Holes (or not) in terra cotta pots?

[D&S Mabel]

If you plan to drill the pots, you will need a masonry drill bit.

These are typically designed for use with a hammer drill the goes through concrete pretty quickly but the hammering action will probably break the pot. If you use the bit in a regular drill, it will take alot longer to go through the ceramic which tends to dull / destroy the bit in fairly short order, usually from heat building up in them and actually "melting" end off (and they are not that cheap).

I recently managed to drill a whole nine 3/16" holes in 3 ceramic pots I had before the end of the bit was worn away to uselessness. Probably could have gotten alittle more life out of it if I had stopped often to let the bit cool but the project would have taken forever!

[jkhom]

Thanks everybody for your input. You confirmed my thoughts. I didn't want to start drilling all of her pots (she doesn't want to buy new) and do the wrong thing. As for the glazed, I told her she has to get a new pot.
Her oncidium is all shriveled up and I didn't know old bulbs don't grow roots. I will transplant and hope to save it. I plan to use new media, clay pot with holes and water sparingly, but misting often. It's a very large plant (about 2' tall) that still has green leaves. Hope this works....

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[Becca]

Good luck and keep us posted!

[cirillonb]

there is a specialty bit that is designed to drill through glass so it should drill thru a glazed pot. If interested you would need to check a real hardware store or search the internet.
Nick

[jmmehler]

I realize this is an old thread. I used my $79 Home Depot tile saw on some $.79 flower pots, and it seemed to work. They were small pots, and it is messy and noisy process. I made 4 narrow cuts in each pot, from the 1/2 inch into the pase to about 2 inches from the top. There are other patterns I still want to try out. Still temped to try it out on larger pots, but larger pots need to also have thicker walls.

On the subject of larger pots, does any one have a source for the large, shallow, terracotta, slotted pots? They seem hard to find.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I am not sure what size (diameter, depth) you need, but you can probably get terra cotta bulb pans (or azalea pots) and cut holes with your tile saw, or drill holes with a masonry bit.

Both Lowes and Home Depot have terra cotta pots (standard shape) that have holes punched in the side as orchid pots. Gardening supply companies often have orchid pots as well.

[plumania]

I think ,OFE international in Miami carries clay pots with large holes. They do not show them on the web site. They bring these pots in the local shows and they are not too expensive. You will have to call them for this item.
Here is the web site. I hope I am not against the rules to post the web site address.
OFE International Web Page