Clay or Plastic pots? And a handy easy to make tool.

  • Thread starter Peace perfect peace
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Peace perfect peace

Whats the best "Clay or Plastic pots and why"
I myself really go for clay pots everytime im out buying new pots now i know the plant suppliers dont as the norm sell plants in clay pot so if your wanting these pots then as the norm you have to buy your own,

Advantage of clay.
Clay pots retain the heat better and if your taking the likes of geranium cuttings and you plant the new cutting around the inner edge of the pot you'll find this is the warmer section of the pot and will soak up the water from the base "but" the water wont stay as it evacuates and this helps roots not to rot
Plastic wont do this and the water stays in the saucer base hence this can cause root rot and the compost to be wet/damp, Both seeds and cutting dont do well in over wet/damp conditions
Tip the very dust like seed "the ones you just scatter over the compost" are always watered from the bottom of the pot and the compost will draw the moisure upwards, this method stops these very small seeds from rotting,

Tip ref feeding ,
Always feed from bottom of pots and water from top, by using this method you wont burn the leaves and the roots get the feed,*

Drainage holes in the pots
Some pots have 5 or more holes at the bottom of the pot and some only 1
The multi holed pots dont need any drainage material as these are designed to drain and also when fed from the saucer takes up the feed faster,
very good for thick rooted plants that need a good watering,

The 1 hole pot do need inner drainage to slowly take the feed from the saucer and to let the water release slowly into the saucer when top watering is done

The rim around the top outer section of the pots whats that about????

Not all pot have this outer rim that is all the way around the outside of both clay and plastic pots,
Those that do have the rim is designed as a water measuring mark for that size of pot ie when filling the pot with compost etc only fill just under the rim and when watering water up to this mark and with a saucer under the bottom of the pot the water will soak down and collect in the saucere
By using the rim as the water measure you'll not over water the plant for that size pot,

If you've a pot thats not got a rim???? Then using the correct size saucer ie the pot fits in with a small space around pot & saucer inner edge (the saucer should have a rim marker at it top to bottom) this again is the amount of water/feed for that size pot,
With clay pots water top or bottom will not stay as it will evapuate But plastic wont it just sits in the saucer and can cause the plant roots to rot?
Well what do you think? Clay or Plastic?
"Tip" Handy simple to make plant pot tool that'll last for years
When using the plant pots you'll need when seed sowing to have a nice flat firm surface !!!!
No problem most plant pots are round and the space under the watermark is the amount of compost for that pot, if you get a piece of ply wood or hard plastic larger that the pots size put the pot on the plywood/plastic and draw around the pots base so that you'll end up with a circle drawn on your wood/plastic
Now cut this circle out and find the centre of the circle and drill a hole enough for a screw to be attached to a piece of wood cut to your own hand held size
(an old broom handle makes several good handles when cut to size) screw the handle to the wood/plastic Now you've a good damper to use to keep the compost nice and flat, now sow your seeds and cover with compost.
Ive several different sized dampers all made years ago and all used offten.
 
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Post some photos peace and show us what you're talking about with your plants. I love seeing other peoples greenhouses and plants and how they feed them.
 
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Peace perfect peace

I dont do the photo bit due to not having the camera,
But if i can explain anything i will,
Im still of the old world , ie i believe in writing a letter rather than the "e" mail stuff And i do try to spell correctly,

I dont know about you Oneeye "but i can't get into this modern way of sending " "e" mails with short cuts ie R. U. OK, etc
It drives me mad,
so I'll C.U. later :giggle: :giggle: later oneeye.
 
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Its ok peace, I understand how you feel, because I feel the same way a lot of times. Thanks for sharing.
 

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