Serendipity

As I was writing the post below about bulbs, a neighbour dropped by. He had been cleaning out a basement and had several dozen clay flower pots and plant saucers to give away. I was out of the house like a shot.

Many people do not like ceramic flower pots. When filled with soil and plants, they are heavy. The large ones are chiropractor's dreams. Clay pots cannot be left outside in our winter because you end up with clay shards. It is a chore to empty the large ones, lug inside, scrub them and store. Plastic is easier, cheaper and preferred nowadays.

However, the old fashioned clay pots have virtues. They are often more attractive than plastic, with fancy colours and embosssed designs. The terra cotta colour gives a traditional look to the garden. They are a better bet for indoor forcing. They retain moisture better than plastic and, more importantly, if the tulip or daffodil stretches, they do not tip.

I sanffled up a tall pot, perfect for amaryllis. These plants are notorious tippers as they stretch in the low light conditions of mid-winter. I also took four six-inch pots for my hyacinth bulbs and a squat pot with saucer to match, perfect for forcing crocus.

Four large plant saucers were a bonus. Two became bird baths, replacing the plastic saucers that have been chewed up by the weed whacker. Two will go under the palm tree and the fig in the porch, once I get around to repotting these monsters.

Tip. If the clay pot breaks or cracks, recycle. Throw it hard against something so it breaks, gather up the shards and use them for drainage when planting pots. I have a small shard collection in the basement to use when planting bulbs for forcing and a larger collection in the back shed for next spring. I also recycle any broken household dishes for drainage shards.