Root behavior in porous vs. nonporous pots

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fanaticactus
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Re: Root behavior in porous vs. nonporous pots

Post by fanaticactus »

Mrs.Green wrote: Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:00 am
fanaticactus wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 8:29 pm
Mrs.Green wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 7:50 pm An interesting topic no doubt 🙂 Steve-O wrote; ‘ Was there a better air/soil mix along the pot walls than internally? ‘ I am wondering about the same. Could it possible be that the roots are seeking out the best aerated area in the pot? In a non glazed terracotta pot it would likely be the pots walls?
I believe that's the answer. Any mixture should be uniform throughout the pot. I imagine the roots can sense the porosity of the sides and that's why they are attracted to them.
greenknight wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 10:16 pm The porous pots absorb moisture and dissolved nutrients, I thinks that's what attracts the roots.
Thanks for contributing Fanaticactus and Greenknight 🙂 couldn’t it be a combination of that factors as well?
It seems entirely possible and even reasonable, Mrs. Green.
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Carpkel
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Re: Root behavior in porous vs. nonporous pots

Post by Carpkel »

I also prefer plastic pots over clay pots. I have found that cacti in clay pots do not form a good root ball and have a tendency to wrap its roots around the sides of the pot.
Plastic pots allow you to pack more cacti in a smaller area and allow you to pull it out of the pot easily whenever you need to inspect the roots or to repot.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: Root behavior in porous vs. nonporous pots

Post by Steve Johnson »

Carpkel wrote: Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:31 pm I also prefer plastic pots over clay pots. I have found that cacti in clay pots do not form a good root ball and have a tendency to wrap its roots around the sides of the pot.
Exactly right -- and why porous clay pots are never used by expert growers both hobbyist and professional.
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DaveW
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Re: Root behavior in porous vs. nonporous pots

Post by DaveW »

As always pots or containers are going to be aimed at the main markets. Greenhouse growers wanting long use pots that are UV resistant for years are not that numerous. Nurserymen want cheap pots the plants can grow in for a year or so before they are sold, therefore cost beats longevity. Few gardeners grow long-term in the same pot or even reuse them year after year in greenhouses as we do.

I have some plastic pots 20 years old in polypropylene which spent most of their time in the greenhouse. Though with some the rim exposed to the sun is just starting to go. No doubt long lasting plastic pots can be made at a price but there is probably not a large market for them, at least n the UK.

Passing skips (dumpsters) in the UK you often see a dozen plastic pots thrown away since their only purpose was to bring plants back from the nurseries to then plant in the garden, a very short life. Terracotta coloured here is the most common, presumably as they originally replaced clay when plastics were introduced so was a "traditional" pot colour.

The recycling people were at one time trying to ban black pots in the UK because the laser beam shone on the recycling line could not detect them therefore they finish in landfill. They have come up with an awful colour called "taupe" to replace black ones which does not seem to have taken on! I don't think recycling to save landfill is is as yet such a big thing in the USA as in Europe?

This link came out in 2018 and I have only seen taupe pots once since then. Therefore they have not taken on very fast and I can't say I like the colour anyway, therefore stick to terracotta coloured ones since I don't like green, blue or yellow ones either.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46571653

https://www.reducereuserecycle.co.uk/wh ... ld%20waste.
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