Pot in a pot in a pot concept.
30 odd years ago, don't know exactly when, some seedlings Santa Barbara Orchid Estates was growing, got out of hand and were growing into each others pots etc. Paul Gripp instructed his help to up-pot them. There were so many seedlings and not enough help that he took a shortcut and told the guys to just place the 2 1/2" pot seedlings into a larger pot without the bark and the redo in order to save time. This would at least separate them from each other and they would come back in a month or 2 to do it right.
The month went by and when they came back a year later he found that the plants were doing just fine without their help, thank you very much.. Roots were filling the empty space and the plats were developing fine. The light went on for Paul and he decided to leave them like that and just move them up into a larger pot when necessary. At least for the West Coast, the pot in a pot idea originated there and SBOE has used the concept extensively ever since.
I got the idea from them in 2,000 and have used it frequently for my potted plants. You take a small plant in a small pot growing in whatever, bark, rock, cocconut etc and when it needs a larger pot place it into a larger EMPTY pot. The roots will circle along the walls and eventually fill the empty space. When the plant grows over the edge of that pot, repeat the process with a slightly larger pot. Eventually you'll end up with a large plant growing in a honeycomb web of multiple pots without any growing media. The original media, even if it is 5 year old bark, never needs to be changed as it makes up such a small percentage of the total growing volume and can be safely ignored. It will deteriorate and wash away in time.
Never needs to be repotted, cannot be over watered and in my opinion is one of the best ways to grow potted plants. The photo shows a small Cattleya overgrowing it's seedling pot and now growing in a 4" square. I add large, 1 1/2" to 2" rock to add stability so it won't tip over. The rocks do not contribute to the growing needs of the plant. Eventually the roots will bind everything together.
Nick
Comments (50)
orchidnick
10 years agoFor the benefit of this post, I placed the plant into the next pot even tough it does not need it yet. Normally I would not do this until it grows over the edge but no harm done and I'll just leave it like that until it grows over this new edge. Then it will graduate into the next size round pot. Probably 2 years from now hopefully will have bloomed by then.
Nick
philpet
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Turn Ordinary pots to self watering pots?
Comments (10)I take a gallon can from food, punch some holes in the bottom with a nail, put the lid I removed to open the can over the holes, then fill a plastic bag with water and put it in the can. I have never found a plastic bag that would not leak, but if you do, poke a hole or 2 near the bottom of the bag with a pin so it will leak slowly. If your plants are in large pots like mine are (cut-off plastic barrels, usually), there is room to put one of these in the barrel. It will water your plants for almost a week if the pinholes really are pinholes.. If you want to decrease the amount of water your plants will need, such as during really hot weather, make some kind of simple shade over them before you put the self-waterers to work....See Moreis a crock pot a crock pot a crock pot?
Comments (33)Stew pot is actually closer, Linda. The style we currently call "Dutch oven" is a flat-bottomed kettle with a lid added. And is, of course, with its heavy, heat-holding design, ideal for stewing. Kettles originally were round bottomed (and some had legs), designed primarily to be hung over an open fire; either from a tripod or a crane. They did not have lids. There was a point, measured in gallons, where a kettle became a cauldren, but I misremember it right now. Thirteen comes to mind, but don't take that to the bank. Dutch ovens, of course, had three legs and a deeply recessed lid so you could put coals both under and on top, to provide even, dry heat. They were used on the hearth, not in the firebox. In the first quarter of the 19th century, "portable" cast iron stoves became popular. Initially kettles were still used by removing an eye and setting the pot right in the hole, over the open fire. Eventually they began modifying the pieces, flattening the bottom and adding a domed lid. A chicken fryer has a somewhat different configuration; being relatively wide for it's height (for stability), and with sidewalls that slope more sharply than those of a skillet. Chicken fryers, too, have domed lids; many of which are of the self-basting type. Now, if you really want to know about hearth trivia, ask me nicely and I'll tell you were the term "hob nobbing" comes from....See MorePots Pots Pots! (Some local Japanese maple learnings)
Comments (1)Continued... (He whispered, "This is for pot growers.") Always buying concentrates, diluting them properly. But he did tell me my trees were probably starving. All this brings me to my question. (It wouldn't let me cut out that last sentence in the original post. I had no idea we were limitd. and the way I talk?!?) I am way out of big pots. Does anyone have anything that's 5-7 gallons they don't need? I'll pick up anytime. I can't make the swap, so I'd need to come to you. I guess I should put this into the Wanteds, but I admit I haven't looked to see if this board was translated to Houzz. Thanks very much!!...See MoreFixing potted roots, or when is a potted tree a potted tree
Comments (5)Worst problems with larger trees and shrubs typically date back to when they were small trees. The only difference with the specimen being more advanced is that you have more to work your way back through to look for a tight knot or fist below the crown dating back to when it was left too long in a band or small pot - buying them small only makes the deformed roots easier to expose and see. If the disposition of the roots is too severe you are either stuck with planting it and hoping for the best or giving up on it - I threw out a 35 dollar one gallon weeping Nootka cypress because at planting I found that the ENTIRE root system consisted of what looked like a ponytail hair braid like some women belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses wear. How the grower was even able to get the rootstock to twist around itself like that I cannot imagine. Not only was it coiled but it dipped down and then back up, in a U shape. You only plant in spring because that is when the plants are on the market (in good condition, apart from the usual root issues) or because the plants are tender kinds. Otherwise hardy stock should always be planted in fall, late enough that summer heat and drought has passed or is waning but early enough that the big fall annual root elongation has not occurred. (If the roots have to be operated on to a sufficient extent most of the extending of existing roots in fall may be lost, as only intact roots do this). You can tell if a specimen may be about to do this or already doing it by looking at the top, the setting of winter stem buds at the ends of mature, hardened shoots is what causes the root tips to grow at this time of the year. Spring planting is culturally inferior because the soil has been chilled all winter and summer heat and drought are around the corner. Bare-rooted stock from grower warehouses is only planted in spring because the feeder roots are all dried up and dead, need to be replaced before the specimen is fully functional - fall-planted bare-rooted stock is essentially hardwood cuttings with old roots already present but still needing to be protected from the worst winter conditions. New roots grow in spring in response to the opening of winter stem buds. Both in fall and in spring these buds generate hormones which cause the roots to grow. This is one of multiple reasons you don't want to cut tops back at planting, you are reducing the amount of hormones that will reach the roots....See Moreorchidnick
10 years agophilpet
10 years agoorchidnick
10 years agoarthurm
10 years agoorchidnick
10 years agoI have never done well with hard cane Dendrobiums and neither have the other members of my society. Very seldom do we see one of these on our display table.They love Hawaii, not SOCAL. Cattleyas on the other hand do. Here is a picture of a huge Cattleya deckeri with probably 50 leaves and 10 flower pods in the making.
Nick
orchidnick
10 years agoThe reason I showed it it is the result of the 'Pot in a Pot' technique. Got it 13 years ago as a seedling and if one would cut the plant down the middle, you would see a honeycomb of 6 different pots. 2 1/2", 3", 4" squares. 5", 6" and 8" round pots complete the Russian doll set up. It's completely filling the last one so is due to move up after it finishes blooming.
nick
philpet
10 years agoorchidnick
10 years agoblondy27
10 years agophilpet
10 years agoThanks Blondy, I was planning on asking you today. But here where I live you will be lucky to find a small plastic pot, not to mention a clay so my dens are all potted in plastic and I redid them with stones. Hardly any roots at all. This pic is the best lookin one at the moment the rest are much smaller and hardly any roots I also added a few pieces of charcoal and put extra holes for drainage, I hope they make it. VELLETA
blondy27
10 years agophilpet
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Darlene (GreenCurls)
10 years agophilpet
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westoh Z6
10 years agoorchid126
10 years agophilpet
10 years agoorchidnick
10 years agoorchidnick
10 years agoThe Cattleya I showed earlier finally fully opened up. (not quite, 6 more to go) For a plant that has no bark, moss, coconut or anything else, it's doing pretty well. I wish It would bloom earlier in the year so I could take it to our fall show for the Orchids 101 talk.
Nick
orchidnick
10 years agoViewed from the top. Of course, as was pointed out earlier, this does not prove anything other than that this plant likes my climate conditions since it's growing in the back yard. I don't have photos of all the ones that died under similar conditions.
Nick
vtandrea
10 years agophilpet
10 years agovtandrea
10 years agowestoh Z6
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10 years agoallymarie
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10 years agoshavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
9 years agoallymarie
9 years agoThat overgrown basket I mentioned above has actually rotted.I tried taking off a piece of the orchid and the basket came apart.I didn't have any problem taking the orchid apart because the wood just crumbled.Ants was even living in the basket.After cleaning up the orchid I was able to get 5 pieces but they were not very healthy looking.They look dehydrated .There is some new root growth so that's a plus.You never know what's going on inside a pot or basket until you take the plant apart.
Allymarie
arthurm
9 years agoorchidnick
9 years agoarthurm
9 years agoorchidnick
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westoh Z6