The
New PlantersThe
New Planters
Containers
are an easy and effective means of introducing seasonal color on a front porch
or back terrace in spring or summer, or even to provide interest in the winter
landscape. But large ornamental terra cotta or stone planters are expensive, may
not hold up well
in our severe winters and are difficult to move to a sheltered spot to protect against
winter damage. Or are they?
Modern
technology now brings us new plastic pots that mimic their heavier and more
expensive originals. Don't cringe at the word plastic –
the new generation of planters are virtually indistinguishable from the real
thing. Lightweight and tough, in a variety of textures, materials, colors and
styles, and often beautifully detailed, these planters are a terrific
alternative to containers made of traditional materials.
These
lightweight new pots have the look of terra cotta, cement, or stone, but with the
durability of synthetics. Many of the original look-alikes were poor imitations of terra cotta that didn't look very convincing and
crumbled after a few years of hot sun and cold winters. But manufacturers are
now combining classic Italian designs with modern materials to produce pots with
many of the advantages of terra cotta, but without the disadvantages. Many of the fakes
look just like the real thing –
you'd never know they're not made of clay or stone until you lift them.
Planters
made with newer materials can be deceptively light yet are resistant to
cracking, chipping, and breaking in freezing weather. Their light weight makes
them easier to move. Most are 80-90% lighter than clay or stone. This
means you
can have a very large planter (some are offered in sizes up to 52
inches in
diameter) and still be able to move it without hurting your back (at least when
empty: use caution when lifting any containers filled with soil and plants –
even in light weight containers they still can present a challenge to move by
yourself).
These pots are also great for indoor
use. I have a 6-foot tall Strelizia alba (white bird of paradise) in
my greenhouse that I could barely move (much less lift) that was bursting out of
its plastic pot, but I couldn't find anything bigger among the typical
houseplant containers. It's now happily living in a much larger,
grapevine-design faux weathered terra cotta pot.
To reduce the weight further, I used styrofoam peanuts for a drainage space in
the bottom of the container rather than pot shards or gravel, and used a fair amount of peat rather than soil in the potting mix. Even
with all that, the whole thing
is relatively heavy, so I placed the container on heavy duty rollers to make
moving it even easier.
The most widely sold synthetic containers are made from polyurethane or polyethylene. It's easy to determine which is which:
 Polyurethane is up to an inch thick and has the feel of hardened styrene
foam. It is a good insulator that will keep plant roots from overheating in
summer and help extend the season in fall. Most pots are guaranteed for at
least 36 months against chipping, cracking, fading and freeze damage. They can
by easily drilled for drainage, if they don't already have a drainage hole in
the bottom. |
 |
| Polyethylene may appear indistinguishable from terra-cotta on the
outside, but the rim is
rolled over to the inside to make it appear as thick as terra cotta. The rest
of the pot wall is only 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Despite its thinness (which
makes it lightweight) the material is tough, resisting damage from sun and
frost. Although this type of pot is good-looking, it doesn't have the
insulating capacity of the polyurethane pots. These normally have pre-drilled
holes. |
 |
Regardless
of the material, these pots come in a variety of colors and textures, some that
mimic granite or sandstone, as well as the typical terra cotta. And the cost of
these larger faux pots is much less than the real thing. In one store I visited
the 20" imitation terra cotta pots were only about $25, while similar sized
ceramic or stone planters were priced around $75.
Several brands are manufactured in the U.S. (such as Terra Lite™, Thermo-Lite® or Planterra) and others are imported from Italy or other countries. They are widely available in garden centers and nurseries (and of course you can find many for sale on the Internet), and many of the discount retailers (e.g. Home Depot, Lowe's, Sam's Club, Target, Wal-Mart) carry a variety of fake terra cotta/stone pots. Each may have a different selection of designs, colors and sizes, however, so you may have to shop around to find exactly what you're looking for.
– Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Brand names and commercial businesses are listed only for reference. Such references are not intended as an endorsement by the University of Wisconsin - Extension over similar brands or businesses.
