Container Gardening Newbie
Why do you guys like container gardening, and what are the problems? I'm a newbie considering containing gardening because of worries about food shortages and higher prices, but I may be just paranoid.
like container gardening: There are a couple of things to like. One is containing growth so that some rather invasive plants don't take over from their less robust neighbors. This works both ways. I have some potted tomato plants directly above tree roots. There's plenty of sunlight with branches high above but the plants would never be able to compete with the tree for soil nutrients and water. Mint and others can be contained so that they don't take over in garden beds or the lawngrass.
Plants in pots can be moved indoors in the winter months. Usually, that means the unheated greenhouse but I have even had some in the basement which receives some sunlight from a west window. They slowly go dormant and they survived.
the problems: Tomatoes in the open garden produce better than the potted plants. I've increased the pot size to 6 gallons from using a smaller variety in smaller pots. I do not want anything larger and they are growing in 100% homemade compost but there must be about 25% less fruit.
Pots of soil are heavy and messy to move around. Bringing potted plants into the house has opened the door to fungus gnats which have been in the soil as eggs and larva.
food shortages and higher prices: What crops and how many feet of containers are you thinking of? If you are a person eating lots of fresh salad vegetables, I can imagine saving some money by growing those plants in containers. You would likely need to have some succession scheduling worked out so that you have a continuous supply through the growing season. Fresh vegetables can be expensive. Veggies that can be stored a long time are usually not.
Steve
not a gardener with an extensive container operation
Plants in pots can be moved indoors in the winter months. Usually, that means the unheated greenhouse but I have even had some in the basement which receives some sunlight from a west window. They slowly go dormant and they survived.
the problems: Tomatoes in the open garden produce better than the potted plants. I've increased the pot size to 6 gallons from using a smaller variety in smaller pots. I do not want anything larger and they are growing in 100% homemade compost but there must be about 25% less fruit.
Pots of soil are heavy and messy to move around. Bringing potted plants into the house has opened the door to fungus gnats which have been in the soil as eggs and larva.
food shortages and higher prices: What crops and how many feet of containers are you thinking of? If you are a person eating lots of fresh salad vegetables, I can imagine saving some money by growing those plants in containers. You would likely need to have some succession scheduling worked out so that you have a continuous supply through the growing season. Fresh vegetables can be expensive. Veggies that can be stored a long time are usually not.
Steve
not a gardener with an extensive container operation
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pepperhead212
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2878
- Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:52 pm
- Location: Woodbury NJ Zone 7a/7b
Welcome to the forum!
What zone are you growing in? And what plants are you looking to grow If you are down south, container gardening may be your best choice for some plants, due to nematodes, and other pests that don't get killed in the winter. Up north, some things can be speeded up a little because the container will warm up sooner than the ground, especially when there is a deep freeze in the winter. Also, if your soil is not very good, it will take a while to build it up, while you can have a good soil mix immediately in containers, while working on the garden soil.
I grow a lot of things in the types of containers known as sub-irrigated planters, or SIPs. The best known brand of these is Earthbox, though some places like Lowe's and HD have gotten their brands of them in recent years. There are many threads about these, and other container gqrdening here on the forum:
viewforum.php?f=21
Watering is a major concern when container gardening. If you have a lot of containers you are going to have to set up some sort of irrigation system; otherwise, you will be spending much of your free time watering! Unless it is one of those SIPs, a large plant like a tomato or an eggplant can dry out a 6 or 7 gal pot in a day or two. And, when pots dry out, they get lighter, so wind can blow them over. This doesn't happen with those SIPs, but even those need filled frequently - I have a drip system set up on timers, to come on twice a day, to refill them. Even once a day doesn't keep them filled, with large tomatoes and eggplants, in the heat of the summer!
What zone are you growing in? And what plants are you looking to grow If you are down south, container gardening may be your best choice for some plants, due to nematodes, and other pests that don't get killed in the winter. Up north, some things can be speeded up a little because the container will warm up sooner than the ground, especially when there is a deep freeze in the winter. Also, if your soil is not very good, it will take a while to build it up, while you can have a good soil mix immediately in containers, while working on the garden soil.
I grow a lot of things in the types of containers known as sub-irrigated planters, or SIPs. The best known brand of these is Earthbox, though some places like Lowe's and HD have gotten their brands of them in recent years. There are many threads about these, and other container gqrdening here on the forum:
viewforum.php?f=21
Watering is a major concern when container gardening. If you have a lot of containers you are going to have to set up some sort of irrigation system; otherwise, you will be spending much of your free time watering! Unless it is one of those SIPs, a large plant like a tomato or an eggplant can dry out a 6 or 7 gal pot in a day or two. And, when pots dry out, they get lighter, so wind can blow them over. This doesn't happen with those SIPs, but even those need filled frequently - I have a drip system set up on timers, to come on twice a day, to refill them. Even once a day doesn't keep them filled, with large tomatoes and eggplants, in the heat of the summer!
I thought I answered this but I guess not. Welcome to the forum.
Container gardening is good for beginners. It is a way to start small. Some people who live in apartments or rentals are not allowed to put anything in the ground.
Some plants as was mentioned are invasive and need to be controlled like mint.
I have most of my herbs and trees in pots because they take up less space and the trees can be dwarfed that way.
Pots are moveable. As plants grow, I do have to pull the plants farther apart so they don't touch. You have more control over the soil if you have problems with pH, or hard rocky soil. If you are growing root crops, a sandy loam works better not to restrict roots. Some plants will prefer more acid or alkaline conditions. SIPs do actually use less water and water more evenly. If you do use containers get the biggest container you can. It accommodates bigger plants or more of the smaller plants and does not dry out as fast. If you have soil issues like nematodes or phythophtora, your choices are limited.
Pots are moveable so if something is getting sunburned or wilting too much or just doesn't like the space, you can move it and try to find someplace better.
My main in ground garden is small. I prefer not to have to work around perennial plants and use the space to plant fast maturing plants so I can work the entire section at one time and not go around late maturing plants. If I plant zucchini or cabbage in the garden, it would take up more space than planting baby bok or even carrots (which I only plant when I have free seed. I don't grow carrots well and I would rather grow what is more expensive to buy and tastes better fresh).
Pots do dry out faster and need more water that pots in the ground. Larger pots will dry out slower than smaller pots. Also pots need to have potting soil and not dirt. Dirt is heavy and contracts over time and causes problems in the long run. Potting soil has better drainage because it usually has more perlite. Container plants will be totally dependent on you to provide all their needs for air, light, water, and nutrients. You have to feed them at the appropriate stage of growth and you have to have the right size pot for the plant. You will probably have to pot up larger plants and if they are perennials, you may have to do some root trimming to maintain their size.
If you do live in a cold place. You won't have to dig up plants from the ground if they are already in pots. The pots can be easily transported to their winter home.
Many plants are suitable for growing in containers, but some really prefer to be in the ground.
Container gardening is good for beginners. It is a way to start small. Some people who live in apartments or rentals are not allowed to put anything in the ground.
Some plants as was mentioned are invasive and need to be controlled like mint.
I have most of my herbs and trees in pots because they take up less space and the trees can be dwarfed that way.
Pots are moveable. As plants grow, I do have to pull the plants farther apart so they don't touch. You have more control over the soil if you have problems with pH, or hard rocky soil. If you are growing root crops, a sandy loam works better not to restrict roots. Some plants will prefer more acid or alkaline conditions. SIPs do actually use less water and water more evenly. If you do use containers get the biggest container you can. It accommodates bigger plants or more of the smaller plants and does not dry out as fast. If you have soil issues like nematodes or phythophtora, your choices are limited.
Pots are moveable so if something is getting sunburned or wilting too much or just doesn't like the space, you can move it and try to find someplace better.
My main in ground garden is small. I prefer not to have to work around perennial plants and use the space to plant fast maturing plants so I can work the entire section at one time and not go around late maturing plants. If I plant zucchini or cabbage in the garden, it would take up more space than planting baby bok or even carrots (which I only plant when I have free seed. I don't grow carrots well and I would rather grow what is more expensive to buy and tastes better fresh).
Pots do dry out faster and need more water that pots in the ground. Larger pots will dry out slower than smaller pots. Also pots need to have potting soil and not dirt. Dirt is heavy and contracts over time and causes problems in the long run. Potting soil has better drainage because it usually has more perlite. Container plants will be totally dependent on you to provide all their needs for air, light, water, and nutrients. You have to feed them at the appropriate stage of growth and you have to have the right size pot for the plant. You will probably have to pot up larger plants and if they are perennials, you may have to do some root trimming to maintain their size.
If you do live in a cold place. You won't have to dig up plants from the ground if they are already in pots. The pots can be easily transported to their winter home.
Many plants are suitable for growing in containers, but some really prefer to be in the ground.
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PraticalGardener
- Cool Member
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:02 pm
- Location: Potomac Highlands region, West Virginia, USA (Zone 6a?)
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Vanisle_BC
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 1356
- Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:02 pm
- Location: Port Alberni, B.C. Canada, Zone 7 (+?)
I don't move my big containers very much I admit. If I do, I use a hand truck or a dolly.
Some of my potted citrus trees are close to 30 years old and they are planted in cinder in 18 gallon pots. I do have to move them by tilting them once in while to make sure they are not trying to go into the ground. Those I can move by turning them on the edge if I have to.
18 gallon pots that I use for vegetables have peat lite for potting mix. Once the vegetables are done, I usually let the pot dry out and shovel out the soil into a bucket until the pot is light enough to move. Most of the time. I empty the pots after the plants are done anyway to bleach the pot before adding new soil. The old soil gets used elsewhere in the yard.
Bigger pots don't dry out as fast. I do use smaller pots like gallon pots, and 14 inch bowls for herbs. Plant that get over 2 ft tall usually have to go into 18 gallon pots eventually. I start seeds in community pots that are 3.5 or 4 inch pots. They have to be watered daily or they will dry out. People do like to start seeds in flats, but I have too many empties that way and they take up more space than compots. The shallow depth of the seed flats are more of a problem for me to keep them evenly moist because I start my seeds in full sun outdoors.
Some of my potted citrus trees are close to 30 years old and they are planted in cinder in 18 gallon pots. I do have to move them by tilting them once in while to make sure they are not trying to go into the ground. Those I can move by turning them on the edge if I have to.
18 gallon pots that I use for vegetables have peat lite for potting mix. Once the vegetables are done, I usually let the pot dry out and shovel out the soil into a bucket until the pot is light enough to move. Most of the time. I empty the pots after the plants are done anyway to bleach the pot before adding new soil. The old soil gets used elsewhere in the yard.
Bigger pots don't dry out as fast. I do use smaller pots like gallon pots, and 14 inch bowls for herbs. Plant that get over 2 ft tall usually have to go into 18 gallon pots eventually. I start seeds in community pots that are 3.5 or 4 inch pots. They have to be watered daily or they will dry out. People do like to start seeds in flats, but I have too many empties that way and they take up more space than compots. The shallow depth of the seed flats are more of a problem for me to keep them evenly moist because I start my seeds in full sun outdoors.