Repairing Pots in the Greenhouse
As my outdoor grounds crew continues with fall cleanup around the farm, my gardeners are busy with tasks inside my greenhouse.
I love houseplants and I have a greenhouse full of beautiful potted specimens - orchids, succulents, begonias, ferns, and so many more. These plants are often brought into my home whenever I entertain. I also have thousands and thousands of pots in all different sizes. Unfortunately, every now and then, one of them will crack, or even break. The shards of those that cannot be repaired are saved and used to cover drainage holes in other containers. Others are fixed and used again.
Enjoy these photos.
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- The central greenhouse at my Bedford, New York farm is home to hundreds and hundreds of beloved plants. I enjoy learning about and caring for the many rare and unusual specimens in my collection. My orchid collection takes up two long sliding tables.
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- Begonias take up two other tables. These plants are considered cool temperature plants and do best in temperatures ranging from 58 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. I am fortunate to have such a large temperature and humidity controlled space to house all these beautiful plants.
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- On another side, a variety of ferns and other bold green specimens.
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- Many of my smaller potted succulents are stored in another area of my large greenhouse where they can get lots of light. Most varieties need at least half a day to a full day of sunlight. Succulents are best planted in clay or terra cotta pots with proper drainage holes because the vessels dry quickly, and prevent water from building up.
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- Underneath the sliding tables are hundreds and hundreds of stacked pots – terra cotta and clay pots, many made by master potter, Guy Wolff.
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- And here are some some more containers – Guy makes all of them himself – they are just stunning. During a visit to my farm a few years ago, Guy said my collection is definitely the largest one he has ever seen of his pottery.
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- Pots feel durable, but they are actually quite fragile. An entire piece of clay broke off this Guy Wolff container. Since this pot is handmade and expensive, it is worth the effort to extend its use. First, Ryan makes sure the pot is clean and completely dry before trying to glue it together.
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- For this, Ryan uses a good, strong glue – one that can be used indoors and out and also be exposed to water. He applies glue on the pot side first, and then to the piece itself. This ensure there is coverage on both surfaces.
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- Carefully, Ryan places the broken piece back into place. The broken piece should fit snug. Ryan checks that it is flush on both sides of the pot.
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- Ryan carefully wipes off any excess glue from the front of the pot.
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- This pot is fine drying upright, but for a pot that needs to dry on its side, place it in a bin of sand.
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- This slightly larger pot cracked. For this one, Ryan starts by examining the crack and determining where it starts and ends. A large crack is easy to find, but for less noticeable ones, spray some water on the crack and then wipe the water away – the crack will be more visible.
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- This repair will require some wire. Ryan wraps a length of wire around the top rim of the pot to see how much is needed.
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- Use a malleable gauge wire. Wire is available at any hardware store. Copper wire also works well. Ryan cuts a piece that is about six-inches longer than the circumference of the pot’s top.
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- Ryan wraps the wire around and begins twisting the wire taut at the ends.
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- He uses grip pliers to twist the wires as tight as possible. Remember, always “use the right tool for the right job.” Ryan is also very careful to apply slow steady pressure so that the pot doesn’t suffer additional damage.
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- Lastly, Ryan trims any extra ends.
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- These are shards from broken pots that could not be fixed. Always save them to cover the drainage holes of potted vessels. These shards will allow water to drain out but keep the potting mix from escaping.
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- Brian scarifies this topiary’s root ball before returning it to the repaired container – this means, gently disturbing the root ball to stimulate growth.
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- More potting mix is added around the plant, and patted down.
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- And finally, the repaired pot is now back in the greenhouse – its use extended for a little while longer. I hope these tips save a few of your pots in need of repair. And stay tuned to this blog – I’ll be sharing lots of Thanksgiving photos with you soon!
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