Professional and home gardeners alike can grow landscapes sustainably with the help of biodegradable plant containers but may wonder whether these containers decompose quickly enough to avoid hindering plant growth.
A study conducted by University of Georgia researchers determined that, under standard cultivation practices, certain types of biodegradable containers will decompose within a single growing season.
In a recently published article in the journal Water, Air and Soil Pollution, UGA scientists determined how industry-standard growing practices affected the decomposition of widely available biodegradable — or alternative — growing containers. This study was led by Bethany Harris while she earned her doctoral degree in horticulture under the guidance of professor Bodie Pennisi and soil microbiologist Mussie Habteselassie in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the UGA Griffin campus.