Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

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baNINAsplitt
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Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by baNINAsplitt »

Hi!

I was just wondering if cacti or succulents can be planted in plastic cups? Are here any precautionary measures I have to take?

Thank you!
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JaneO
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by JaneO »

Drainage holes?
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by Jim_Mercer »

They can be planted but might not survive! Roots might not like the light coming through the sides and most plants would appreciate some drainage holes to let water out and air in. However I do have some plants in glass containers (rescued from Tesco) and the clear sides do mean you can see if there is too much water
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by Mike »

I wouldn't recommend clear pots (other than perhaps for epiphytic orchids that are not exposed to sun). The roots could rapidly cook if the pot is in the sun. And you might normally want a shallower pot. Other than that, so long as there is drainage, it should be ok. I've sown seeds successfully in brown plastic coffee drink containers when I wanted space for an unrestricted tap root to form.
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DaveW
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by DaveW »

Around the world Succulents are planted in anything that will hold soil, from tin cans, plastic cups, disposable coffee and tea cups, ceramic bowls and even tea pots god help us! In the old days were even told we needed "breathable" clay pots since they might rot in plastic ones. Some seem to survive with or without drainage holes in the container. However, as was said above, in the case of containers without holes the watering has to be strictly controlled because the surplus cannot drain away.

Some plants do grow OK in transparent containers with their roots in soil, or even just in water provided the stem is held just above the water surface, so cacti like most plants can be grown hydroponically.

When I was doing night school photography many decades ago, somebody brought along a 3 inch cutting of Euphorbia millii to photograph (or whatever it's called now). At the end of the session he stuck it in a small transparent bottle in the classroom with some water. That plant soon rooted and was living happily in that bottle for a couple of terms with it's roots fully exposed to the light.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/potted-pla ... 04339.html

https://www.shopterrain.com/article/pro ... succulents

http://sacredcactus.org/cultivation/hyd ... i-growing/

https://www.dawn.com/news/405266

https://hydroponic-culture.tumblr.com/p ... -of-cactus

It's a case of "suck it and see" if you have spare plants. Obviously cacti that will rot in soil if it stays too wet can live in transparent containers in water, provided the plant body is clear of it.
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baNINAsplitt
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by baNINAsplitt »

Thank you so much for all your help! :)
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habanerocat
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by habanerocat »

I'd imagine that they would turn into a mildew mess after a while.

Also if you tend to move the pots a lot, as the sides aren't very strong, there will be a lot of root disturbance. Which can't be good.

They will also be top heavy and unstable.
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by FaeLLe »

Jim_Mercer wrote:They can be planted but might not survive! Roots might not like the light coming through the sides and most plants would appreciate some drainage holes to let water out and air in. However I do have some plants in glass containers (rescued from Tesco) and the clear sides do mean you can see if there is too much water
Well I do not think the roots will mind the light but they will need drainage for sure. I think they will grow just fine if you make drainage holes in them with a hot fork.
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by MikeT »

It might not be long before the inside surface starts to grow a covering of green algae and look a mess
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Re: Can succulents be planted in plastic cups?

Post by FaeLLe »

MikeT wrote:It might not be long before the inside surface starts to grow a covering of green algae and look a mess
seems to work fine for ephiphytic orchids such as phals.
Only concern is how much moisture algae will retain but they probably will die considering how dry we keep oiur specific type of plants.
Last edited by FaeLLe on Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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