I’ve hankered after an Angelica plant for a while, not particularly for its use as a herb, but more for its aesthetic qualities as a stunning architectural plant.
I’ve tried growing it from seed twice and failed – nil germination both times. So I’ve caved in and bought a plant. An added bonus is that it came in a hairy pot:
The hairy pot is made from organic coir fibres (a waste product from coconut plantations) and there’s no need to remove it on planting, it will gently decompose underground. Which is exactly what my pot is doing right now under the soil in the centre of one of my raised beds.
Hairy pots are also claimed to be beneficial for plant growth. Because the pot has an open structure the roots are ‘air-pruned’ when they hit the edge of the pot which encourages the growth of a mass of fine roots, rather than the traditional coiling and spiraling of roots in plastic pots. More fine roots = more efficient water and nutrient uptake = healthier plants.
This makes sense as it’s a similar concept to the air pots used by plant nurseries. I thought these hadn’t made it down to the retail market yet but then I discovered the air-pot garden website. Not quite as attractive as the hairy pots but would love to try them out – watch this space.
Back to hairy pots; the only potential downside is that, prior to planting, the pots are likely to lose water more quickly than conventional pots but you can get round this by standing the hairy pots in a shallow tray of water.
Quirky and eco-friendly and available from the Hairy Pot Plant Company.
