If you have plant pots on your patio, you have probably already noticed that they leave big stains on the pavings. This is very frustrating, and you might be looking for ways to prevent or reduce it.
There are various tricks to reduce and prevent your plant pots from staining your patio, including using plant stands, moving the pots regularly, and utilizing hanging planters. Plant saucers will help too.
Why Do Pots Stain Patios?
Having plant pots may stain your patio because they cause both water and soil to stand against the patio for long periods. This can result in algae, mold, and mildew, so it’s important to find ways to avoid this.
If you fertilize your plants, you may also find that the pots are more likely to stain your patio, because some fertilizers contain dyes that have colorants in them. You may wish to move your plants before fertilizing them if you don’t want to stain the patio.
How To Stop Staining On Patio From Plant Pots
If you have planters on your patio, you are bound to have noticed that these tend to create stains on the patio and that these remain even when you move the planter. This is very frustrating and a lot of people feel irritated by it, but what can you do to stop it from happening?
There are a few options, so let’s explore them!
Hanging Planters
The first suggestion is to use hanging planters instead, which will remove the dirty surface from your patio, and keep it looking clean and bright. Hanging planters allow you to enjoy the greenery without any of the problems associated with standing pots on your paving slabs.
Plant Stands
Secondly, you can put your pots on plant stands or lift them up onto raisers. This will stop the pots from touching the patio, which should help reduce the stains that the pots create. Pot raisers are often a good way to do this. You can buy them cheaply, and they simply stand under the pot and elevate it.
This can also improve the drainage of the container. Alternatively, use some pot stands to hold the pots above the patio. These come in all shapes and sizes, and like the pot raisers, they reduce the amount of contact between the pot and the patio. This stops the plant pots from marking the patio.
It will allow the decking or pavings to dry better and the air to circulate under the pots, reducing the risk of stains forming.
It is a good idea to rotate the pot stands a few times a year, because where the feet touch, the patio may stain. You should turn the stand occasionally so that the feet touch the patio in different places.
Moving Them Around
You can also minimize the stains by moving the pots around regularly so that each area gets exposed to the sun and the air can flow over it. If you just have a few pots, this is a particularly good way to stop staining, but it can be a nuisance if you have a lot of containers that constantly need moving.
Clean The Patio Regularly
Finally, you should make sure that you regularly clean the patio, as lifting fresh stains may be easier than getting rid of old ones. Give the area a good clean a few times per year, and take this opportunity to move the pots and rub the area down if you haven’t moved the pots before.
If you have pots that are too big to move easily, you may want to put them on a wheeled stand so that you can roll them around on the patio, instead of having to carry or push them.
How Do You Protect Concrete From Planter Stains?
If your patio is made of concrete, you’re also likely to notice stains from the planters. If you are seeing this, it’s a good idea to use raisers or a stand to elevate the planters above the concrete.
You can use a whole range of items to lift your pots, including things like wine corks or bricks.
This will lift the planter off the concrete, let the air flow under it, and minimize the dirt and water that hits the concrete.
If you do get stains on your concrete, try cleaning them with detergent and warm water. The sun should help to shift stains once the planter has been moved, too.
How Do You Protect Wood From Planter Stains?
For a wooden patio, you need to be even more careful with putting planters around, because there’s a risk that the planters will eventually cause the wood to rot, especially if you water the plant a lot and the wood rarely gets to dry out.
Elevating the planters or opting for hanging baskets is a good idea, therefore, because this will ensure that the wood can dry in between waterings. This should prevent the wood from rotting because the air can flow over it.
What Do You Put Under Potted Plants?
Another way to protect your patio from potted plants involves putting saucers or trays under your plants. These will stop the dirt and water from getting on the patio, and reduce the risk of stains. You may still get some staining because some water is going to spill over the edges of the saucers.
You need to be careful if you add saucers to the pots because there is a risk of over-watering the plants when they stand in containers. The water will not be able to run away from the roots, and it’s easy to drown your plants by mistake.
However, this is a good way to keep stains off the patio, so don’t dismiss it. Simply be vigilant about your watering routine and tip any standing water out of the saucers once the plant has had a drink.
Conclusion
You don’t want patios to be stained by your plants, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have plant pots out there! You should place your containers on pot raisers or pot stands, opt for hanging baskets, or regularly move the pots so that the area under them can dry.
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How do you keep your potted plants from staining your patio? We share some top tips to help!