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Potting in Costa Rica



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Published on Saturday, January 11, 2025








By Victoria Torley



Is rainy and Metric Man is running the dehumidifier in the walk-in closet so the clothes won’t get moldy. Next to the dehumidifier is a bucket of mud also in the drying process.


Was he surprised? Well, yes, but he shouldn’t have been, after all, we have been married a long time and stranger things have happened. Anyway, I heard, “Wife? Why is there a bucket of mud in the closet?” Response? “It’s drying out so I can try making a clay pot. “


It’s like this. When we dug out an area for some plants, we hit a big layer of clay and some pot shards so I figured that the clay must be good for pots. Naturally, I want to try it because pots are good for plants.


Well, the whole thing got me thinking about what kinds of pots there are and what is best for plants, so I thought I would share it with you.


Black plastic planting bags are a kind of pot and are very useful. All you need is a few stones for balance and a little dirt and they are perfect for starting seeds. I use them all the time. Sometimes, if you are careful, they can be reused, but remember to recycle them when you are finished.


Plastic pots come in black and lighter colors although the light colors seem to be hard to find. They also come in flimsy and sturdy and I have both. The flimsy ones are breakable and head to the recycling bag when they are unusable.





Black plastic is good for plants in the shade as they heat up very quickly and can damage plant roots. You can also use Styrofoam boxes as planters in the sun as they are great insulators. Make your plastic pots more attractive with a little paint.


Then there are the hanging pots which are a great choice for balconies and patios. To make sure they last, look for pots made of painted or plastic-covered wire as wire rusts easily in our climate. If you have bare wire, you can line the sides of the pot with plastic and leave the bottom open for drainage.


Wooden planters? These are a no-no for our climate unless they are in a covered area. In addition to being easily rotted, they attract bugs – including the dreaded termite. Nevertheless, they are very attractive, can be painted, and look great inside.


Well, that leaves out a lot of different pots, so come back next week for the rest of them.


Happy Gardening.



Plant of the week. Oh, the colors of the Ixora genus, pink, scarlet, yellow, and orange, all make a great addition to the garden.


There are 150 varieties of Ixora to choose from. They make a wonderful hedge and can be trimmed for topiary. Although they will grow in full sun, they prefer some shade. They will also need rich well-drained soil. For best blooming, remove spent flower heads.



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Find more interesting stories about gardening in Costa Rica on 
the AM Costa Rica Garden page. Questions on this article, Ms. Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached by emailing victoriatorley1@gmail.com

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