The creative new brand in horticulture, the British Plant Nursery Guide, have achieved another first to make gardening more sustainable by becoming the exclusive UK retailer of a new innovative product range which is set to change the way we garden for good. The product is on sale now for a short time prior to the public launch at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May.
In addition to encouraging more people to support British independent nurseries and reduce plant miles, the British Plant Nursery Guides new range of biodegradable seedling pots offers another way to be more sustainable and improve the environment as well.
The new product is a range of seedling pots made from corn starch which are completely biodegradable and compostable. They are the innovation of eco Australian based company ‘becausewecare™ Seedling and Biodegradable Pots’ who manufacture environmentally friendly alternative products which mirror the functionality of traditional plastic, minus the negative impact. The pots have been scientifically developed to breakdown within a few weeks without leaving any harmful residues and have been awarded certification to worldwide standards of compostability.
The new range of ‘becausewecare™ Seedling and Biodegradable Pots are made from third grade corn which has fallen to the ground and is not suitable for human or animal consumption. As the pots are made from corn, which is an annually renewable resource and grown in area of high rainwater, they don’t require any additional irrigation to grow - making them the most environmentally sustainable pots on the market.
As well as the environmental benefits there are practical benefits for gardeners:
• save time as seedlings can be planted directly into the soil
• no more potting on, which takes time and a steady hand
• give seedlings a good start as they release nutrients as the pots breakdown
• good value at £3.99 for 25 pots
• they are light so easy to carry and transport around the garden
• as they are thin they take up little storage space
• they are kind on hands as they have a pleasant smooth finish
• durable and flexible so if you drop them they don’t break
Gilly Pollock, the Welsh entrepreneur and founder of the British Plant Nursery Guide, says "As a keen gardener I’ve been looking for an environmentally friendly pot as my own potting shed is full of plastic pots which I don’t know what to do with. I’ve tried other alternatives but they don’t offer as many benefits. The Biodegradable Seedling Pots offer a great sustainable alternative.
To be the first retailer in the UK of these great little pots is a great honour. We really want to get more people thinking about sustainability in the garden and change the way we garden for good whether it’s using through using the pots or by buying plants from the British nurseries that we promote, we feel as passionate about both."
The pots offer benefits to all gardeners but in particular those interested in ‘Grow Your Own’, allotment owners and families who are encouraging their children to get involved in gardening. They also offer a good resource for school gardening groups as the pack size of 25 is around the average class size and are light weight and easy to use - ideal for little hands!
The seedlings get off to a good start as the compostable pots do not absorb water themselves, keeping the soil within nice and moist for the plant to get established. The pots will only start to biodegrade fully once planted in the soil.
The manufacturing standard is very high as the pots are certified to meet European, US and the more stringent Australian standards for composting, which has an additional requirement that when a material breaks down within a composting environment, it does not negatively affect the worms that consume it or the health of plants that are subsequently grown in it.
In recent years there's been an increased awareness of the environmental impact of gardening, partly driven by the proposed ban on peat based composts which is due to come into force by 2020. This has created an increased interest from the horticulture industry as it tries to source new products which are more sustainable without compromising on healthy plant growth.
The seedling pots take an important step forward in eliminating the need for plastic plant pots, which are made from oil and are difficult to recycle. They also avoid the use of peat based pots, which are not popular with the environmentally conscious gardener, and they are cheaper than coir pots.
The pots are only available now to buy in the UK exclusively through the British Plant Nursery Guide. For the consumer through their Amazon store and at two larger retail members of the British Plant Nursery Guide, Coolings Nursery in Kent and Perrywood Nursery in Essex. For other enquiries email info@britishplantnurseryguide.co.uk
The pots will be available to buy from the British Plant Nurseries Guides stand at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and have been entered into ‘Product of the Year’ competition, which showcases new and innovative products. The winner will be announced during the show in May.
The pots come in packs of 25 and retail at £3.99 for 3 inches/ 8cm pots and £4.99 for 4 inches/10cms pots.
There is FREE post and packaging during the RHS National Gardening Week from 16th – 22nd April.
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