Pots for Environmentally Conscious Gardeners

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Photo: Comfrey in last year's garden

Last summer, Ball Horticulture announced Circle of Life plants and pots for the green conscious gardeners among us. At the link provided, Ball even has links to sustainable gardening. According to the press release, Ball partnered with Summit Plastic Company to make rice hull pots in six sizes from 3.5 inches to a "trade" gallon.

This is great news in an industry that has a hard time disposing of seedling trays, plastic pots, plastic bags, etc. none of which we can take to a recycling center for earth friendly disposal.

Fun Time Happy Garden Explosion blog says Target is marketing a similar product under a different name.
Enviroarc is making not only garden pots but dinner ware out of bamboo pulp waste. The pots come in pretty colors, assorted shapes and sizes.

According to the Sustainable is Good blog, even the giant, Bonnie Plants who supplies Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc. puts some of its transplants in biodegradable pots.

If and where we have a choice, we can select biodegradable pots or pots made from recycled materials to let growers know that we want less plastic that is not earth friendly.

Comments

Michael said…
Oxo-biodegradable plastic pots complying with American Standard 6954 are not expensive, and they degrade in a few months leaving no fragments or harmful residues. They are made from a by-product of gasoline refining which would otherwise be wasted, so nobody is importing oil to make them.

The starch-based pots (complying with ASTM 6400) made from crops are really bad news. They are at least 400% more expensive, and they emit methane (a serious greenhouse gas) in landfill.

It is wrong to use scarce land and water to grow bioplastics and to drive up the cost of food for the poorest people.
February 27, 2008 at 3:34 PM
Anonymous said…
Michael, I agree with you about using natural resources wisely.

Do you know where gardeners can buy the Oxo-biodegradable pots?

Which ones are you refering to as starch based pots? The rice hull ones and the bamboo ones, too?

Martha
February 27, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Michael said…
Dear Martha,

You can get oxo-bio pots from Symphony Environmental Ltd. (www.degradable.net)

Yes, the rice and bamboo pots are all starch-based.

Regards,

Michael
February 27, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Anonymous said…
Michael Laurier is it? The website says you are the USA distributor for the Oxo pots but there is no obvious way to purchase them listed on the site.

Can you give us information on actually obtaining the pots in the USA?

I would love to get some to try. Thanks.
Martha
February 28, 2008 at 8:27 AM
Michael said…
Dear Martha,

Symphony does not make retail sales, but if you know garden centres plant nurseries or manufacturers who wish to buy or make oxo-biodegradable plant pots in commercial quantities, they should contact Symphony's sales team on +44 208 207 5900

Regards,

Michael
March 2, 2008 at 2:12 PM
Molly Day said…
Oh, OK. Thanks, Michael.
Please stop by the blog again and weigh in on other topics.
Martha
March 2, 2008 at 2:46 PM
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