Terracotta Pots vs Plastic Planters?
By Nate Sawyer, Editor · Updated July 2026
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INGOFIN 12" Terracotta Pot with Saucer
A classic breathable terracotta pot with saucer that's the natural choice for herbs, succulents and any plant prone to root rot, as long as you accept faster drying and the frost/breakage fragility of clay.
| Type | Terracotta (clay) plant pot |
|---|---|
| Material | Natural fired clay / terra cotta |
| Size | 12" diameter, includes matching saucer |
| Drainage | Bottom drainage hole + porous walls that wick moisture |
| Best for | Herbs, succulents and other plants that hate soggy roots |
Bloem Ariana 20" Self-Watering Resin Patio Planter
An affordable, big-capacity 20-inch resin patio planter with a simple self-watering disk, ideal for filling a patio with large plants without ceramic's weight; its 11-gallon volume holds a small tree, and the UV-protected resin resists fading. Manage expectations: the disk is a basic reservoir, the thin walls look cheap, and it can blow over in wind.
| Type | Large resin patio planter with self-watering disk |
|---|---|
| Material | UV-protected durable plastic resin |
| Size | 21.5" top dia x 17" H, ~11 gallon capacity |
| Drainage | Sealed bottom with knock-out holes; includes self-watering disk |
| Best for | Big patio container plants and small shrubs/trees |
Our verdict
Terracotta's porous clay walls breathe and wick away excess moisture, making it the safest choice for drainage-sensitive plants like succulents, herbs and cacti, and its weight resists tipping. The downsides are fragility, faster soil drying and more weight to move. Plastic and resin planters hold moisture longer, are far lighter and cheaper, and won't crack in frost, but they don't breathe and can keep roots too wet for dry-loving plants. Choose terracotta for plants that hate soggy roots; choose plastic/resin for thirsty plants, big sizes, and anywhere you need to move pots or worry about breakage.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are terracotta or plastic pots better for plants?
- It depends on whether your plant fears wet roots or dry ones. Terracotta's porous clay walls breathe and wick away excess moisture, which is why succulents, herbs and cacti do better in it. Plastic and resin hold moisture longer, which suits thirsty plants and anyone who forgets to water, but can keep roots too wet for drainage-sensitive species.
- Do terracotta pots really dry out faster?
- Yes, and it is the direct consequence of the feature people buy them for. The same porous walls that wick away excess moisture also dry the soil faster, so plants in clay need watering more often than the identical plant in plastic.
- Can you leave terracotta pots outside over winter?
- Not safely when they are full of wet soil. Clay is fragile and can crack or shatter if dropped, and freezing wet soil inside a pot is the classic way to split one. Resin planters do not have that failure mode.
- Which is more stable in wind?
- Heavy clay wins for a small or medium plant - it is stable and will not blow over the way lightweight resin does. But large resin planters flip that: the 11-gallon Bloem Ariana is easy to move when empty and holds a small tree once filled, though it can blow over in wind while a tall plant is not yet rooted. Note its self-watering disk is a small basic reservoir, not a true sub-irrigation system.