Question
Since I moved up to East Vancouver, WA I've gotten all my carnivorous plants from your company.  I have had them planted in all the right stuff, and in a large very expensive beautiful cobalt blue ceramic bowl with a ceramic saucer which I loved.  However, after this last snow and freezing rain both the bowl and the saucer now have a big crack in them, so I would like to know what would be an "attractive, lasting container"  in which to replant my Sarracenias.  I keep them on my backyard patio in full sun.  I am so sad about my pot and saucer cracking, which made it through previous freezes and some snow.  As a California transplant I'm still not sure how to garden in the NW.  You told me my zone is 8.  Hope you can help.  Thank you-Cheri.

P.S.  Although I've been getting your emails for quite some time, I just discovered that the last one you sent was in my spam box, and don't know why.

Answer
Hi Cheri,

Many spam filters will filter out anything that looks like a blind-copied e-mail such as spammers would send when sending out millions of e-mails.  Newsletters are often in this category.  Many newsletters I have subscriptions to end up in spam folders, so checking there is just a fact of life in our modern internet age.

Here in the Pacific Northwest because of our heavy winter rains, plastic pots tend to be the longest lasting.  You can find some fairly attractive types that are made of heavier gage material.  Many people do still use glazed ceramic, but you have to just know that you will replace them every couple of years.  If you can find ceramics that are made from high-fire vitreous clay, those tend to last longer.  Those type of pieces are usually only found from local artists (which it's great to support them!), but most items in stores are imported and made from low-fire clay.

Hope this helps.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com