Think outside the pot

摘要

Supposing you were offered a pot that was claimed to save labour, reduce water needs, go through a potting machine, have the ability to produce a healthy plant in record time, be presentable enough for retail sales and give the real benefit of no waste packaging charges. Too good to be true? At Square Root Horticulture in Sheffield, general manager Nigel Swain believes the ideal pot in 2006 would be 100 per cent biodegradable and moulded from a material with the same characteristics as plastic. The firm is Mailing such a product, although the material is currently a trade secret. "Our initial trials have been very good," he says. "Longevity is an issue but we have some new trials that should be successful."