In Zones 3 to 6, empty terracotta and glazed ceramic pots, brush them clean, let them dry for a few days, and store them in a garage, shed, or basement before nights start dropping into the low 20s °F, usually by late October or early November. Clay absorbs water, and water expands about 9 percent when it freezes, which cracks, flakes, or splits the pot. A dry, empty pot rarely cracks even in an unheated shed. Fiberglass, resin, and plastic planters can stay outdoors, and so can high-fired stoneware labeled frost-proof if it drains freely.
Why clay pots crack
Unglazed terracotta is porous and soaks up water like a sponge. Glazed ceramic is sealed on the outside, but the unglazed base and inside still absorb water, and the glaze traps it. When temperatures swing around freezing, that trapped water freezes and thaws over and over. Each cycle widens tiny cracks until the rim chips, the sides flake (spalling), or the pot splits.
Soil makes it worse. A pot full of wet potting mix freezes into a solid block that expands outward against the walls. Even pots sold as frost resistant last much longer if they are emptied or kept dry.
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Find My Plants →Storage checklist
- Empty pots of soil and plants by late October in Zones 3 and 4, early November in Zones 5 and 6.
- Compost spent annuals and spread old potting mix on beds, or store it in a covered bin for reuse.
- Brush off dried soil and soak crusty pots in a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 3 or 4 parts water to loosen white mineral deposits.
- Dry completely in the sun or a garage for several days.
- Store dry, indoors or under cover, off concrete floors where possible.
- Nest pots upside down with a layer of newspaper or cardboard between them, smallest inside largest, so they do not crack against each other or stick together.
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What about pots too heavy to move?
Large glazed urns and terracotta planters are often too heavy to carry. For those:
- Empty them in place if possible, or at least remove the top several inches of soil.
- Tip the pot on its side or turn it upside down so rain and snow cannot collect inside.
- Raise it on pot feet so the drainage hole stays open and the base does not sit in meltwater.
- Cover it with a tarp or a waterproof cover, tied securely, to keep the walls dry.
A rolling plant caddy placed under a large pot in spring makes the next fall move much easier. Lift with your legs, get help for anything heavy, and wear gloves; chipped clay edges are sharp.
Pots you want to keep planted over winter
Hardy shrubs and perennials in containers need a pot that tolerates freezing. In cold zones, move permanent plantings into fiberglass, resin, plastic, or thick concrete planters, and choose plants rated one to two zones colder than yours because roots in a pot are far more exposed than roots in the ground. Our overwintering potted perennials guide covers which plants to keep out and which to move into a garage.
For seasonal porch displays such as fall mums in containers, use plastic grow pots slipped inside decorative clay pots. Lift the plastic pot out when the display ends, and the clay pot can be emptied and stored in minutes.
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Zone notes
- Zones 3 and 4: Store all clay and ceramic pots by late October. Even frost-proof stoneware lasts longer under cover.
- Zones 5 and 6: Empty and store by early November. Very large pots can stay out if emptied, tipped, and covered.
- Zone 7: Freezes are short. Clay pots usually survive outdoors if raised on pot feet and kept from sitting in water, but emptying them still extends their life.
- Zones 8 and warmer: Most clay pots stay out year-round.
Bottom line
Wet clay cracks; dry clay survives. Empty, clean, dry, and store terracotta and glazed pots before nights reach the low 20s °F, tip and cover anything too heavy to move, and keep year-round plantings in fiberglass, resin, or other freeze-tolerant planters.