Photo Courtesy of: GrowerTalks Magazine
Did you know that plants care about the color of pots they are grown in? It’s true. Grower trials have shown that plants grown in white plastic pots don’t grow as vigorously as those grown in black plastic pots. Whether annuals, perennials or shrubs; all plants show a preference for a black (or black lined) pot.
Why would this be, you ask? The answer is in the amount of light allowed to penetrate the walls of the pot. White pots allow more light in, which “prunes” the roots. Roots don’t like to grow in sunlight; they prefer to burrow into nice, rich soil instead.
Light transmitting through the perimeter of white pots effectively reduces the volume of growing media available to the plant’s roots. This results in stunted growth compared to plants grown in the same size black pot.
So, when you go to the greenhouse, look for black or black-lined pots and choose those plants. That way you’re almost guaranteed a sturdier root stock that will out-perform white potted plants in bouncing back from transplant shock.
Want more information? Check out the details at GrowerTalks Magazine.
