Eco friendly plant pots

If you’re an avid garden or simply buying Spring flowering annuals for your curbside appeal it seems there is no escaping the plastic at home improvement stores, nurseries and garden centers. Most plants are available in plastic pots or four/six/eight packs that are made of either #5 or #6 plastic, neither of which are as readily recyclable in most municipalities. One way to avoid sending these plastics to the landfill is to wash and reuse them which I personally do, after all reuse is the second R after reduce. However now there are other options for us eco-friendly gardeners!

Garden stores, including home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowers are now selling plants that are available in eco friendly compostable or biodegradable pots. EcoPots are constructed of 100% biodegradable coir fiber (extracted from the fibrous outer shell of coconuts), great for nursery plants and a great alternative to plastic pots.

 According to the EcoPots website the benefits of using EcoPots include:

• Plant Directly in Ground
• Avoid Root Disruption
• Provide Better Root Structure
• Allows Water into Roots
• Eliminates “Plastic Waste”
• Plants Utilize Natural Nutrients
• Eliminates Root Entanglement Through Air Pruning

Other eco-friendly gardening products available from the same supplier are:

• NestPots, seed starting kits made of coir fiber and other eco-friendly gardening products;
• BioBark, Promotes natural growth of young
  trees & protects trees from deer and other wildlife damage. 100%
  Biodegradable Tree Shelter;
• TreeMats offer a great alternative to
  standard hardwood mulches. Natural components prevent unwanted weeds
  and allow water to pass through to the tree’s roots
• EZ-log, 100% Biodegradable Coir Log with
  Pre-drilled Slots.
• EcoMatting, 100% Biodegradable Geotextile Fabric
  used for Slope Stabilization, Sediment Control and as an Erosion Control
  Distributor.

Coir fiber is a great alternative to peat pots because of the environmental and ecological changing conditions due to peat moss drainage in organic wetlands. In horticulture, coir is a strongly recommended substitute for sphagnum moss because it is free of bacteria and fungal spores, and produces good results without the environmental damage caused by peat mining. As an added benefit coir is also useful to deter snails from delicate plantings.

Next time you are at the garden center choosing plants, think about your choices, look for biodegradable or compostable plant pots. Failing that if you MUST buy plants in plastic pots please reuse and recycle. Check your local listing for recycling facilities in your area or offer the items on websites such as Craigslist or Freecycle. Eco-friendly gardeners love to get free plant pots so please show due diligence with your plant purchases.

Source: Image from ecodepotsales.com

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