I was thinking about trying this but using faux stone spray paint or adding a very thin layer of hypertufa to the outside and over the rim and inside down to about the future dirt level to disguise them/pretty them up. I would love to see pics of the painted ones too! Also, how easy are they to move? Nikki

I don't think we can really totally get away from this problem without spending a fortune in clay, or just growing directly in the ground. For all my small containers I use clay... those are cheap. But larger clay pots are outrageously expensive! I'm sure newspaper leaches its ink, not to mention whatever is in the paper product, itself. Minerals/chemicals in water... especially treated city water... cause PVC to leach its toxicity into the water. That's how I understand it. It's the worst. We're doomed! We can either go with the flow and use the least toxic items, or we can forget about container gardening and just grow right in ground... organically of course! Think back to a time before plastics and petroleum products were part of our world... there were a lot less illnesses and diseases... we are slowly killing ourselves with all our "modern" inventions and waste from those inventions, or pollution.

I hesitated to say anything about this topic because we are in such different zones. In my hot zone I use plastic because it holds the moisture better than anything else. In the summer I need to water my potted roses (miniatures) everyday. I can't afford to lose water through the pot. You are lucky if the wine barrels work for you. Here it is a matter of being practical. Not to mention that wine barrels are not availible here like they are to you. A thought occured to me...do you line the barrels with plastic?

This is what I use for my bread. I like it so much, that when I broke my first one, I hunted up one just like it. I use plastic wrap, a damp towel, or a large plate on top. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Anchor-Hocking-Presence-11-Large-Serving-Bowl-Glass/35275886?action=product_interest&action_type=title&beacon_version=1.0.2&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&client_guid=f243b887-b992-4a4b-31d7-63910864bddb&config_id=105&customer_id_enc&findingMethod=p13n&guid=f243b887-b992-4a4b-31d7-63910864bddb&item_id=35275886&parent_anchor_item_id=24471357&parent_item_id=24471357&placement_id=irs-105-t1&reporter=recommendations&source=new_site&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id=W4FXsoT-NJ7oLSQF59nd0k I like this one, because it doesn't have an edge.