5 DIY Crafts to Repurpose Broken Terracotta Pots

Terracotta pots are a necessity for every garden! They're made of all-natural clay free from chemical dyes, they have a natural porous quality that improves air circulation and moisture drainage, and their warm, earthy orange tone is so lovely. Unfortunately, baked clay can be fragile, and while high-quality terracotta pots aren't likely to break easily, sometimes rambunctious pets or garden accidents result in broken pots.

What Can I Do With Broken Pots?

Instead of throwing out your broken terracotta pots, take the eco-friendly approach and find creative methods for reusing them! Whether you've got a pot with a small chunk missing or one that's completely smashed to smithereens, there are several ways to repurpose your broken terracotta!

Make Terracotta Spill Pots for the Garden

If you have a terracotta pot that's only slightly broken, lay it on its side in the garden and bury the broken part with soil. Then, plant flowers inside the pot, continuing out into the garden, so it looks like the flowers are spilling from the container. The results are actually quite breathtaking and don't look kitschy at all, so it's a DIY project that's worth trying out if you want your garden bed to have a little extra wow factor.

Build a Fairy Garden

If a big chunk has broken off the side of one of your terracotta pots you can repurpose it into a whimsical fairy garden! It's a fun DIY project to do with kids—just make sure they wear protective gloves to prevent injury on any sharp edges.

Look up images of broken terracotta fairy pots to get some inspiration on your layout. You can use the little pieces to make a staircase, while larger pieces can section off areas of the pot to create different heights and levels. Fill it up with soil, pretty succulent plants, moss, and cute little figurines to complete the look.

Create Plant Markers

Terracotta pots have a thicker brim, so if a chunk of the top edge breaks off and a sharp piece remains underneath, you can turn that into a plant marker! Use a permanent marker to add your plant label to the brim, then press the piece sharp-side-down directly into the soil in front of your chosen plant so the brim stays above the surface. These are especially useful for herb gardens if you have several different leafy green herbs planted next to each other.

Make a Mosaic Pumpkin

Crafty types will often use colorful broken ceramic pots for mosaic art, but plain orange terracotta doesn't quite have the same effect. Mosaic pumpkins are a clever DIY craft idea to use broken terracotta pieces because that orange color works perfectly!

Start by taking a large styrofoam sphere and slicing six grooves along the side, like the ridges of a pumpkin. Make a little hole in the top and stick a 1X3" wooden dowel inside—that's your pumpkin stem!

Cover the styrofoam pumpkin with strong adhesive and apply all the broken terracotta pot pieces. Then, use grout to fill the cracks and make it smooth so no sharp edges remain. Use a small spatula to scrape off excess, or reapply grout wherever it's needed. Wipe the tiles clean, then let it dry. Voila! You've got a cute ceramic pumpkin for the front porch.

Spread Small Pieces Across
the Soil in Plant Containers

Are squirrels, rabbits, or other critters digging up the soil and munching on your container plants? Spread broken terracotta pieces across the soil with the sharp side facing down. This will help deter garden pests from messing with your plants! It also acts as a mulch alternative, helping to block the sun’s rays from germinating weed seeds and heating the soil, making moisture evaporate too quickly.

Need some terracotta pots to replace the broken ones? We've got plenty of garden pots and planters for sale, as well as many other beautiful materials and ornamental planters we know you'll love. Visit Roger's Gardens to see the entire collection!