@overcast most plants grown in plastic containers have short life or planted temporarily for the purpose of transplantation only. Like we plant saplings in such containers to transfer them in our main garden or a vegetable plant which has a short life of few weeks to few months. I agree with you that plastic pots are not suitable for plants with long life.
@Ray1 Exactly, not only plastic pots unreliable and sometimes effective, they can easily be damaged and cause the plant to die or get damaged.
I would say it is safe and harmless for your plants to grow. I use recycled plastic containers which ai bought from a nursery when I went to buy some new plants for my garden. The pots are sturdy and hard. I use them for a while now and I have to admit that it is much better than an earthern pot as it will retain water in the soil and keep the soil moist compared to earthern pots which will absorb water quickly making the soil dry. If you are going to use plastic containers make sure you place them in a shady place.
I don't see any reason why you shouldn't reuse plastic containers for planting. Another current trend is to use cans, put some holes in them (in the bottom for drainage) and then spray paint them. They are a good way of recycling and a cheap way to brighten up a garden with brightly colored cans with plants in them.
I think plastic pots are safe, I've been using some for quite some time for my plants though they aren't the kind of plants that can be eaten. But as far as contamination is concerned, I haven't had any problem with plastic pots. But if you really are scared of using plastic pots, then you can use sacks or clay pots just to make yourself feel safe.
Based from what I read, it's perfectly safe to plant plants in plastic, you just have to choose the right kind of plastic to use in gardening. Here is a link which rates how suitable each type of plastic is for plants:Log In
I think so that most of the articles on the internet are just discouraging the people to do many tasks.I have many plastic containers in my house in which I have grown many flowers and plants.I have also grown many vegetables in those plastic containers because I think that its a more reliable way to grow many kinds of plants.I love those plastic containers because they are cheaper and reliable than any kind of wooden boxes.
They do talk about a chemical found in these plastic containers a lot, which is BPA(bisphenol A)and when these plastics are exposed to high temperatures or sunlight they can leach this toxic chemical. They do recommend the safer plastic containers -so check the underside of the container and if its 1,2,4 and 5 -they are good choices for planting edibles. Also clay and terracotta pots are a safe option but they can be fragile and break easily- although they are a pot that you might want to grow your vegetables in?
I've been using plastic pot for my plants for years now and I don't see any side effect on my plants. Though I transferred some of my plants to the clay pot with designs, it does not stop me to use plastic pot. I think you're using a plastic container like empty bottled water to your plants but it was surprising that you consider plastic with a number? I do turn empty bottled water into a flower pot and my plants are healthy because I used fertile soil.
