Corrosion in some antique copper planters, whats causing it and what can I do? New Zealand
As the title says, I bought some copper planters a few years ago because I liked them, and procceded to use them as planters. One I put a plastic liner in and the other I used a hessian liner. The one with the hessian liner got some really gnarly corrosion on the inside of the upper rim and by the time I noticed and tried to correct it it had eaten right through to the other side. It's got all these pinholes going through it now. I tried to clean off the corrosion with salt and vinegar (smelled delicious, made me want fish and chips) and swapped the plant over to a plastic liner, but the other one isn't looking so hot either. It has all this bubbling along the upper rim presumably where water gathers for a moment before soaking into the soil? But if the water was causing this you'd expect the bottom of the pots to be this bad but they arn't! They have a nice even patina in there, its just the top part (with the design elements!) where this terrible corrosion is being concentrated and gradually destroying them.
I'm not under any delusion these are super valuable antiques but, I feel terrible for ruining a nice thing, but, beyond having plants in them what would I do with them! They're planters! Holding wet soil and plants is their job! But somehow they survived in very good condition until they got into my hands? I dunno I'm really upset by this. I don't want to fill my house with things that are too good to be used, but I also don't want to just, ruin nice things that can't be replaced anymore. What do?