Can someone please help me ? I just purchased a wrought iron plant holder, with two hooked extensions at the top from which to hang two flower baskets in my outdoor garden. The entire "plant pole" is about 6 feet tall with a bottom two-pronged extension to be driven down into the ground. My quandary is "Do I need to treat this wrought iron pole in any way to protect it from the elements, i.e. the ground into which I sink it.... or even just the weather ? This is Thanksgiving weekend and I'm wondering if I should wait to erect it in my garden next Spring ? I surely would like to do it now, since here in Pittsburgh we have not yet had our first deep frost. And will it safely tolerate the winter ice and snow? Can anyone advise me as to how to care for and protect this wrought iron pole....thanks so much....Judy in Pittsburgh
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
the ice and cold will have a preserving effect ...untreated it should last anywhere from 3 to 10 years depending on soil make up and rainfall. a little paint is all you can do and once corrosion has started more paint won't help.
Put it wherever you want it. It will be fine. Every few years, paint it. Iron is pretty much indestructible. We have miles of wrought iron fences and balcony rails in New Orleans that have been there for a couple hundred years.
It will last a very long time without any treatment. The surface below ground will probably rust but that will not be seen anyway. Whatever other mottled surface rusting takes place is all just colorful patina. What you are worried about takes decades.