Best Places to Buy Pots (And Gardening/Nursery Stores in General) (yard, rated)

[G Grasshopper]

I think you find fewer unglazed pots around here because it is harder to grow plants in them. In the summer, they must be watered much more often, as the water will leach through the pot sides and evaporate. Unless you are planting very hardy cacti or are putting these in a shady area where evaporation might be less of a problem, glazed will work better at keeping plants alive.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by G Grasshopper

I think you find fewer unglazed pots around here because it is harder to grow plants in them. In the summer, they must be watered much more often, as the water will leach through the pot sides and evaporate. Unless you are planting very hardy cacti or are putting these in a shady area where evaporation might be less of a problem, glazed will work better at keeping plants alive.

This is SO TRUE!! Virtually impossible to keep plants alive in unglazed pots in Austin, even plastic works better.

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by G Grasshopper

I think you find fewer unglazed pots around here because it is harder to grow plants in them. In the summer, they must be watered much more often, as the water will leach through the pot sides and evaporate. Unless you are planting very hardy cacti or are putting these in a shady area where evaporation might be less of a problem, glazed will work better at keeping plants alive.

Gah, I know what you're saying. But the look of glazed is so meh. I wonder if those fiberglass planter/pots/urns hold up at all after a few summers. Stained concrete or cast stone might look good, too.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by thesonofgray

Gah, I know what you're saying. But the look of glazed is so meh. I wonder if those fiberglass planter/pots/urns hold up at all after a few summers. Stained concrete or cast stone might look good, too.

Have you ever considered hypertufa?

[G Grasshopper]

I know that I have seen pots/planters that are unglazed on the outside, so retain that look, but are glazed on the inside, so don't have the water loss. But I haven't seen that recently, or around here. (I haven't been looking, however.) I wonder if it would pay to just call around to places that have pots to see if they have such hybrids.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by thesonofgray

Gah, I know what you're saying. But the look of glazed is so meh. I wonder if those fiberglass planter/pots/urns hold up at all after a few summers. Stained concrete or cast stone might look good, too.

Fiberglass planters/pots/urns should hold up well. I know if a 1975 sailboat with a fiberglass hull, which has been on Lake Travis, in the water for 38 years and has no leaks. I owned that boat for 13 years and it is solid as a rock. There are older fiberglass boats then that one on Lake Travis. That is something the boating industry has struggled with, the older boats basic hulls never wear out, and those that do develop blisters and problems can easily be repaired. Cosmetically, the finishes surface, gel coat, can get chaulkey and pitted, but is easily sanded and repainted with a variety of coatings such as polyeurathane paint that can bring back the gloss in any color if that is what you are looking for.

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by scm53

Have you ever considered hypertufa?

Now that is neat. There were some "lava stone" pots at Miguel's which sort of look like hypertufa. If I was more crafty with wood to make some forms I might try doing that.

Originally Posted by G Grasshopper

I know that I have seen pots/planters that are unglazed on the outside, so retain that look, but are glazed on the inside, so don't have the water loss. But I haven't seen that recently, or around here. (I haven't been looking, however.) I wonder if it would pay to just call around to places that have pots to see if they have such hybrids.

I saw that also at Miguel's this past weekend on a few of their pots - inside glazed with the outside a more natural look.

There's a pot place on 620 past the dam that I hope to visit this weekend. I need to stock up so I can take advantage of the 3 or so really nice weather weekends we typically have before January.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by thesonofgray

Now that is neat. There were some "lava stone" pots at Miguel's which sort of look like hypertufa. If I was more crafty with wood to make some forms I might try doing that.

You don't have to be. You can use the huge plastic storage bins as your mold.

[thesonofgray]

Went to Shoal Creek Nursery today and they had a pretty good selection of pots. I ended up getting a lemon tree and few well priced concrete (stained a limestone-like color) pots and the nice guys there gave me an extra 20% off without even asking. Very awesome nursery.

[orngkat]

I did the crushed granite thing in a portion of our yard one year ago. Just thought I'd let you know that it will make your yard and house feel much hotter. We have been amazed at the heat generated by all that rock so its being converted to trees, shrubs etc.