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Container Gardening

How do I set up this pot for veggies?

16 years ago

I'd like to use a stock tank I happen to have for a small vegetable patch. The tank is 6'x2'x2' deep. I don't think I need 2' of soil for annual vegetables, so I think I'll fill the bottom with a filler material (beer bottles?). Any recommendations as to how much soil depth I should have?

Would it be a good idea to put a landscape fabric over the bottles to keep the drainage holes clear? And, for drainage, would I do better to add extra holes? There is currently one hole in the tank, on the side about an inch from the base. Rain isn't an issue here, so I don't expect any serious flooding, but I don't want a nasty stagnant mess, either!

Any other suggestions for preparing an oversized container for vegetables?

Thanks!

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Comments (3)

justaguy2
16 years ago
You definitely do not need 2' of depth. 6" is adequate, but if you can go 12" that's giving them a palace. If 12" gets too costly 8-9" will work fine. Frequency of watering will be determined by several factors, one of which is the volume of potting mix. The more mix, the more water it can hold. Just something to consider. Commercial veggie growing containers like Earthboxes and the Gardener Supply self watering box only have 6-8" of depth to them for the potting mix.

A single drainage hole is adequate providing the hole is on the downside if the container isn't perfectly level. More is good in case of pluggage. A piece of plastic window screen over the drain hole usually prevents this as well as keeps most bugs like slugs out.

Landscape fabric will be fine for keeping the mix from settling into the bottles as would burlap or window screen or most anything that allows water/air through. One trick is to wet the potting mix before filling and it clings to itself and isn't likely to fall in around the edges.

Good growing!
Fori
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, guy! I guess we'll try for 12" because we want to try carrots and we like to dream. :)

Since the hole is actually on the side of the container and not the bottom, I guess I'll drill and set the thing up on 2x4s (totally flat bottom and it's going on concrete). It'll never be a water garden again!

Now to get to work on the beer bottles...
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I used lots of 2-inch pots, but they were also about 2.5 inches deep. More sprouted than not. So probably depth is important. I had to drain flooded trays during and after rain pretty often and had soggy pots, too. Many of the bigger ones (milk jugs and juice cartons) I didn't put in trays, just on the bare ground. That meant I had to water those more frequently, and what I started doing for the sprouted ones just before planting time was rotate them into and out of trays to water them. It's my first year, too, and I banked an entire relandscape/partial lawn removal on it. Nearly 400 containers, many were the 6-pack 2-inch, some were 2-inch peat pots (not plugs), and many more were empty milk and juice cartons and milk cartons. The past few weeks I removed the sod, dug and amended the new beds (clay/rock here), and planted just about everything. Just finished culling the ones I've given up on and still have dozens of containers hoping for a spot in my garden. They're all about the same size as what's in your containers, some a little smaller, but with true leaves.
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Hello Sheila, I hope some of the experts chime in for you... Here is my two cents worth... : ) Since you haven't had any advice yet... Others will help!!! I would go ahead and place them in a good fast draining mix and give them a good soaking with B-1 and Superthrive and let them sit in semi shade to acclimate and to adjust to all of the stress. Cuttings need to harden up, but if you have "dug" them up and they still have some roots, then place them in containers. Cows must have been "hungry" to take a bite from the top of the tree..i hope he still feels good...Plumies are toxic to animals and can cause skin irritation to people if the latex touches the skin. Since the top of one tree had a "bite" taken form the top..you can seal it to prevent it from getting water damage. (Rot) It may have even healed itself. Some use a latex sealant, but i use a waterproof wood glue and that seems to work very well. Hopefully you will have others that can give you some advice and we do have great members that can give you some help as well. Hope this helps... I hope others will give their advice to you...they will be here soon. Laura in VB
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justaguy2
16 years ago
Now to get to work on the beer bottles...

A kindred spirit if I ever met one...

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