Plastic-free propagation?

[Geri88]

I have received my seeds from the seed exchange today and I look forward to sowing them.
However, I am increasingly reluctant to buy new plastic pots (or anything made of plastic) for environmental reasons.

So my question is, can succulents' seed be sown in small terracotta pots or vipots with reasonable success, and what if anything should I be wary of? I imagine in the old days there would have been no other option.

[habanerocat]

I understand your concern and admire it. I don't have an answer but one solution would be to use pots you have salvaged or reclaimed. Saving them from landfill and putting them to good use. Personally I use old butter tubs and fish pie tubs.

Somebody on here before posted about garden centres sometimes giving used pots away for free.

[Geri88]

Thank you for your reply.

I reuse my old plastic pots for as long as they last, and have had a look outside the garden center at Wisley (they do give used pots away for free indeed), but they had only larger pots and I would rather not bring flimsy pots home that I will need to dispose of after one season. My understanding is that plastic plant pots are difficult to recycle, particularly the black ones (even if you place them in the recycling bin most don't get recycled). I cook mostly from scratch and rarely buy ingredients that comes in plastic tubs so I don't tend to have this kind of containers at hand either.

I find that vipots work brilliantly for vegetables/flowers and even alpines, they last up to 5 years (perhaps more in the case of succulents?), are as light as plastic but fully compostable, but they don't seem to be any seed trays or pots smaller than 9cm. That's why I am wondering about 7cm terracotta for sowing.

Maybe older members would remember what they used back in the day?

[edds]

We're trying to cut our plastic use too but I have compromised by buying much more durable plant pots and trays so that I will be able to reuse them again and again. I have some seed trays that are over 20 years old.

I find the packaging for things that I but much more problematic and I can't understand why two lots of cactus seed I purchased this year we're in tiny plastic bags with seals when waxed paper envelopes are so much easier to use and more biodegradable.

[Jim_Mercer]

Terracotta could be worse than plastic as it has to be fired so CO2 emissions...

[Geri88]

It's not as if plastic production was a clean industry, and clay does not take thousands of years to decompose, polluting the ground in the process.

[Geri88]

I find the packaging for things that I but much more problematic and I can't understand why two lots of cactus seed I purchased this year we're in tiny plastic bags with seals when waxed paper envelopes are so much easier to use and more biodegradable.

I completely agree. It is very frustrating.

[Jim_Mercer]

It's not as if plastic production was a clean industry, and clay does not take thousands of years to decompose, polluting the ground in the process.

I agree no ground pollution from terracotta but not sure it will decompose.

Point I was trying to make is that you need to look at the whole life-cycle when attempting to find the most environmentally acceptable choice.

[Herts Mike]

I'm still using the same pots I had over 30 years ago.

[ragamala]

Terracotta could be worse than plastic as it has to be fired so CO2 emissions...

Could be?

Have you seen any statistics or information to justify this concern Jim?