Biodegradable Pots- Great for The Organic Gardener

For every gardener that grows plants from seed, knows and understands that the time quickly comes when that little seedling needs to be transplanted to a larger container to grow to its full potential before being transplanted in the outdoor elements. It is important that a plant that remains in a container, to not become root bound and deprived of nutrients. Some plants such as asparagus, cilantro and dill to name a few are not recommended to start from seed indoors due to the fact they do not take well to transplanting, unless of course using biodegradable containers.

Biodegradable containers are simply containers that are made from material that when put into the ground will decompose, no need for taking the plant out of the container, just stick the whole thing in the ground and cover it with dirt and that’s it. Biodegradable containers are great for those fussy plants that do not like to be transplanted, like cucumbers, and asparagus. I have used Jiffy pots before in the past but have found that though they do decompose in the ground fine, some plants that I grew in them did not grow so well. I noticed that these containers were constantly pulling away moisture from the plants. This would result in the plant drying out very quickly causing the plant to constantly go into shock. I would only reserve these containers for my cucumbers, melons, asparagus, and all the fussy plants that do not like transplanting.

This year I came across a biodegradable container that is made from the outer husk of the coconut consisting of both fiber and coir, all organic material having no harmful effects to the environment. These containers are very beneficial to the soil and the plant as well, having a higher resistance to mold which for me is great considering I use a greenhouse to accommodate the majority of my growing, and this eliminates any need for fungicides. The coir containers are rich with beneficial nutrients like copper, zinc, magnesium, and iron. The pots unlike the jiffy pots do wick water off allowing the container to last a much longer time and will hold its form for up to 5 years. The coir pot is also known to retain more moisture which helps to promote faster plant growth and a stronger root system.

I have so far been very well pleased with these containers, and find that they are much more superior than every other biodegradable container I have used and highly recommend them. These containers should not only be reserved for those fussy plant but for all plants. The choir container is a much better choice than plastic container in many ways. The above mentioned benefits for the plant and soil and for the environment as well. No need to worry about recycling these containers. If you are serious about organic gardening try these coir pots today.