Plastic pots

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jerrytheplater
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Plastic pots

Post by jerrytheplater »

I have been looking for a source of plastic pots that are deeper than standard pots. I have some pots that are not standing up to sunlight and are breaking after one year of use. Some of the greenhouse pots I use are very flimsy.

I'm looking for pots that are cheap and of good quality. Fools search? I have a few examples of what I'm looking for but can only find places that sell them in case quantities of multiple 100's.

Where have you been getting your pots?
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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anttisepp
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by anttisepp »

I use simple square unpretencious pots from EBaY.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by jerrytheplater »

anttisepp wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 6:22 am I use simple square unpretencious pots from EBaY.
How long do they last before splitting or breaking?
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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anttisepp
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by anttisepp »

Usually more than 5 years, some 10 years and more.
Yoghurt and butter packs they say dont live long, but I don't use them. :D
keith
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by keith »

http://www.andersonpots.com/products/ Hard to find now but sometimes Ebay has them .

"Our Polycans are superb field pots, injection molded for durability and strength. These black containers from premium recycled plastic outperform thin-walled throwaways from off shore and domestic sources. Our thicker pot walls resist cold better and last longer than alternatives. They are totally reusable and recyclable."
DaveW
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by DaveW »

The deep pots are called "Long Tom's" in Britain. Standard pots in Britain have a height equal to the diameter of the pot and half pots are half that height. Looking up Long Toms here they are about one inch to two inches deeper than standard pots.

Whether your American pots follow is similar standard I do not know?

You will probably have to Google for "deep plastic pots", but from what I can see many American pots are quoted in their soil capacity rather than dimensions? We used to prefer polycarbonate or now polyethylene pots in the UK for greenhouse use since they did not degrade in sunlight like polystyrene does. I have some original BEF square pots that are around 20 years old and some just starting to deteriorate on the rim.

https://manchester.bcss.org.uk/bef-pots-history/

Of course, commercially most don't need long lasting plastic pots since nurserymen sell the plants before the pots deteriorate and many gardeners just use them to carry the plant home before bedding the plant in. Therefore, few purchasers bother about long greenhouse or full sun life for plastic pots.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by jerrytheplater »

DaveW wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 2:46 pm The deep pots are called "Long Tom's" in Britain. Standard pots in Britain have a height equal to the diameter of the pot and half pots are half that height. Looking up Long Toms here they are about one inch to two inches deeper than standard pots.

Whether your American pots follow is similar standard I do not know?

You will probably have to Google for "deep plastic pots", but from what I can see many American pots are quoted in their soil capacity rather than dimensions? We used to prefer polycarbonate or now polyethylene pots in the UK for greenhouse use since they did not degrade in sunlight like polystyrene does. I have some original BEF square pots that are around 20 years old and some just starting to deteriorate on the rim.

https://manchester.bcss.org.uk/bef-pots-history/

Of course, commercially most don't need long lasting plastic pots since nurserymen sell the plants before the pots deteriorate and many gardeners just use them to carry the plant home before bedding the plant in. Therefore, few purchasers bother about long greenhouse or full sun life for plastic pots.
You are so right there Dave. The pots I see used in the greenhouses last a year or two at most. They flex a lot when picking them up as I do as I move them to get into the sun. I wonder how that impacts the roots as the mix moves? I guess I am going to have to repot more frequently as the pots break down. I do see Polypropylene PP used a lot. That does stand up to sun pretty well. We used it a lot for our chemical tanks in the electroplating industry I was in.

Our standard pots do have the diameter equal to the depth approximately. And volumes are used due to regulation, although I wonder how many buyers are looking at their tomato transplants and thinking that "this brand has 118 ml cells and the other has 142 ml. I'll take the 142 because it has more potting mix." I just look at how many plants I need. Greenhouses use standard flat sizes so they will fit on their benches or aisle spacing.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
DaveW
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by DaveW »

In packed staging's one problem with brittle pots is if you pick them out with tongs just as you are lifting them above the staging the pot rim breaks, and they drop down on other plants damaging them. That is why the BEF pots took off with British Cactophiles with plants in the greenhouse not being re-potted for a few years.
FredBW
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by FredBW »

I don't know how many actual nurseries you have in your area. But around here (KC) about half sell pretty high quality black plastic pots of different sizes. They don't usually keep them where everyone can see them. Because they are trying to sell more expensive decorative pots. (Of course the ones I have seen I don't consider a bargin)
I have quite a few that I have had several years that I have kept. I just went and checked several thinking there might be a certain brand. But it seems every one of them is a different brand.
Most of what i am talking about look exactly like Anderson pots in Kieths link above. But none of mine say Anderson.
Those Anderson pots look pretty good to me.
FredBW
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by FredBW »

Ooops Just realized how you have to jump through all kinds of hoops to find any Anderson pots.
I did see Pro cal on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pro+cal+nurs ... hours_1_20

A couple old pots I have are Pro Cal. They are made pretty well. But as i say,they are old :)

Reviews look pretty good. And HEY they are made in USA 8)
keith
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by keith »

I use these for small cactus any bigger than 4" and the pots get heavy and break as Dave describes which is not cool. The thick polycan style doesn't break but hard to find in smaller sizes below 1 gallon. Bigger sizes easy the pot growers use them so there is a market.

Many plastic pots on Ebay are super thin wall throw away style which is hard to tell from a picture.
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keith
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by keith »

Avoid this
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by jerrytheplater »

keith wrote: Fri Nov 04, 2022 12:40 amAvoid this
That is the type pot my commercial greenhouse owner friend gives me. Those are the ones that are flexible and I wonder the effect on the roots. They are also probably only going to last one or two seasons.

I'm tempted to go back to clay and seal them. But, it is getting harder to get terracotta clay pots CHEAP. I cleaned up my pot storage area today and organized them all. I washed a lot of them and I'm drying them in the oven right now. Back around 2008 I picked up a lot of small clay pots 1-2" at a collapsed glass greenhouse on my way home from work. I passed it by every day until I got up enough nerve to knock on the house and ask if I could grab some of the pots. A very old man gave me permission. I'm cleaning these now. Eventually the property sold and it all got cleared out to make a parking lot for a car dealership. That greenhouse fell victim to a neighbor that planted fast growing tall trees which blocked the sun on the greenhouse. Don't get your neighbor upset! At least, that is what the man told me.

I'm giving my friend the small clay pots which he most likely will use to pot up some succulents and sell at a premium because of the distressed retro clay pots! They look old because they are. Who knows how many years they were exposed to the elements in the collapsed greenhouse.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by jerrytheplater »

FredBW wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 11:50 pm I don't know how many actual nurseries you have in your area. But around here (KC) about half sell pretty high quality black plastic pots of different sizes. They don't usually keep them where everyone can see them. Because they are trying to sell more expensive decorative pots. (Of course the ones I have seen I don't consider a bargin)
I have quite a few that I have had several years that I have kept. I just went and checked several thinking there might be a certain brand. But it seems every one of them is a different brand.
Most of what i am talking about look exactly like Anderson pots in Kieths link above. But none of mine say Anderson.
Those Anderson pots look pretty good to me.
Fred, three very big garden centers closed within the past few years by me. We have a lot of wholesale greenhouses around here, but they mostly don't sell retail. They also don't use strong pots. There is a Mom and Pop Garden Center that has been open for at least 75 years. It is still going strong. I can walk to it. But they don't have what I'm looking for.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: Plastic pots

Post by Steve Johnson »

Don't discount the possibility of going with terracotta pots if you find them in the sizes you need. Chances are that they'll be low-fired clay, but porous clay pots can be sealed well with UV-resistant acrylic paint. This is a good low-cost alternative to glazed ceramic.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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