Cleaning Your Outdoor Planter or Urn

Proper care for your garden planters and garden urns have many benefits. Your plants will be healthier and protected from bacterial, fungal and insect pressures. Your outdoor planter and urns will look well kept and last much longer. These are made from many different materials; terracotta and clay to resin and concrete. Once you understand the material your planter or urn is made from you can know how to make them last. before you start cleaning your planter or urn. Follow the tips below.

MATERIALS

Understand the material from which your outdoor planter or urn is made. This will help determine the type of cleaning chemicals you can use.

• Concrete - water, bleach, and a scrub brush to get into the pores
• Fiberglass - use water, mild soap, and a scrub brush with soft bristles
• Terra-cotta - water, mild soap, or bleach and a soft brush

ARRANGEMENT

Your outdoor pots should be arranged so that you can clean or sweep around them. This allows for better air circulation, eliminating some moisture and bacterial accumulation. Place your outdoor planters on pot feet so that you will get adequate drainage and air circulation. It will be easier to sweep dead leaves or other debris from around the base.

STORAGE

In the off-season, your vegetable planters should be stored upside down to prevent accumulation of debris that could harbor disease or insects that are harmful. This would be true for flower planters as well. Some perennial plants are brought indoors in their patio planters or patio urn. Keep them near a window so they can continue to get plenty of UV light in the shorter winter days.