HoneyBerry
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need recipe for plantable pots

I am looking for a recipe for plantable pots that are a decent size. Medium size pots, not seed starter pots. They need to hold together, not fall apart. Just wondering if you all have any ideas or experience making medium size plantable pots.

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applestar
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OK you have my curiosity up. What is the actual size you are looking for? What are you planting in them? How quickly do they grow? How long before they are “planted”? Does “plantable” mean biodegradable? How quickly and to what degree do they need to degrade?

Do you expect them to stand up Individually on their own as root-pruning pots until they are planted? What kind of environment will they be in until (presumably acclimated then) planted out directly in the ground (or large containers)?

Caveat — I don’t have actual experience but have some ideas. Just not sure which to explore without more details.

HoneyBerry
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The lilacs starts that I currently have are in plastic pots. I used to give my lilac starts like to friends, coworkers, neighbors and they would promise to return the pots but always failed to do so. I lost alot of pots that way. So I was thinking about how to get around this.
I saw some really nice plantable pots online made out of cow manure. Something like that would be nice but I don't have any cow manure. I love peat pots but the ones that I have seen are too small and seem fragile. I like the idea of plantable pots but don't want to spend alot of money on them.

HoneyBerry
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What is the actual size you are looking for? MEDIUM
What are you planting in them? LILAC STARTS
How quickly do they grow? SLOW
How long before they are “planted”? MOST LIKELY SOON
Does “plantable” mean biodegradable? YES
How quickly and to what degree do they need to degrade? DON'T CARE AS LONG AS THE PLANT SURVIVES

Stand up ndividually on their own as root-pruning pots until they are planted?
NO

What kind of environment will they be in until (presumably acclimated then) planted out directly in the ground (or large containers)? PORCH OR INSIDE COLD ROOM TEMPORARILY

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applestar
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Ok.

At simplest, my first idea is to use paper drink cartons. Lilac would be best with deeper root depth, so I would suggest 1 qt size or 2 qt (1/2 gal) size depending on your idea of “medium” — milk, juice, whatever in the tall square type. Cut off the four bottom corners, poke holes halfway up the sides, and cut off the peaked top (adjust height as desired)

It’s also possible to cut the bottom off and arrange in some kind of mesh bottom container if you have no need to move them around. I might go with a milk crate lined with window screen to keep planting medium from falling out while providing good drainage and good/sturdy vertical support. Lilac would need larger aggregate tree-style mix fortified and pH adjusted with dolomitic lime.

When planting, (cut off the bottom and) slit one corner all the way down. Drink carton paper is wax/paraffin coated and/or lined with plastic but all the cut edges will allow moisture to get in and quickly break down the pulpy interior paper (earthworms typically crawl between the plastic and happily munch on the paper of the carton).

It won’t take long for the carton to turn into limp piece of plastic that can be pulled out of the ground and disposed of.

—-

ETA -
1. you could give them away pre-slit down one corner and tied to keep shape with raffia, etc.
2. it might look slightly more interesting if you put #1 in individual wooden square berry carton. (This might not be worth the trouble if you don’t have a ready supply of them. I buy wooden berry baskets by the carton for sorting and gifting cherry tomatoes.)

HoneyBerry
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You have good ideas. I usually don't have milk cartons handy but I might be able to get some from friends.
Your ideas just now sparked a new idea in my mind. Once in a while the store that I shop at has 5 gal plastic dill pickle buckets with handles that they give away for free. I could transfer the lilac to the free bucket when I give it to someone. I love the idea of using something "free" for this. And "easy" is a nice thought as well.

imafan26
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You can make hypertufa pots any size or shape you want. They are lighter than they look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PReYogLXZfI

The cheap options for planters that are functional, not necessarily decorative are always the coffee cans (most are plastic now) and canned goods cans. I used to save kitty litter buckets and my friend would use them to make dust pans. I use them to store fertilizer, chemicals, irrigation parts. I can get pails sometimes with lids, most without for about $1-$2 from restaurants. The buckets are food grade 4-5 gallons. $12 for a 53 gallon plastic barrel from the bakery. Pickle buckets from fast food places are good because they have food grade rubber sealed lids which are good for water soluble fertilizer or for storing rice. The paint shop sells smaller pails, but they are not as cheap as they used to be anymore. When muck buckets go on sale for $5 I buy a few of them to plant tomatoes, large peppers, eggplant, and ginger. They are not UV stable but will last 3-5 years. I would use the half 55 gal barrels or resin planters for larger plants that will stay in planters a long time. Most pots today, even the commercial ones are made much thinner and don't last as long as the older ones.

If you have the time and energy you can usually get pallets for free (they usually are not treated). Take them apart and cut them to turn them into planters. Our club asks for donations of redwood fence boards which we recycle into redwood orchid baskets.
If you don't need the pot to be planted for a long time, plastic sleeves do work and they are cheap enough to buy, only usually have to buy them in quantity. Recycling pots, tubs and pails also works. It usually means taking the time to rummage through some garage sales or checking out what people are taking to the dump. Tires make good larger planters with or without the rims. Non-radial tires are easier to cut. I often use storage containers for planters, but I do need to use the heavy duty ones.

Jugs from bleach, vinegar, and soy sauce have made good planters. They can be used for hanging baskets as well. Milk jugs are made from thinner plastic and don't work as well as jugs made from thicker plastic. Drinking cups can be recycled for planters. I have some of the old Seven Eleven and Wendy's cups that I have even used as supports for the worm bin.

HoneyBerry
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Wow, all kinds of really good ideas. I am totally rethinking this now. I no longer want to make plantable pots for the lilacs. I'm thinking something 'free' and 'easy' will work better. I still like the idea of plantable pots for other applications.

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TomatoNut95
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I always start my tomato seeds in foam cups. The cups have nice root room for the seedlings until they're ready to be planted in the ground. They're also great to write the name of the plant on with a permanent marker.

I never use peat pots anymore, because I don't think they'll all that quickly biodegradable. And besides, when they're wet, they're floppy and goopy. I'm glad Bonnie plants finally switched their pots from peat to plastic. I got so sick of having to cut and peel off the plastic wrapper and then the peat pot. Now all I have to do is pop the plant out of the plastic pot, and I have a reusable pot for something else.

HoneyBerry
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Thank you everyone for all the ideas.
I love the hypertufa pots. I watched the video that imafan provided a link for. I definately want to make some hypertufa pots sometime. I added it to my project to-do list.
I remember having seen hypertufa pots at nurseries.

HoneyBerry
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I found a how-to video for faux hypertufa pots made out of styrofoam boxes
I am going to have to try that sometime.

HoneyBerry
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imafan wrote: "Milk jugs are made from thinner plastic and don't work as well"
Milk jugs (and those 1-gal bottle water jugs) that are thin plastic can work as temporary containers if set inside a same size cardboard box for structural support. I find that cardboard boxes are rather easy to come by. Finding the right size box for this application could be a challenge. If the box is oversize but close in size one could stuff the gap with paper towels.
I tend to have 1-gal water bottles on hand and they are clean so this idea appeals to me. Just cut the top off and set it in a similar size cardboard box.
Those oblong short sides boxes tend to be rather strong and could possibly hold 2 of the water or milk jug planters side by side.
Obviously there should be no drainage holes so this setup would be temporary.



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