Pre-orders open April 2027
Don’t bin the pot. Plant it.
Kelp Pods are plant pots made from giant kelp. Plant the whole pod: it fertilises your plant, draws water to the roots, then bio-degrades in the soil in about six weeks.
Same price as plastic pots in New Zealand.
- 6 weeksto bio-degrade in soil
- Feeds & watersyour plant or tree
- Packs from 104 sizes, NZ pricing
The problem with plastic
20 billion plastic planters hit landfill
plastic planters hit landfills globally.
Why Kelp Pods
A pot that keeps working after you plant it.
Kelp is naturally aquaphilic and full of goodness. Pressed into a pot, it does far more than hold soil.
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Gone in six weeks
Kelp Pods bio-degrade in the soil in about six weeks. Nothing to unpot, nothing to bin, nothing for landfill.
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Fertilises your plant
As the pod breaks down it feeds your plant or tree organically, right at the roots, from day one.
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Draws water to the roots
Kelp loves water. The pod pulls moisture in and draws it towards the roots, where your plant needs it most.
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Builds bubbly, healthy soil
A stack of enzymes boosts the soil biome, making soil porous — or ‘bubbly’. Healthier soil soaks up heavy rain, helping protect against flooding.
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Holds soil in the wind
Natural gels from the kelp bind the soil, protecting it from wind in dry times, just when young roots need it.
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Same price as plastic
In New Zealand, Kelp Pods cost the same as the plastic pots they replace. Doing the right thing shouldn’t cost more.
How it works
From greenhouse to ground, pot and all.
- 1
Grow
Sow seeds or pot up seedlings in a Kelp Pod, just like a plastic pot.
- 2
Plant
Put the whole pod in the ground. No unpotting, no root disturbance, no plastic to collect.
- 3
Feed
In the soil the pod fertilises, draws water to the roots and feeds the soil biome.
- 4
Gone
In about six weeks the pod has become soil. All that’s left is a stronger plant.
- 1Bio-degrades in ~6 weeks
The pod softens and breaks down into the soil as the plant grows.
- 2Fertilises at the roots
Kelp goodness feeds the plant or tree as the pod breaks down.
- 3Draws water in
Water-loving kelp fibre pulls moisture towards the roots.
- 4Bubbly, porous soil
Enzymes boost the soil biome, so soil soaks up heavy rain instead of flooding.
- 5Binds the topsoil
Natural gels hold soil together against wind in dry times.
Shop
Four sizes. One very good pot.
Pre-orders open April 2027. Build your list now and we’ll remind you the moment you can order.
- Packs from 10
- NZD incl. GST
- Same price as plastic
Sizes & measurements
Every pod, to scale.
Three garden sizes and a deep tube for trees. All tapered, all made from giant kelp, all gone in about six weeks once planted.
| Pod | Top Ø | Base Ø | Height | Holds | Best for | Packs | From | Spec drawing |
|---|
Kelp Pods vs plastic
Same price as plastic. That’s where it ends.
In New Zealand you pay the same for a Kelp Pod as for the plastic pot it replaces. Here’s what you get for it.
See prices| Feature | Plastic pot | Kelp Pod |
|---|---|---|
| Price in NZ | Same | Same |
| At planting | Unpot it and disturb the roots | Plant it whole |
| Afterwards | Binned, then landfill | Soil in about six weeks |
| Feeds your plant | No | Fertilises organically |
| Water | No help | Draws water to the roots |
| Soil health | None | Enzymes boost the soil biome |
| Flood & wind | None | Porous soil and gel-bound topsoil |
Forestry & restoration
Plant a forest. Leave no plastic behind.
The Forestry Pod is a deep, tapered tube for native and forestry tree seedlings. Plant it straight into the ground. There are no planter bags to strip off, and nothing to collect from the hillside afterwards.
- Fertiliser at the roots from the day it’s planted
- Draws water to young roots on dry sites
- Natural gels help hold the soil around the seedling in wind
- Saves planting labour: one step, pot and all
Pre-orders
Pre-orders open in April 2027.
Leave your name and email and we’ll send you a reminder with the pre-order date, so you can be first in line.
The kelp family
More good things from kelp.
Other kelp products
Big Kelp
Big Kelp farms giant kelp in Aotearoa New Zealand and turns it into kelp products, from organic bio-stimulant for crops to alginates and marine actives.
Visit bigkelp.com
Carbon credits & climate products
WeKelp
Carbon credits, and products that help the environment.
Visit wekelp.com
When can I order Kelp Pods?
Pre-orders open in April 2027. Leave your name and email and we’ll remind you as soon as they’re live.
What’s the smallest pack I can buy?
Packs start at 10 pods. The three garden sizes also come in packs of 50 and 100, and the Forestry Pod in 100 and 500. Ordering for a nursery or a planting project? Let us know in the reminder form.
Do I take the plant out before planting?
No. Plant the whole pod. It bio-degrades in the soil in about six weeks, so there’s no unpotting, no root disturbance and nothing to throw away.
What are Kelp Pods made from?
Pressed giant kelp fibre, not plastic. As the pod breaks down it fertilises organically, draws water to the roots and feeds the soil biome.
Are they really the same price as plastic?
Yes. In New Zealand, Kelp Pods are priced to match the plastic pots they replace, from 39c a pod.
Can I use them for trees?
Yes. The Forestry Pod is a deep 16 cm tube for native and forestry seedlings. Plant it straight into the ground: it feeds and waters the young tree, and its natural gels help hold the soil while it establishes.
How do Kelp Pods help with flooding and wind?
Enzymes in the pod boost the soil biome, making soil porous, or ‘bubbly’, so it soaks up heavy rain. Natural kelp gels bind the soil in dry times, helping protect it from wind.