Getting Ready for Fall: Terracotta Pot Storage

Our deck is very small and on the second level, so all of our greenery is grown in containers. Terracotta containers to be exact. There's something so rustic and Italian about terracotta pots. I can't wait to have a set of front stairs to run a group of terracotta pots filled with red geraniums.
I've never been a huge fan of the burnt orange hue. But once they grow the green algae on the outside I'm in love. Although Lee can't understand why I don't clean it off (to be fair he's use to cleaning our fish tank and the whole point is to get rid of the algae).

There are somethings you can do to ensure good storage and therefore an easy spring.
First
Make sure to wash and disinfect your terracotta pots. Washing them year to year helps prevent fungi, bacteria and viruses.
-Remove all loose debris using a hard bristle scrubber or some steel wool.

-Wash inside each pot with soap and water.

Second
-Kill bacteria, there are two ways of doing this
a) Heat your oven to 220 degrees F and heat each pot in the oven for 1 hour. This is a very effective, natural way, albeit stinky way. Seriously it smells so bad.
b) wash out or soak the pots (your choice) with a ratio of 10:1 Water to Bleach. We wash out the pots instead of soaking them because, like I mentioned before, I like the green algae on the outside.

Third
Try not to Store terracotta pots within each other, they might get stuck and you'll crack them trying to get them apart. We do however store smaller pots inside of larger pots. Pack newspaper around the pots and store indoors if possible, or in a cool dry place.

If you have neither of these options available to you, store close to the house, far away from winds and extreme weather.

Another Item done and checked off the fall to do list.

Note:
         The white build up on the sides on terracotta pots, is a fertilizer build up, to get it off, make a       paste out of water and baking soda and scrub off, if you like it keep it.
         The green build up is algae, it doesn't hurt the plant so it's fine to leave it, I love it, but if you don't use the same baking soda, paste and scrub to remove.