Air-Pot FAQs
Aren't these pots a lot more expensive than regular pots?
If you think of them as "just pots", then they are, but these containers are not "just pots", they are root system enhancement tools. Good tools are worth their cost, and like all tools, these can be used over and over.
Won't the soil media fall out the holes in the bottom?
Some will when you fill the container for the first time, but once filled and planted, the media stays put. If this is a concern, some sphagnum moss placed in a loose thin layer over the base before adding soil media will eliminate the issue.
Air-Pots are terrific, but I don't want to put a plant in one out on my patio for all to see! They are not exactly decorator material.
Just select an ornamental pot that is large enough for you to fit the Air-Pot inside, fill the space between the Air-Pot and the exterior pot with dry mulch so as to cover the top of the Air-Pot as well, and you now have a very ornamental planting with no visible Air-Pot!
How do I get the plant out of an Air-Pot if I want to install it in my landscape or pot up to a larger size?
Just unscrew the fixings (the green screw-like plastic units that holds the sidewall together), gently unwrap the sidewall, remove the base from the rootball, lift out the rootball and plant in the ground or pot up. In some cases, we use 6" black plastic cable ties instead of the fixings, and in that case, just cut the cable ties, remove them, and unwrap as described above.
When I water a plant in an Air-Pot, won't the water just run out all the holes and not soak the soil at all?
The unique design of the Air-Pot helps to eliminate this possibility, as the top few rows of protuberances have no holes. If you add soil media up to where these rows start, when you put water in the top, it will soak into the soil because there won't be holes there for it to run out of. You can also set the Air-Pot in an appropriate watering dish and let the plant soak up the water from below; just be sure that the water reaches high enough to get to the soil. Remember that a properly assembled Air-Pot has the base recessed up the sidewall.
All those holes make possible another option, and that is what I call the "dunking" method. To do this, you need a holding container large enough to set the Air-Pot into. You put your water or soluble fertilizer solution in the holding container, then dunk the Air-Pot into it so the solution can soak through all the holes, and let it soak for a minute or two. Then remove the Air-Pot and let the excess solution drain off. I have obtained outstanding results from plants growing in Air-Pots and fertilized in this manner.
I'm concerned about the environment. Aren't these pots made from nonrenewable petroleum based plastic?
The Air-Pots are made from recycled HDPE, which means that they are environmentally friendly, helping to reduce plastic waste.
When using Air-Pots, do I have to fertilize differently?
Fertilize your plants as you normally do, except that we recommend you use a natural or organic based fertilizer. It's better for your plants and for the environment.
My question isn't answered here. What do I do?
Just Email us with your question and we might even add it to these FAQs!