Why would someone bury plastic pots and small styrofoam coolers in a bed?

[palmettomoon]

My friend Margaret has purchased a home in NC. As time goes on I'll come up here and do some projects for her and try to help her "fix" some of the things the short bus riding prior owner "built" or undo some of his "improvements."

The electrical ridiculousness, the outdoor irrigation (DIY) and the "carpentry" I can sort of understand when I put on my hillbilly dumbass "git 'er done" hat. The guy was a ****ing disaster with tools.

He did something thought that has me truly mystified. He buried small styrofoam coolers and plastic pots (the cheap Lowes "take home a plant" type) in the bed alongside the entryway to the house. Now they are all under the surface but rootbound. They've been a complete and total nightmare to dig out and bag up.

I'm just curious. Has anyone ever seen this done before and why would the MENSA candidate do such a thing? I've lived in a lot of homes over the years and I've always tried to make the exterior and gardening look good, so I've done some projects before. I just cannot figure out why he would bury this shyte in the beds? Any ideas?

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

I do that too, when I really don't like the plant in question that my wife picked out and I want it to die. I tell her the pots are biodegradable and provide extra fertilizer if she asks.

 

[palmettomoon]

I do that too, when I really don't like the plant in question that my wife picked out and I want it to die. I tell her the pots are biodegradable and provide extra fertilizer if she asks.

That's what I should have told Margaret.

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

Yep, and tell her the styrofoam is to help with water usage, helps retain moisture near the roots and in winter the insulation helps keep the roots from freezing.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

I've done it ---I did so to avoid traumatizing the roots of the plant because it seemed to be stuck in the pot pretty thoroughly. I was afraid of ripping the roots apart trying to get it out of the pot.

So I drilled a few extra holes in the pot to let the roots spread out further as the plant grew, and then buried the whole damn thing.

 

[GeauxLSU]

I've done it ---I did so to avoid traumatizing the roots of the plant because it seemed to be stuck in the pot pretty thoroughly. I was afraid of ripping the roots apart trying to get it out of the pot.

So I drilled a few extra holes in the pot to let the roots spread out further as the plant grew, and then buried the whole damn thing.

Absolutely the wrong way to do it. Tearing a few roots is not going to hurt the plant. Leaving it root bound will do exponentially more harm. Just cut the pot off if you can't get it to release and carefully loosen the roots before planting.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Yep, and tell her the styrofoam is to help with water usage, helps retain moisture near the roots and in winter the insulation helps keep the roots from freezing.

You're joking but I wouldn't bet against it being his "logic".

 

[palmettomoon]

Absolutely the wrong way to do it. Tearing a few roots is not going to hurt the plant. Leaving it root bound will do exponentially more harm. Just cut the pot off if you can't get it to release and carefully loosen the roots before planting.

That's what I've always done. Cut the pot with a razor knife, break up root ball, plant.

 

[atljetmech]

I got a buddy dealing with previous owner electrical catastrophies in the house he bought.
PO was supposedly an engineer and some of the **** he did it's a wonder the place didn't burn down.
Btw...how does Margaret compensate you?

 

[palmettomoon]

I got a buddy dealing with previous owner electrical catastrophies in the house he bought.
PO was supposedly an engineer and some of the **** he did it's a wonder the place didn't burn down.
Btw...how does Margaret compensate you?

LOL, we've been friends for 22 years.

This previous owner was supposedly some type of engineer for IBM so I assume a process engineer as he was no electrician.

I think he actually was an engineer for YUGO.