[papercreters] Re: Papercrete as growing medium

How will you keep it damp? Wicking does not allow much control.

It will not survive plant roots. Even concrete does not survive that and papercrete is much more porous.

I suspect one season would be all you would get before breakdown was significant. I don't know that it would matter, though, since the plant roots would become self supporting at some point as well.

- Ernie

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "prrr.t21@..." <prrr@...> wrote:

> 10" x 5' would weigh excessively when saturated, so it will just be kept damp. But one has to allow for misuse, getting caught in torrential rain etc, so its got to survive saturation.

Paper pulp (even at 15% concrete) does mold. If it can get sun and dry out it will greatly impede mold growth. Adding Borax, boric acid or other mold/insect retardant would assist as well. Not sure of impact on plants.

> Plant roots will try to break the stuff up. Somehow it needs to survive that - I'm hoping a plastic wrap will handle that. Whatever's chosen will get tested of course.
>
> Does paper pulp moulder? If so I'm not sure how to stop that.
>
> I've assumed so far that these poles would only be good for one season. Perhaps they could last longer somehow?




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