use just a wire brush to remove the white patches. Although, you have to be careful not to leave scratches on your pot. If you're dealing with stubborn mineral deposits, you may have to soak them off. Get Busy Gardening recommends using a large bowl and mixing 1 cup of distilled white vinegar for every 3 to 4 cups of water. The more acidity you add, the less time it'll need to soak. Then submerge your terra cotta pot for 20 to 30 minutes. When the time is up, use the brush to easily scrub the mineral deposits off.

Now it's time to apply the olive oil. You can do so with your hands, but using a terry cloth rag is more effective. A little goes a long way, so you'll only need about a teaspoon of olive oil. Use the cloth to rub it into the inside and outside of the pot. Add more oil if necessary. Then take a fresh rag and clean off any excess. Now your terra cotta pots should look even better than when you first bought them. Over time the olive oil may need to be refreshed if new mineral deposits form on the surface.