Protection of black pots

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Riverdale27, Jul 23, 2021.

  1. Riverdale27

    Riverdale27 Active Member

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    Hi all,

    I bought about 30 acers this year, so my wife is mad at me.
    I put them in black standard rubber/plastic pots, because buying expensive ceramic pots would probably have lead to divorce.

    Now I'm wondering: if the sun is on these pots... can it hurt the roots/the plants?
    And if so, what is a a cheap/good way to protect them (other then putting them in the shade)?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Jaybee63

    Jaybee63 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    If the pots are in full sun, then so are your maples which won’t do them any favours.
    If possible, try and find shaded locations with partial sun for just part of the day which will also protect the pots.
     
  3. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    I use black high drainage nursery pots, because they're cheap and I go through a lot of pots.

    Even if the tops of the maples are in sun, you _must_ protect the pots themselves from full sun. They get to high temperatures and grill the roots inside. Every once in a while, including a couple of days ago, I pot on a maple where the pot was at one time insufficiently protected. Even one day in burning sun is enough. These maples have no roots at all on the side that was in the sun, all the growth is concentrated on the other side.

    You don't need a lot of protection, even tall-ish grass, or an old burlap bag over the pot is enough.
     
  4. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    I am not a maple expert but I know I am careful with my other plants (example: hostas) in typical heavy duty black plastic Nursery pots

    I would be annoyed that you bought thirty maples ... then you’d be redeemed for your thrifty approach using black Pots

    Then I would be irritated again that the free (inexpensive) black pots were left in sunshine and the 30 maples expired. Yes, complicated.

    But maybe there’s some relief in that version of Shakespeare for Gardeners .

    I am glad You have a garden interest and maybe this is something you share.
    ————-
    Bottom line - feet (roots) in shade.
     
  5. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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  6. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    My reply = A deviation from the OP question - I hope ok

    ——

    RE: Your article link
    That's interesting

    I have used spray paint to make all my assorted and some faded pots the same color .... with limited success

    Yes I did buy the one that says to effect - adheres to plastic

    Well it looks rustic which kind of suits me!

    ——

    I wonder how the conventional garden centres manage to keep expensive trees in those black pots

    I notice someone in your link wondered why pots are black — is it because today it’s recycled content and black is what all those diff colors at the recycle depot turn in to? I don’t know. Ignorance is bliss - I just took a whole lot of annual plastic plant containers to recycle today

    The recycle depot has a huge bin of plant pots — they do allow people to salvage for their use (I presume sanitize and use)

    (FWIW - i remember years ago circa 1970? - my parents buying azaleas and rhodos at Woodwards - downtown on Hastings - a department store of BC fame - and the plant pots were dark army green metal.

    But how did people buy little basket stuffers etc - maybe peat pots? I don’t recall ... we just went to a greenhouse place and you’d choose your plants and they’d make a moss basket

    Again I would be careful of special plants in full sun in dark plastic containers
     
  7. 0soyoung

    0soyoung Rising Contributor

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    At least two with which I am familiar use pot-in-pot (PNP) 'planting' = a larger plastic pot is embedded in the ground and the tree's pot is simply set inside. There is abundant literature on the web as well as open-source technical papers (i.e., free and with data) that can be easily found using Google Scholar.

    It would be just the ticket if one has specific locations where they want trees but aren't sure of which where or like moving them around from time to time.
     
    Georgia Strait likes this.
  8. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    They're not as "bad" as dark glazed terracata pots : they're thicker and they keep the heat longer, overnight, it's like putting a tree into an open-air oven. When the air cools down, they radiate inside the pot, and if the tree needs repotting, that means suffering...

    Plastic pots have thinner sides, so even if they can heat up during the day, the temperature will go down at night - unless you live in a tropical climate.

    Black plastic pots are less conspicuous than grey or brown pots, but more and more often, I use grey or light brown plastic pots. In most places where you can find the cheapest plastic pots now, most of the time they're grey.
     
    dicky5ash likes this.
  9. Riverdale27

    Riverdale27 Active Member

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    This should do...
     

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