How to dispose of large broken terracotta pots?

[sez]

3 of my 4 big terracotta tomato pots disintegrated over the winter (i know, i know, shoulda have brought them in).. my question is how is best to dispose of them? Do they just need to go in the bin and if so how do i safely break them up, at the moment they're sort of 3/4 pots with sharp jagged edges!

[lottie dolly]

you could use them for drainage over big holes in pot bottoms

[Pumpkin Becki]

you could use them for drainage over big holes in pot bottoms

Yep, me too. I never throw away good crocks. However, if thats not the solution you are looking for, you could take them to your council tip - I think they can go in the 'Hardcore' skip, which means that at least they'll get recycled

[selfraising]

And me! I break them up into smaller bits and use them in my containers for drainage.

[Liza]

All of the above ^^^ even some of my "frost proof " pots disintegrated this year !

[OllieMartin]

I may be wrong, but can't you crush them up and the encircle your pots with the shards to deter slugs?
I know there are companies that sell crushed porcelain toilets and sinks for this purpose. I also remember the picture of a slug slithering across a cactus so am dubious as to how effective pointy bits really are.

[sez]

Hmm looks like I may need to find some heavy clothing and goggles and break out a hammer, then

[Shadylane]

My mum (and now me since I pinched the idea) uses them broken up as plant labels stuck in the ground. You could use chalk or permanent marker, although does chalk wash off?? Anyway they look really nice and rustic.

[OllieMartin]

Aren't terracotta pots tempered so that they don't shatter in winter?
I remember when I went to a garden centre in Spain and was admiring the pots my mum advised me that it's a bad idea to buy them in hot countries as they don't temper them because they don't have such harsh winters. As a result they shatter in the UK.

[TonyF]

Aren't terracotta pots tempered so that they don't shatter in winter?
I remember when I went to a garden centre in Spain and was admiring the pots my mum advised me that it's a bad idea to buy them in hot countries as they don't temper them because they don't have such harsh winters. As a result they shatter in the UK.

Even tho the winter's down here are harsh - and the recent winter has been nightmarish - getting really frost proof pots is difficult and very pricey. I bought some in a closing down sale last year (50% off) and even they have frost damage. We're thinking of going over to the ornamental reconstituted pots and troughs tho they're concrete coloured and will need painting.

As for the shattered pot, they all go into the bottom hald of a cut down water butt and get broken up with a hammer etc and reused. Does anybody want half a tonne of broken pots btw

[reetnproper]

Are the pieces big enough to use as various 'homes' for wildlife - namely bees. Semi buried in a quiet corner of the garden?

[sez]

Aren't terracotta pots tempered so that they don't shatter in winter?
I remember when I went to a garden centre in Spain and was admiring the pots my mum advised me that it's a bad idea to buy them in hot countries as they don't temper them because they don't have such harsh winters. As a result they shatter in the UK.

These have stood outside for 2-3 winters absolutely fine, but this winter destroyed them all!!

[sez]

Are the pieces big enough to use as various 'homes' for wildlife - namely bees. Semi buried in a quiet corner of the garden?

What a great idea