Are terra cotta pots safe to grow vegetables in?

Question

I live in an apartment and my mom is going to let me grow vegetables in her yard as long as they are in pots. She doen't want me to dig up her lawn, plus the lawn has been sprayed with chemicals for years so it is contaminated soil anyway. I figure plastic pots are not safe with the plastic chemicals leaching into the soil, so the best thing would be a terra cotta pot, right? Do they contain lead? I am wanting the most safe container I can find.

Answer 1

Yes, terra cotta and pottery are both safe in which to grow plants.  The size of the pot should be taken into consideration, as well as the location in the yard, ie., do the veggies need a lot of sun?  Most do in order to thrive.  THey also need to be watered, and cared for.  It is also possible for you to grow some in pots on a balcony, if you have one!

Good luck.  Check with local people who grow veggies to see what kinds do well.  It is one thing to have plants, it is another to produce a crop.

Answer 2

they are okay to grow plants in but they do tend to draw the moisture out from the soil which can place strain on the plants,if you can get the pots that are glazed inside the pot this will prevent the drying out of the soil.Also turn upside down in the winter if stored outside to prevent freeze and thaw and cracking of the planters