Given that clay dries out quickly, soaking your terracotta pots overnight before potting a new plant can help anyone start out with as much retained moisture as possible, to the point of reducing transplant shock. Pistils Nursery’s director of marketing and e-commerce, Jesse Waldman, agrees. In an interview with Well+Good, Waldman says, “Classic terracotta pots are unglazed and unsealed. The clay itself is porous, meaning it actually absorbs water. So, soaking them will saturate them beforehand, which will slow this process down.”
An internet search on the subject will surely bring up conflicting opinions on this method, for example Gardening Etc. considers it a waste of time and water. However, the outlet notes that another way to increase moisture retention in terracotta is to paint the inside of the pot to unclog the pores. When it comes down to it, pre-watering your pots is hardly a harmful practice, so you might as well do it, especially if you forget about your plants for weeks instead of overwatering them. Ohio Tropics breeders suggest a 30-minute soak in warm water and find that it makes a noticeable difference for them.
