Shellacking Pots?

[Laserbeak]

I know you have to be careful about glazed pots and polyurethane and the like, but shellac should be fine, shouldn't it to use on pots?

Shellac is an all-natural substance that's actually an insect secretion (like honey), and once dried is supposed to be totally non-toxic.

Has anyone used it?

[WhiteRabbit]

[Orchid Whisperer]

I assume you mean on clay pots?
I think this would make the pot less "breathable". Also, I'm not sure the lacquer would do well on a surface that keeps going through wet & dry cycles.

But, if you want to experiment, why not. I would probably start with a plant/pot that I would not mind losing if things go badly.

[ALToronto]

Shellac is not water resistant. It will turn into a sticky mush.

[WaterWitchin]

I'm with ALT... yes, shellac is a fairly old-school substance. When DRY it works well. But we aren't talking "dry" with orchids. It would be a gooey mess.

And I'm not a real careful person when it comes to glaze or poly. But shellac only works well for very specific purposes...never with high humidity or exposure to frequent water.

[Fairorchids]

The whole point with clay pots is that they breathe. This not only dries the mix faster, but also cools roots when the evaporation level is high.

If you want impermeable pots, just go with plastic.

[Laserbeak]

I'm thinking more about the slatted wooden baskets than clay pots. I'm wondering if you stain them and shellac them.

I'm doing this with a large pyramid planter for other plants, but my research indicates that shellac really is waterproof, provided you apply many coats then let it cure for a month before exposing it to water. Although you should maintain it at least once a year, which should be OK, since you repot about once a year anyways.

The main idea is to be able to stain the wood and put a barrier between the stain (which may be toxic) and the plant.

[Optimist]

Shellack is liquified using mineral spirits that evaporate.

[Orchid Whisperer]

After reading the suggestions from others posted here, I tend to agree, even more than before, that this probably won't turn out well.

It is probably best to leave it as natural wood.

[WaterWitchin]

I'm still not sure I even understand the point of shellacking a porous pot. Or wood basket. Esthetics?

Don't understand the "why" of it. Not being negative, just curious.