Are clay pots better than plastic ones in hot temperatures?

Question

In the region where I live summers are relatively hot (up to 35°C or 95°F) and sunny. Some of my plants grow in dark plastic pots, which can get pretty warm. When I water them, the water and the soil get very warm as well.

So far no plant was boiled alive, but I'm really afraid of this scenario. Would replacing those plastic pots with clay pots help to keep the soil a bit cooler, or does it make no/very little difference?

Answer 1

Keep in mind that soil in clay pot will dry out much faster than soil in plastic pot.

I would stick with plastic pots but you could switch to white pots instead of black. This is because black surfaces will absorb sunlight and heat very effectively. On the other hand white surfaces will mostly reflect them, keeping the soil's overall temperature lower compared to a black colored pot.