Comparing Biodegradable Plant Pots

Comparing Biodegradable Plant Pots Want to use less plastic when starting seeds? We tried out several different biodegradable pots. Check out our comparison to see which one works for you! The breakdown on biodegradable pots

To start seeds and get young plants growing, I’ve always defaulted to the traditional plastic pot. But I’ve gotten tired of cleaning and storing an ever-growing pile of non-recycleable pots. So in the interest of using less plastic, I searched out biodegradable pot options. I wanted to know how they compare: Were they easy to use? Did they inhibit root growth? Did they break down in one growing season?

For this admittedly unscientific, anecdotal experiment, I planted Xochi Orange marigolds (Tagetes hybrid) in eight different kinds of biodegradable pots. I started them indoors in the same potting mix under the same lights, watered and fertilized them at the same time and grew them there for almost 10 weeks — longer than I planned to, but the weather wasn’t cooperating for transplanting. I was surprised to note that my seedlings all grew quite differently indoors, as you can see in the photo above taken right before transplanting into the garden. But once planted outdoors (pot and all in the soil) in a raised bed, the marigold plants all evened out within a couple of weeks and I couldn’t tell the difference between them as they grew and bloomed.

At the end of the season after a frost, I dug up the plants. Some roots appeared slightly obstructed by the container materials, growing over the top or through the bottom drainage holes, but all of the plants had grown and thrived. And though in varying states of decomposition, I could still