Nik, go read al's advice to you in the container forum. He uses his mix, of course, but he states that he has hypertufa pots, and he does NOT put drainage holes because they are so porous, they self drain. Not sure how accurate that is, but Al's mix is much different than the dirt the majority of folks use, and if you do have drainage holes, maybe you might need a heavier soil? I'd still put holes, but not big ones! The thing that attracted me to hypertufa in the first place was how lightweight it is, and the fact that it allows air to get to the roots. I BELIEVE in air pruning roots so that they don't circle and get root bound, like in a regular plastic pot. I'm not sure if hypertufa pots prevent roots from going root-bound, so I'd be tempted to stick a thousand bamboo skewers in the sides and bottom of mine for light and air holes. When a root meets light and air, it stops, prunes it's self, and forms many root branches. It then can take advantage of all the nutrients in the soil, and any branches that meet your air/light holes, will do the same and branch more. I'm not sure on a big 3" thick pot if the thing would be porous enough without dozens of tiny holes. If you have not heard of that concept, google "air pruning," or "root pruning," and you will understand. A farmer's view (orchard growers) of a container, is different than a gardener's view for sure! Good luck with this project! I'm watching every step! Also, feet on the bottom will lift the container and the roots will prune themselves and not stick out of the drain holes. Suzi

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have more news! First, the first flower should open tomorrow if all goes as well as they have been going these past few days. Second, I just discovered a third plant with a flower scape, one that was also started on August 11th 2008, a cross of (Charisma x Picotee) this time, so that accounts for 3 different crosses blooming in just a year. Judging from the scape on it, it was there all along with the 2 previous ones, it just went unnoticed all that time. I wont post pix here because there are too many that were taken during these past few days, so the best would be to visit my web site to see the progress made in the last few days. I will only post here the pix of the first flowers when they open. Third, in the last few days, with the help of a very good friend, I did a lot of researches to make sure that this was in fact a world's first. With all what I did, all the persons I got in touch with, I can't but reasonably conclude that this is a world's first, that is to successfully go from seed to bloom in a year with a hippeastrum. And that is happening 3 times (out of 90 plants in this batch), not only once. Fourth and last, I've written down all what I did during that year all the steps, everything. It has dates, tables, pictures, etc. Sorry, it will not be published here though since I'm up to 12 pages right now and I'm not through yet. Of course, it is in French for now, it will need to be translated in English later on, but that may take a while since English is not my native language. When, where and how will it be published? Sorry, I don't know yet, but I'm working on it!... Thank you all! More to come!... Laurier

I think domehome has the right idea: succulents. 16 inches square is a SMALL planter box and with most plants, you'll need to replce them often or at least put in lots of maintenance to keep them looking good. Here's some good succuelents for such containers. Some of these are spectactular when in bloom. Do "arrangements" within each planter: Aeonium haworthii âÂÂKiwiâ GOLDEN PINWHEEL Aeonium manriqueorum âÂÂZwartkopâ BLACK-HEADED PINWHEEL Agave âÂÂBlue Flameâ BLUE FLAME AGAVE Aloe âÂÂBlue Elfâ BLUE ELF ALOE Aloe brevifolia SHORT-LEAF ALOE Aloe vera ALOE VERA Cephalophyllum pillansii SPARKLING ICE PLANT Cistanthe grandiflora ROCK PURSLANE Cotyledon tomentosa BEARâÂÂS PAWS Cotyledon undulata SILVER RUFFLES Deuterocohnia brevifolia CLUSTER BROMELIAD Drosanthemum micans FLAME ICEPLANT Drosanthemum speciosum SHOWY DEW FLOWER Dudleya brittonii SILVER DOLLAR PLANT Dudleya farinosa POWDERY LIVE-FOREVER Echeveria agavoides HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria derenbergii HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria elegans HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria gibbiflora HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria pulvinata HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria runyonii âÂÂTopsy-Turvyâ HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria shaviana HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria âÂÂBlue Curlsâ HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria âÂÂBlue Horizonâ HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria âÂÂBarbillionâ HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria âÂÂBittersweetâ HENS-AND-CHICKS Echeveria âÂÂDondoâ HENS-AND-CHICKS Gasteria batesiana OX-TONGUE Graptopetalum bellum SUPER STAR Graptopetalum paraguayense SILVER GHOST x Graptosedum âÂÂVera Higginsâ GRAPTOSEDUM Hechtia marnier-lapostollei FALSE AGAVE Kalanchoe pumila FLOWER DUST PLANT Kalanchoe thyrsiflora PADDLE PLANT Kalanchoe tomentosa PANDA PLANT Lampranthus deltoides OSCULARIA Othonna capensis LITTLE PICKLES Sedum cauticoloa âÂÂLedakenseâ STONECROP Sedum forsterianum elegans âÂÂSilver Stoneâ SILVER STONE SEDUM Sedum glaucophyllum CLIFF STONECROP Sedum grisebachii ATHOS STONECROP Sedum seiboldii AUTUMN DAPHNE Sedum seiboldii mediovariegata VARIEGATED AUTUMN DAPHNE Sedum spathulifolium PACIFIC STONECROP Sedum spurium DRAGONâÂÂS BLOOD Sedum tetractinum CHINESE STONECROP Senecio articulatus CANDLE PLANT Senecio scaposus SILVER CORAL Yucca desmettiana RED YUCCA Joe

Hi Austin, I agree with K... I would root prune your trees if root bound and then repot in your containers that you have and then plunge them into your container box. This will help your root bound trees as well as giving you the same effect that you had when you set them on the planter box. Then come fall, it will be so much easier to take the containers out and cut the roots that have grown from the original pot and simply store them for the season. No worries about bare rooting and such... Just my Opinion of course!!! Sounds like a great idea to me!!! I have lots of root pruning to do in a few weeks myself..it will be a lot of work, but after it is done we will see how the trees love the attention. ( like going to the Plumie Spa!!! : ) Good Luck with whatever decision you make... Please keep us posted on what you decide to do and take pics of before and after for us!!! We love to see pics!!! Take care, Laura