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From: holt@convexs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.garden
Subject: Re: Calcium on clay pots??
Message-ID: <15800002@convexs>
Date: Fri, 2-Aug-85 10:00:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: convexs.15800002
Posted: Fri Aug  2 10:00:00 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 6-Aug-85 09:11:28 EDT
References: <278@ihu1n.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:ihu1n.UUCP:-27800:convexs:15800002:000:1559
Nf-From: convexs.UUCP!holt    Aug  2 09:00:00 1985


This deposit is indeed a mineral deposit.  Some of these minerals are also
known of as "SALTS".  One of the big advantages to using clay pots for many
plants is that they are porous and thus absorb much of the salt that would
otherwise precipitate out on the top of the soil.  It should quickly be
stated that these salts are poison to most plants (no, I don't know of any
that are more resistant to salts).  If one uses plastic pots, it
is necessary to repot plants more frequently due to salt precipitate
buildup in the soil.  If one uses clay pots, the frequency of repotting is
not nearly as severe.  HOWEVER, I suggest that you only reuse a clay pot
once, or twice at most.  The salt that the pot absorbs eventually saturates
the clay, resulting in an unfavorable environment for the plant in the pot.
I find that my clay pots last about 3-5 years.

It should be pointed out that a very similar situation exists for farmers
of irrigated lands.  Since they use ground water (high in mineral content)
to irrigate their lands, the salinity of the ground increases steadily.
Unfortunatly for them, they don't have clay pots that can be discarded.
Rain is of course relatively free of any minerals, having evaportated and
then recondensed.  Has anyone guessed where this leads us?  Yes, that's 
right.  You can collect rain water in large tubs/vats, and water your
house plants with this, totally avoiding the salinity problem.  I know of
several people who do this.

			Dave Holt
			Convex Computer Corp.
			{allegra,ihnp4,uiucdcs,ctvax}!convex!convexs!holt