What to fill the bottom of a large pot with to take up some room
debbiep_gw
18 years ago
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zozzl
17 years agoRelated Discussions
What do you guys fill your big pots with?
Comments (26)I just read this morning in a little booklet called "No Toil Power Soil" that you can turn your large containers into a lasagna type garden. "Start by covering the drainage holes with several thin layers of wet newspaper. In very large pots, you can fill the bottom with empty cans turned UPSIDE DOWN...next add a 2-inch layer of compost, then a layer of potting soil, then more compost, then more potting soil yada, yada, yada. Pull back the layers and pop in your plants. After planting, cover the soil with a mulch to preserve moisture. Later in the season you can fertilize with compost tea or liquid fertilizer of some sort. I have yet to try that in particular, but it sounds like a very good idea. In my big containers, I use large chunks of landscaping mulch in the bottom third of the pot. It has always worked for me. The roots go down into that mulch and seem to like it. Hope this works for you....See MorePotted up some impatiens & coleus, now what?
Comments (5)I would bring them in, at least for the night, as the official forecast and what is actually there for you can differ by several degrees. As I recall, coleus can take lower temps than impatiens - the latter shrivel up when it goes much below 38, in my experience. If you will not be having low temps for another few nights, the plants can go back out, and acclimate to pots - keep them well watered but not soggy. I would move them into a bit more shade, since the light levels inside will be lower. If your garage doesn't freeze, they can spend the winter there, sheltered from errant early morning or late night drafts as you take cars in and out. They can also be treated as house plants, if you have room - you can cut them back a bit to fit them into the available space, maybe starting new plants from the trimmings, so there are replacements if these decide to die anyway. It is my understanding that the overwintered plants aren't the best for next summer's plants - you do better to take cuttings in the late winter, and use them for your bedding plants, once they have grown up and the weather has warmed up, and discarding the originals. However, that may well be wrong - I do know of several of each that friends have had as potted plants over a few years, so they CAN go on for a few years. Despite that we treat them as annuals, they are both of them tender perennials - they just can't take cold.......See MoreStarting from seed in a large pot (no potting up)
Comments (14)I found the 1927 study: http://www.sustainablefarmer.com/pdflibrary/library-rootdevelopment.pdf The section on tomatoes starts on page 180. The first several pages clearly shows that disturbing the tap root causes a more fibrous root system, however, transplanting also checks plant development. What really matters is the health and yield of the plants when in the field. In this regard the report states on page 192: "Usually the seedlings are transplanted when they are about 2 inches high and more space given each. In this process the roots are more or less severely pruned and the new root system is much more fibrous. Frequently a second transplanting is made in which each plant is given still more room or transplanted in a suitable receptacle such as a flowerpot, paper band, tin can, etc. Since the root system is disturbed and the development of the plant more or less checked at each transplanting, it might be concluded that plants grown from seed sown directly in pots or other containers would grow more vigorously and give a higher yield than those once or twice transplanted. In fact this has been shown by numerous investigations to be the case. That transplanting in itself does not promote an early crop nor an increased yield has been also clearly demonstrated. In an experiment in Wisconsin three crops of tomatoes were grown . . . In each case seeds were planted singly in 6-inch pots in the greenhouse; when the plants were about 2 inches in height, two-thirds of the whole number were dug up and reset in the same pots; later, one-half of these were again transplanted in a similar manner. As soon as weather permitted, 10 plants of each lot were knocked from the pots and set 4 by 8 feet apart in open ground, every precaution being taken to avoid injury to the roots. Those not transplanted yielded more than those once transplanted, while those twice transplanted yielded least. The total for 10 plants with each treatment during a 3-year period was, 1,175, 1,131, and 1,001 pounds, respectively. TomNJ...See MoreFinally found some small pots! And then I filled them with plants...
Comments (16)Kim - Not a problem at all. I think you should just go for whatever looks interesting. If you're worried, just don't order anything terribly expensive. Haworthia aren't that difficult to grow. Some grow slower and are more difficult than others, but that's just like any succulent. I just get them anyway! For a while, many succulent species were intimidating and I thought I would never grow them. But when I finally got them, I realized they really weren't so bad. =) Sinha - My mix is made of white granite grit (grower size), Turface, and fir bark (blended reptibark). The five photos above show its size and composition. I do customize the ratios of the mix for each plant species. Most important is the mix to be well aerated and not hold too much water. I am fertilizing my succulents and am using liquid Miracle Gro 12-4-8. It's not very fancy, but is easy to get locally and is affordable....See Morecantstopgardening
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