Key takeaways
- Crocks over the drainage hole don't help drainage, so leave holes clear or use a small square of mesh
- Sort pieces by size first, then match each pile to a job
- Flat terracotta shards make long-lasting plant labels with a soft pencil or paint pen
- Thick rim pieces make free pot feet that lift pots off wet paving in winter
- Crush only plain, unglazed terracotta for mulch; keep glazed china for mosaics
- Blunt sharp edges and wear gloves and safety glasses when breaking pieces
Broken pots are too useful to bin. Plain terracotta pieces make plant labels, pot feet, edging and a handy top-dressing. Glazed china and old plates are perfect for mosaic stepping stones.
This guide is all about what to do with the pieces once a pot or plate breaks. For bigger reuse projects around the garden, such as pallets and old tyres, see the recycled garden projects guide. First, though, a word about the most famous use for broken pots, because it doesn’t work.
Should you put crocks in the bottom of pots?
No. The RHS advises that crocks over the drainage hole don’t improve drainage. Water doesn’t flow happily from fine compost into a coarse layer. It tends to sit in the compost just above it, which can leave roots wetter, not drier.
A scrap of mesh keeps compost in and lets water out, which is all a drainage hole needs.
The fix is easy. Leave drainage holes clear and fill the pot with one even compost from top to bottom. If you worry about compost washing out of a large hole, lay a small square of old window mesh or weed membrane over it. That holds the compost and lets water out. For more on getting the mix right, see the peat-free potting compost recipes.
Sorting the pieces before you start
Sort broken pieces by size before you begin. Each size suits a different job, so it saves time and waste.
Wear gloves, as fresh breaks are sharp. Rub cut edges across an old paving slab a couple of times to blunt them. Then split the pieces into four piles:
- Large curved rim sections: bed edging, pot feet and fairy-garden terraces
- Flat body pieces: plant labels and row markers
- Small angular bits: mosaic detail
- Crumbs: crush further for top-dressing
Keep glazed pieces in a separate box. They’re for mosaics only.
Plant labels that outlast plastic
Flat terracotta shards make great free plant labels. They don’t snap, fade or blow away like cheap plastic ones.
Write on the unglazed side with a soft pencil or a paint pen. Push the shard into the compost beside the plant, leaning slightly back so rain runs off the writing. Pencil fades outdoors over time, so redo labels each spring.
For the veg patch, larger flat pieces make sturdy row markers. Scratch the name in deeply with a nail and it stays readable far longer than pencil. Set one at each end of the row.
A soft pencil writes cleanly on unglazed terracotta. Lean the label back a little so rain runs off the writing.
How to make a layered broken pot succulent garden
The layered “broken pot” garden is the best-loved project of all. It needs a pot with one clean break down the side, not a pile of fragments.
If you’re breaking a pot on purpose, score a line down one side and tap along it with a cold chisel, wearing safety glasses. A dropped pot shatters at random. Keep the piece that falls away.
Inside the pot, set curved pieces on edge into the compost to make three or four terraces. Fill each level with a gritty mix, roughly half multipurpose compost and half grit. Plant small, slow growers so the scale works:
- Sunny spot: houseleeks (Sempervivum), small sedums and saxifrages
- Shady spot: mind-your-own-business (Soleirolia), small ferns and mosses
Add a little path of crushed terracotta between the levels. Houseleeks and sedums are hardy, so a sunny outdoor version can stay out all year. The hardy succulents guide has more plants to try. For a fuller miniature scene with houses and figures, follow the fairy garden step by step guide.
Curved pieces set on edge make neat planting terraces. Houseleeks love the sharp drainage of the gritty layers.
Mosaic stepping stones from broken crockery
Glazed crockery comes into its own in mosaic. Plates, mugs and tiles that must stay out of the soil make cheerful stepping stones, table tops and pot rims.
- Start with a plain paving slab or a cast concrete stepping-stone blank.
- Break plates inside an old towel, or use tile nippers. Wear safety glasses.
- Lay the pieces face up in your pattern, leaving gaps of a few millimetres.
- Stick them down with exterior tile adhesive and leave it to set.
- Fill the gaps with frost-proof exterior grout and wipe the glaze clean.
Set the finished stone into the lawn so it sits level with the grass. Then the mower passes straight over it. On a table top, a clear grout sealer helps stop winter wet lifting the pieces.
Odd plates and chipped mugs make a cheerful stepping stone. Set it level with the grass so the mower glides over.
Crushed terracotta as a top-dressing for pots
Plain terracotta crushes into a neat, free top-dressing. It looks smart on pots of alpines, succulents and bulbs.
Put the pieces in an old feed sack and break them with a lump hammer, wearing safety glasses. Sieve through a garden riddle to get pieces roughly 6-10mm across. Spread a thin layer over the compost. It keeps the surface tidy, helps stop moss and liverwort, and keeps the necks of alpines dry.
Don’t crush it too fine. Dust packs into a crust that water runs off. Finer bits can go into a gritty compost mix for alpines instead.
Warning: Only crush plain, unglazed terracotta for anything that touches compost or soil. Glazed china doesn’t break down, leaves sharp flakes and some old glazes contain lead. Keep it for mosaics.
Crushed terracotta makes a tidy, free top-dressing. It keeps the compost surface clean and stops moss creeping in.
Pot feet and a quick fix for cracked pots
Thick rim sections make free pot feet. Three pieces under a pot lift it a couple of centimetres off the paving. That lets winter rain drain away instead of sitting under the pot. It’s one of the best ways to stop terracotta cracking in frost. The guide to protecting plants from frost has more winter tips for pots.
Three chunky rim pieces lift a pot off wet paving, so winter rain drains away instead of freezing underneath.
Thin wedge-shaped pieces also make good levellers under wobbly pots. Terracotta won’t rot like a wooden wedge.
A pot with a single crack can often be saved. While it’s empty and dry, bind it tightly with galvanised wire until the crack closes. Seal the outside of the crack with an exterior sealant to keep frost water out.
Bed edging and a toad shelter
Large curved pieces make a rustic edging for borders. Push them into the soil on edge, overlapping slightly like fish scales, with a lip showing above ground. It’s free and looks deliberate.
A broken pot also makes a cosy toad shelter. Lay a pot on its side in a cool, shady corner and part-bury it, so the broken edge forms a doorway. Add a few dead leaves inside. Frogs, toads and beetles appreciate a damp hideaway. The frogs and toads guide explains what else helps them.
Common mistakes when reusing broken pots
- Putting crocks over drainage holes. It doesn’t help drainage. Leave holes clear or use mesh.
- Using glazed shards as mulch. Glaze never breaks down and leaves sharp flakes. Keep it for mosaics.
- Skipping the blunting step. Fresh breaks cut hands. A quick rub on a paving slab sorts it.
- Smashing a pot for a fairy garden. You need one clean break, so score and tap along a line.
- Crushing mulch to dust. Very fine terracotta forms a crust. Aim for small chips instead.
Frequently asked questions
Do crocks improve drainage in pots?
No, the RHS says crocks don’t improve drainage. Water tends to sit in the compost just above a coarse layer, so it can make soggy roots more likely. Use one even compost from top to bottom and leave the holes clear. A small square of mesh stops compost washing out of a big hole.
How do you make plant labels from broken pots?
Write on a flat, unglazed shard with a soft pencil or paint pen. Push it into the compost beside the plant. For row markers that last, scratch the name in deeply with a nail. Bring pencil labels in for winter if you want them to stay readable.
Can you use broken crockery as mulch?
Only plain, unglazed terracotta, crushed to small pieces. Glazed china doesn’t break down, leaves sharp flakes in the soil and some old glazes contain lead. Keep it for mosaics instead.
What can I make from broken terracotta pots?
Labels, pot feet, edging, a layered succulent pot, top-dressing and toad shelters. Sort the pieces by size first. Big curved rims suit edging and feet, flat pieces suit labels, and crumbs suit crushing.
How do you make a broken pot fairy garden?
Use a pot with one clean break down the side, not a shattered one. Set curved pieces on edge inside to make terraces. Fill with gritty compost and plant houseleeks, sedums or small alpines.
Can you repair a cracked terracotta pot?
A pot with a single crack can often be saved. Bind it tightly with galvanised wire while it is dry, then seal the outside of the crack with an exterior sealant. Raise it on pot feet so winter water drains away.
Now your broken pots have a second life, browse more practical how-to guides or plant up an alpine trough display to show off your crushed terracotta top-dressing.
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
